Back for its second year, the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey competition invites you to nominate a New Jersey-made product that stands out for its creativity, impact, or craftsmanship. New Jersey is home to thousands of manufacturers creating products that power industries, inspire innovation, and shape everyday life. The competition was launched by Manufacturing Counts, a partnership between NJBIA and the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, to promote New Jersey manufacturing and celebrate the very best of what’s made right here in the Garden State. But which one deserves the title of the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey? That will be for you to decide!
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Meet our 4 Finalist
Vet-Sonotron: (Top Left) Non-invasive veterinary therapy device for treatment of musculoskeletal pain conditions in dogs and horses, without the use of drugs and with no side effects. Made in Bergen County by ADM Tronics.
Anti-Gravity Suit: (Top Right) The anti-G suit connects to the aircraft and inflates under extreme G-forces, applying pressure to maintain circulation and prevent pilots from losing consciousness. Made in Mercer County by Switlik Survival Products.
Thermit Welding Kit: (Bottom Left) Thermit welding kits are used to weld pieces of rail together to create continuously welded rail. Made in Ocean County by Orgo-Thermit Inc.
Superconductor: (Bottom Right) Superconductors, when cooled to 4.2 Kelvin (-452°F), carry electricity losslessly, enabling persistent high magnetic fields necessary for MRI scanners, particle accelerators, and fusion machines. Made in Middlesex County by BrukerEST.
The winner will be announced at NJBIA’s 2026 FREE State of the State of Manufacturing event on May 21, where you can also connect directly with industry leaders, stakeholders, STEM executives, and lawmakers as you gain insight into key trends and policy shifts, share the challenges impacting your business, and help influence a stronger, more competitive manufacturing climate.
How Voting Works
During the nominations voting round, all eligible products will be displayed. You will receive five votes per day per device, and you can distribute those votes however you’d like. For example, if you wish to vote for five different products, you can give one vote each to five products. You could also vote five times for the same product, or give three votes to one product and two votes to another. It’s up to you!
For the Top 16 and Top 8 rounds, products will be displayed in head-to-head matchups. You will have one vote per day per device for each matchup, and you must submit a vote for each matchup.
During the Top 4 round, the top four vote-getters will all be displayed. You will have one vote per day per device, and you must vote for one of the four products. The winning product from this round will be declared the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey!
Is my product eligible?
The product must be made in New Jersey, but the manufacturer’s headquarters does not have to be located in New Jersey. Products can be nominated from any sector of the manufacturing industry.
Can I resubmit a product from last year?
Yes. All products that were nominated in last year’s competition are eligible to be resubmitted for the 2026 competition, with the exception of the 2025 winning product.
What does the winner receive?
The winning product will receive an award recognizing it as the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey, as well as an article written about the company and product in the New Jersey Business Magazine and the Manufacturing Matters Magazine.
Can a company nominate multiple products?
Yes, but only one product per company will be allowed into the Top 16. If a company has multiple products that receive enough votes in the nomination round to make it into the Top 16, only the product with the most votes will move on.
Competition Schedule
Nominations Open: February 17 – March 20
Round 1 – Voting on all Nominated Products: March 24 – March 30
Round 2 – Top 16: April 1 – 6
Round 3 – Top 8: April 8 – 13
Final Round – Top 4: April 15 – 20
The winner will be announced on May 21* at NJBIA’s 2026 State of the State of Manufacturing. (*Event date contingent upon the New Jersey State Legislature’s schedule.)
Full Rules
- Any product made in New Jersey may be nominated for the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey. There is no limit on the number of products that a person may nominate.
- The product must be made in New Jersey. The manufacturer’s headquarters do not need to be located in New Jersey.
- Nominations must include the name of the product, the name of the manufacturer, photo of the product, a short description of the product, link to the product/manufacturer’s website along with the name, email, and telephone number for the person making the nomination. The nominator’s information will not be made public but may be used for verification or follow-up questions from NJBIA and NJMEP staff.
- Nominations must be made at manufacturingcounts.org. Written, emailed, or other nominations will not be accepted.
- Products nominated can be from any sector of the manufacturing industry.
- Products nominated in last year’s competition may be resubmitted for the 2026 competition, with the exception of the 2025 winning product.
- A company can have multiple products nominated for the Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey, but only one product per company will be allowed into Round 2 (Top 16 products). If a company has more than one product in the Top 16 after Round 1, the product with the highest vote total will be that company’s sole entry into Round 2.
- Round 1 – Voting Period and Limits: Round 1 voting will begin on March 24, 2026, and end on March 30, 2026. During Round 1, each individual may cast up to five (5) votes per day per device. The sixteen (16) top products receiving the highest number of valid votes will advance to Round 2.
- Round 2 – Voting Period and Limits: Round 2 voting will take place from April 1, 2026 through April 6, 2026. Round 2 consists of eight (8) seeded, head-to-head matchups among sixteen (16) products. During Round 2, a voter may cast one (1) vote per day per device in each individual head-to-head matchup. The product receiving the highest number of valid votes in each matchup will advance to Round 3.
- Round 3 – Voting Period and Limits: Round 3 voting will take place from April 8, 2026 through April 13, 2026. Round 3 consists of four (4) seeded, head-to-head matchups among eight (8) products. During Round 3, a voter may cast one (1) vote per day per device in each individual head-to-head matchup. The product receiving the highest number of valid votes in each matchup will advance to the Final Round.
- Final Round (Top 4) – Open Voting and Winner Determination: The Final Round voting period will take place from April 15, 2026 through April 20, 2026. The Final Round consists of the four (4) remaining products competing in a single open voting round (no head-to-head matchups). During the Final Round, each voter may cast one (1) vote per day per device for one (1) product. The product receiving the highest total number of valid votes during the Final Round will be declared the winner of The Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey for 2026.
- Votes will be tabulated and confirmed by the NJBIA and NJMEP at the conclusion of each round before winners are announced.
- The number of votes will be reset at the beginning of each round.
- Products nominated are subject to qualification verification by the NJBIA and NJMEP. In case of questions about nominations, NJBIA and NJMEP will make every effort to contact the nominator for additional information.
- NJBIA and NJMEP reserve the right to remove any product deemed ineligible for the competition.
- NJBIA and NJMEP will attempt to contact all companies with products nominated for The Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey for every round of voting.
A Look Back at the 2025 Competition
2025 Winner: UVC BioGuard
A PPE mask that kills viruses at the source to prevent respiratory healthcare-associated infections is the winner of the 2025 coolest thing made in New Jersey!
39620
Votes cast in 2025
55
Nominations in 2025
