Sacramento, CA – After hundreds of products were eliminated, eight products remain in the 2023 Coolest Thing Made in California competition. These California-made products are a testament to the innovative landscape the Golden State offers, with products being made across the state, including in Sacramento, Fremont, Palo Alto, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Corona.
The competition hosted by the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) announced Monday that the voting for the Top 8 Round begins Monday, September 18 and runs until Thursday, September 21, at 11:59 p.m. PST. The products with the most votes will move on to the finals.
“We are proud to show off the capabilities and cool products California workers produce in our first-ever Coolest Thing Made in California competition,” said Lance Hastings, CEO & President of CMTA. “Each product in the Top 8 represents the cutting-edge ingenuity that California’s manufacturing industry is known for.”
The Top 8 products in the Coolest Thing Made in California competition are:
- Boehringer Ingelheim’s Cyltezo in Fremont
- Carmazzi Caramel Corn’s Popcorn in Sacramento
- Fender’s American Vintage II 1972 Telecaster® Thinline in Corona
- Lockheed Martin’s NIRCam in Palo Alto
- Millennium Space Systems’ Victus Nox in El Segundo
- Northrop Grumman’s James Webb Space Telescope in Redondo Beach
- Tesla’s Model Y in Fremont
- Zoox’s Robotaxi in Fremont
These products now vie for the prestigious title of Coolest Thing Made in California for 2023. The top four products with the most votes will advance to the final round.
California’s Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, will announce the winner of this year’s competition at the MakingCA Conference hosted by CMTA on National Manufacturing Day. The winner will not only gain bragging rights but also the honor of being celebrated as an emblem of California’s manufacturing excellence.
The first-ever Coolest Thing Made in California competition aims to showcase the innovation and diversity of products manufactured right here in California. The manufacturing industry employs 1.3 million Californians across 30,000 firms, contributing $310 billion to the state’s annual GDP. Each manufacturer in the state helps the local economy thrive, as every manufacturing job helps create 2.5 others in the local economy.
Coolest Thing Made in California Schedule:
- Top 8 Vote: September 18-21
- Top 4 Vote: September 25-28
- Winner Announced: October 6, also known as National Manufacturing Day. California’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis will present the award at the MakingCA Conference.
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Media Contact:
Ananda Rochita
Vice President, Communications
916-531-4161
About CMTA:
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit the CMTA website.
Interviews:
Interviews with manufacturers in the competition can be scheduled with Ananda Rochita, Vice President of Communications.
