Rivian’s R1T electric pickup is one of the Top 16 finalists in the Makers Madness bracket-style tournament – with online voters deciding what they think is The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.
The Normal-made Rivian truck is competing one-on-one in the current round of voting against Jackpoint Jackstands from Montgomery, Ill. The current voting round ends Sunday.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) started the contest to celebrate the work of manufacturers throughout the state.
“While it’s time to narrow the competition, every nominee for The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois deserves to be celebrated for their creativity, ingenuity and innovation,” president and CEO of IMA Mark Denzler said. “Manufacturers truly are the powerhouse of our state’s economy, and we extend our thanks to the hardworking men and women on our factory floors who strive every day to make the world a better place.”
Presented by Comcast Business, there are four brackets with two rounds of competitors each. Over 100,000 votes have been cast so far, bringing a pool of 400 nominees down to the Top 16 finalists. The current round of voting will determine the Top 8 finalists that can continue through the contest.
The winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be announced April 27. Following the contest, an awards ceremony will take place at the Governor’s Mansion, also on April 27. Voting is open and available to the public at makersmadnessil.com until 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Voters may cast one vote per day in each one-on-one face off.
Votes will be cast each week and will be reset to zero at the start of each round.
