Kansas City, MO – September 24, 2026 – Operation Breakthrough’s Ignition Lab recently served as the ultimate host for the Make48 Season 10 National Championship. Seven powerhouse regional winning teams gathered in Kansas City, bringing their creativity, grind, and team spirit together to tackle a meaningful, real-world challenge in partnership with Veterans Community Project (VCP). The Mission: Empowering Veterans Community Project Founded in Kansas City, the Veterans Communi

Wichita, KS – [September 23, 2026] –Make48 is officially back on screen for a milestone 10th season, premiering Wednesday, October 7, 2026, on Roku’s This Old House Makers Channel at 8:00 PM CST. In a two-episode special, viewers get an all-access pass to the floor at Wichita State University’s GoCreate makerspace. In a city world-renowned for its aviation legacy, seven student teams took on Fastenal’s “Altitude Upgrade” challenge—a high-pressure mission tasked with reinventi

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” Abraham Lincoln In an 1863 letter, President Abraham Lincoln eloquently captured our shared responsibility to those who serve. More than 160 years later, the sentiment behind our 16th President’s words continues to ring true. This weekend, Make48 carries that spirit forward into the

Kansas City, MO – September 17, 2026 – The 10th National Make48 Competition is set to bring together some of the brightest minds from classrooms around the country, channeling their creativity toward a very good cause: Kansas City’s Veterans Community Project (VCP). Building for Dignity: The Veterans Community Project Photo Credit: VCP To better understand the heart behind this year’s challenge beneficiary, I sat down with Chris Admire, Executive Director of VCP Kansas C

Menomonie, WI – September 3, 2026 – Last month, Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University played host to our largest regional competition of the season, and the energy inside the UW-Stout Polytechnic FabLab was immediate from the moment the clock started. Teams took on "The Future of Fast Food Innovation," tackling real-world industry pain points with rapid prototyping and ingenuity. From initial sketching and ideation to hands-on fabrication with power tools, 3D printers, and expe

This September 18–20, seven teams take center stage in Kansas City for the 10th national competition for Make48. There is no venue better suited than the Ignition Lab at Operation Breakthrough. Make48 CEO Tom Gray noted, "Operation Breakthrough and Make48 both have assets we want to maximize. Operation Breakthrough has a fully developed makerspace, and Make48 has an event, documentary, and Makers who can make unique projects." Yet the state-of-the-art tools of the Ignition L

The clock in the makerspace reads 39:24:10, steadily ticking downward. The shop floor is buzzing with the hum of CNC routers and the scent of sawdust and coffee. In one corner, a team stares at their cardboard mockup with hesitation, unsure how to bridge the gap between their concept and the finished build. Then, a mentor steps in. At Make48, innovation is an extreme sport. While raw creativity sets the stage, the true engine driving every breakthrough is a dedicated ecosyst

Seven talented student teams and their advisors have earned their spots to compete at Make48’s 10th National Competition. After proving themselves across regional and licensed qualifying events, these innovators are heading to the national stage. Here is a look at the qualifying rounds, the challenges they tackled, and the 7 teams advancing to Nationals. Wichita, KS: GoCreate Makerspace Make48 kicked off its milestone 10th season at GoCreate in Wichita, Kansas. In a hub world

Kansas City, MO – August 20, 2026 — Innovation is taking center stage in the heart of Kansas City! Make48, the inspiring docuseries that captures the high-stakes excitement of physical product invention, is gearing up for its biggest event of the year. From September 18–20, 2026, seven regional champion teams will meet at Operation Breakthrough’s Ignition Lab: Powered by 87 & Running to go head-to-head in the Season 10 National Championship, tackling a real-world design chall

Kansas City, MO (August 11, 2026) – The inaugural Make48 Summer Camp pilot has wrapped in Great Bend, Kansas, and what an incredible time it was! Barton Community College generously opened its doors and hosted our very first summer pilot, bringing local students together for 3 days of non-stop creativity, hands-on learning, and innovation. Students completed the first Make48 Summer Camp in West Bend, KS! Working in teams, camp participants jumped headfirst into the full Make4