SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – The sixth annual "Makers Madness" contest is down to the Top 16.
Nearly 250,000 votes have been cast, narrowing the field in the competition to find The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. The bracket-style tournament is hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association.
Presented by Comcast Business, the competition celebrates the incredible work of manufacturers across Illinois.
More than 250 unique products from across the state were nominated for the 2025 title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. After two weeks of voting, the field has been narrowed to the Top 16.
The top four vote-getters from the initial round of voting are Gindo’s Spice of Life made by Gindo’s in St. Charles; Chef Heatley’s Hot Pepper Farm Salsa made by Chef Heatley in Sandwich; Titanium Vacuum Chamber manufactured by Meyer Tool & Manufacturing in Oak Lawn; and Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn Bourbon made by Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. in DeKalb.
“The Top 16 products to advance in the Makers Madness contest represent the breadth and depth of Illinois’ manufacturing sector, showcasing the creativity and innovation that drives our state and nation,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Best of luck to all the contestants, we look forward to some friendly competition and can’t wait to see which products will make it into the next round.”
The Makers Madness Top 16 matchups are as follows:
Bracket A:
(1) Gindo’s Spice of Life (Gindo’s, St. Charles) v. (4) Azteca Homestyle Burrito Tortilla (Azteca, Chicago)
(2) Aerial Firefighting Pump (MTH Pumps, Plano) v. (3) TCCI Electric Compressor (TCCI Manufacturing, Decatur)
Bracket B:
(1) Chef Heatley’s Hot Pepper Farm Salsa (Chef Heatley, Sandwich) v. (4) Global Navigation Motion Module (ZF Active Safety and Electronics US LLC, Marshall)
(2) Joint Combined Aircrew Systems Tester (Chemring Energetic Devices, Downers Grove) v. (3) Jumbo Marshmallows (Gilster-Mary Lee, Chester)
Bracket C:
(1) Titanium Vacuum Chamber (Meyer Tool & Manufacturing, Oak Lawn) v. (4) Lagomarcino’s Chocolates (Lagomarcino’s Confectionary, Moline)
(2) Rain Light Sensor (Forvia Hella, Flora) v. (3) Donor Milk (Mother’s Milk Bank of Western Great Lakes, Elk Grove Village)
Bracket D:
(1) Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn Bourbon (Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., DeKalb) v. (4) Boeing MQ-25 Stingray Drone Refueler (Boeing, Mascoutah)
(2) ROV Skimmer – Remote Operated Oil Skimmer (Elastec, Carmi) v. (3) Aerosol Spray Cheese (Berner Food & Beverage LLC, Dakota)
Voting for the next round is now open and will take place at www.makersmadnessil.com through 11:59 p.m. on March 23.
Voters may cast one vote per day in each of the eight head-to-head match-ups between individual products. Consecutive rounds of voting will take place each week, with vote totals reset to zero at the beginning of each round.
The contest will culminate with an awards ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on April 9 when The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be named.
“The excitement is building as products go head-to-head,” said Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. “Comcast is proud to be part of the IMA’s Makers Madness contest, providing well-deserved recognition to the amazing work of manufacturers throughout Illinois.”
Timeline of events:
February 12 – March 2: Nominations open and accepted at www.makersmadnessil.com
March 4 – March 16: Nomination voting
March 18: Top 16 Announced
March 18 – March 23: First round of voting
March 25: Top 8 Announced
March 25 – March 30: Second round of voting
April 1: Top 4 Announced
April 1 – April 6: Final round of voting
April 9: Winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois announced
Copyright 2025 WAND TV. All rights reserved.
