Contest highlights the strength of manufacturing in California
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) today announced the Top 16 small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) and Top 16 large manufacturers advancing in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in California contest, following the close of the Popular Round of public voting on Sept. 17. The annual competition highlights the innovative products California manufacturers are making, and the impact the industry has on the state.
This year’s contest features two brackets: one for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) and another for large manufacturers. For the purposes of this contest, an SMM is defined as a company with 200 employees or fewer. This categorization ensures fair representation and competition based on the public’s voting preferences, while recognizing the most popular products, regardless of company size.
“One of the coolest parts of this contest is the way it expands awareness of California’s manufacturing industry and truly showcases why we’re a national leader in manufacturing,” said CMTA President & CEO Lance Hastings. “Every vote cast in the Popular Round means someone learned more about what’s being made in their state. That’s the work of 1.2 million Californians made visible, and we’re proud to recognize it.”
Advancing to the Top 16 Round are:
Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturer (SMM) Bracket
- Aptera, made by Aptera Motors in Carlsbad
- Bletherm + AutoChef, made by Blentech Corporation in Santa Rosa
- Buoy Bottle, made by Buoy in Oxnard
- Ocean Explorer HOV1000, made by DOER Marine in Alameda
- Steelhead Handheld Shower Head, made by High Sierra Showerheads in Coarsegold
- IF1200 Heavy-Lift Hexacopter, made by Inspired Flight Technologies in San Luis Obispo
- Icon Dry Suit, made by Kokatat in Arcata
- Ventana XR06, made by Megapixel in Valencia
- Fiber Optic Gyroscope, made by Northstar Photonics in San Jose
- Coldshield, made by Optiforms, Inc. in Temecula
- Shockwave X, made by Orchard Machinery Corporation in Yuba City
- First Due Fire Helmet, made by Phenix Technology, Inc. in Riverside
- Pelican 2, made by Pyka in Alameda
- Tapatío, made by Tapatío Hot Sauce in Vernon
- Display Island for Crate & Barrel, made by Universal Custom Display in Elk Grove
- DBATS 5.2, made by Wing Inflatables in Arcata
Large Manufacturer Bracket
- Midnight, made by Archer Aviation in San Jose
- MicroGEO Communications Satellite, made by Astranis in San Francisco
- EV ARC, made by Beam Global in San Diego
- 200mm Silicon Carbide Chips, made by Bosch in Roseville
- Harbinger Electric Stripped Chassis, made by Harbinger Motors Inc. in Garden Grove
- da Vinci Xi, made by Intuitive Surgical in Sunnyvale
- iRhythm Zio, made by iRhythm Technologies in Cypress
- Sparkling Cider, made by Martinelli’s in Watsonville
- Condor-M Satellite Platform, made by Muon Space in San Jose
- OS1 Digital Lidar Sensor, made by Ouster in San Francisco
- Rutherford 3D-Printed Rocket Engine, made by Rocket Lab in Long Beach
- Car Stereo In-Dash Installation Kits, made by Scosche Industries Inc. in Oxnard
- SpaceX Raptor Engine, made by SpaceX in Hawthorne
- Talon-A, made by Stratolaunch in Mojave
- Torani Puremade Forest Pine Syrup, made by Torani in San Leandro
- DoorDash Dot Robot, made by Sonic Manufacturing in Fremont
Voting in the Top 16 Round is open now through Sept. 24 at CoolestThingCalifornia.com. Voters may cast up to five votes per day, per device, in each bracket. The Top 8 competitors in each bracket will be announced following the round’s close, followed by the Top 4, with the winners revealed at an awards ceremony on Oct. 28 in Sacramento.
Previous contest winners include the X-59 supersonic jet, made by Lockheed Martin in Palmdale (2025), and the World’s Fastest Microchip, made by Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach (2024).
The Coolest Thing Made in California is made possible in part by the support of the contest’s sponsors: BMO, Solstice Advanced Materials, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, Three29, and The Plastics Guy.
For more information, visit CoolestThingCalifornia.com.
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About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) 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 $382 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.2 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.