What’s the Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut?

The Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut is back!

After Electric Boat’s Virginia-Class submarine won the inaugural challenge last year, 16 different products are vying to be crowned the coolest thing made in Connecticut.

The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut—led by the CBIA Foundation— celebrates the successes of the state’s vital manufacturing industry and highlights the wide range of products produced by our world-class, highly skilled workforce.

“We should be very proud of Connecticut’s manufacturing history, but also what it means today,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.

“It’s our second largest industry sector in the entire state. It’s a growing part of not only our state economy, but also the U.S. and global economies.”

The initiative is presented in partnership with CONNSTEP and made possible through the generous support of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, Image Marketing, Blue Back Square, Medtronic, the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, and Forge.

Celebrating Manufacturing

“The Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut is the perfect platform to highlight the innovative spirit, remarkable creativity, and rich diversity of Connecticut manufacturers,” said CONNSTEP president and CEO Beatriz Gutierrez.

“CONNSTEP is thrilled to partner with CBIA again for this year’s contest, and we look forward to the excitement and buzz it brings to our vibrant manufacturing community.”

This year’s bracket features products and companies from across the state, from aerospace and shipbuilding, to medical, food, and consumer goods.

The 16 products will go head-to-head in a single-elimination competition.

The public will vote to determine which products advance through each round.

This year’s products were chosen based on nominations by the business community and the public.

“We wanted this cross-representation,” said DiPentima. “We wanted companies representing various areas of Connecticut.

“People don’t know manufacturing is in every corner of Connecticut—there are 4,600 manufacturers with more than 150,000 jobs supported in the state.”

2025 Bracket

The round one matchups are:

• Munson’s Chocolates Pecan Caramel Patties vs. Element 119 System X Max G+ Ceramic Coating 
• Urban Mining Pozzotive Glass Concrete vs. Owl’s Brew Owl’s Brew Boozy Beverage 
• Bic Consumer Products Lighter vs. Naiad Dynamics Fin Stabilizer 
• ZANEEZ Health AnkleStone vs. Oma’s Pride Woof Compete Recipes Dog Food 
• Thule ReVert Bike Rack vs. Beekley Medical Elequil Aromatabs Aromatherapy 
• Rose Sisters Chips Baked Flour Tortilla Chips vs. Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Frangible Joint 
• Fascia’s Chocolates Chocolate Lava Cake vs. American Woolen Company American Blazer 
• Amodex Stain Remover vs. Horst Engineering & Manufacturing Co. Horst Dreidel 

Electric Boat hosted a special bracket reveal event to announce the matchups.

DiPentima joined Electric Boat’s Shawn Coyne, Gutierrez, CLA’s Brett Bushnell, and Image Marketing’s Kate Terricciano to make the announcement.

“We’re really passionate about manufacturing,” said Bushnell.

“We’re so excited to be here to celebrate all the great manufacturers, and all the wonderful employees that play such a critical role in our state’s economy.”

‘Exciting Time‘

Voting begins Aug. 21, and the field will be narrowed down each week until the winner is crowned at the Oct. 2 Made in Connecticut: 2025 Manufacturing Summit.

“There are hundreds of different types of products and cool things coming out of Connecticut,” said Terricciano.

“It’s a really exciting time to see what manufacturers are doing in the state.”

WTNH News 8—the exclusive media partner—will feature stories about the products and updates on the voting throughout the competition.

After the competition, the Connecticut Science Center will open an exhibit Oct. 10 celebrating the 2025 Coolest Things Made in Connecticut.