Coolest thing made in Minnesota

Do you make the “coolest thing made in Minnesota”?

Minnesota companies have a long history of innovation, creating some of the “coolest” products to fuel our economy. This year, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is launching a competition to highlight this innovation. 

• Manufacturing represents the single largest private-sector component of Minnesota’s GDP.
• 325,000 Minnesotans work in manufacturing.
• 42% of Minnesota’s Fortune 500 companies are in manufacturing.
• Minnesota exported $120 billion in manufactured goods in 2015.
• These companies sent 1,057 different types of products to more than 200 countries worldwide.
• Manufacturing workers took home $24.9 billion last year for an average annual wage of $76,950 – 10% higher than the state’s overall private sector wage.

How do I qualify?
The single biggest qualifying factor for the “Coolest thing made in Minnesota” contest is to manufacture a product in Minnesota. You need to have been in business for two years and have an NAICS code between 31 and 33. Your company does not need a membership in the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to qualify and can submit one product per year.

How do I apply?
Product submissions will be accepted at mnchamber.com/coolestthing starting July 9. Submission information includes a product description, photos, information about the creating company and acknowledgement of qualifying factors.

Can I nominate someone else’s product?
Yes! You will be asked to provide a contact at the company that produces the nominated product, for verification.

How is a winner chosen?
The top nominated products will be announced in September. The public will vote on products via head-to-head match up in five rounds until the winner is announced on October 8 at the 2024 Manufacturers’ Summit.