05 Oct 2023 Coolest Kansas Innovation Category Down to Final Four
Four Kansas manufacturers have advanced to be this year’s Coolest Innovation made in Kansas.
This is one of two categories in Kansas Manufacturing Council’s (KMC) — an affiliated program of the Kansas Chamber — Coolest Thing Made In Kansas contest.
The four products advancing to the innovation finals are:
- C.P. Huntington Train by Chance Rides Manufacturing, Wichita
- CIC Powerbox by CIC POWERBOX, LLC, Pittsburg
- Cobalt Surf Boat/Surf System by Cobalt Boats, Neodesha
- Pri-Saver Water Conservation System by PRIMUS Sterilizer Company, Great Bend
“Congratulations to our final four coolest innovations,” said KMC Executive Director Brandie McPherson. “The KMC added this category to the contest last year to highlight the many ways Kansas manufacturers research and develop new products and work to improve products to address crucial challenges. We look forward to learning more about the final four products.”
The contest began with 29 nominated products. Fourteen moved on to the first round of judging by completing a questionnaire detailing their innovations. A panel of judges reviewed the questionnaires and then ranked the products for their innovative solutions.
The judges for the 2023 contest are:
- Lafe Bailey, Founder, Bosh Advisory
- Matt Cash, Partner, FORVIS
- Karma Mason, Founder, iSi Environmental
- Dr. Jeremy Patterson, Ph.D., Dean, WSU College of Innovation & Design; Executive Director, Office of Innovation & New Ventures
- Tiffany Stovall, CEO, Kansas Manufacturing Solutions
During the final round on October 23rd at the Kansas Manufacturing Summit, the four companies will make in-person presentations about their innovations. The judges will choose the winning product based on a criteria that includes its impact on the challenge it solves as well as the impact it has on the business, its employees and customers.
The contest also features the People’s Choice category, a bracket-style tournament currently in round two of voting. Voting for round two ends Friday, October 6th at 5:00 pm CT.
Winners for both categories will be announced during the summit on Tuesday, October 24th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita.
Presented by FORVIS, the KMC launched the Coolest Thing Made In Kansas contest in 2020 to promote and elevate Kansas manufacturers and to highlight products developed and produced in Kansas and distributed across the U.S. and internationally.