What’s the Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee? You can Help Decide!

The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) is proud to co-sponsor the 2025 “Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee” contest. 

The annual contest celebrates the diverse range of products manufactured across the state and aims to raise awareness about manufacturing careers. Nominations for this year’s competition will begin on June 16 and close on June 30. Finalists will be announced on July 14, followed by the online popular voting round from July 15 to July 29. During this period, participants can vote daily to help determine the top 16 products, which will go on to compete for a spot in the final four. 

The winner will be revealed on October 1 at the Tennessee Manufacturing Excellence Luncheon in Lebanon, TN. The top four finalists will be invited to set up an exhibit at the event ahead of the winning announcement. Everyone is encouraged to participate by nominating their favorite products and voting during the contest period.  

Launched in 2024, the inaugural contest received over 100 product nominations and more than 75,000 votes. Twenty Made in Tennessee members were nominated, with one member company, American Paper Optics, reaching the final four. The Nissan Rogue was crowned the winner on July 25, 2024. 

The contest is co-sponsored by UT CIS, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Tennessee Manufacturers Association, and the Smart Factory Institute TN.