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

MENOMONIE, WI (August 13, 2026) — From July 31 to August 2, the campus of UW-Stout Polytechnic was buzzing with students from across the Midwest. These young minds brought their endless creativity, hands-on problem-solving skills, and a heavy dose of determination as middle and high school students gathered for the latest Make48 competition. In just 48 hours, 9 talented teams of young entrepreneurs took on a real-world design challenge, transforming their ideas into functiona

MENOMONIE, Wis. (August 6, 2026) — UW-Stout’s Polytechnic campus served as the backdrop for an intense weekend of innovation, housing nine incredible middle and high school teams competing in a regional Make48 challenge from July 31 through August 2. Over the three-day event, participants were tasked with conceiving an original product idea from scratch, developing a professional sales sheet, and producing a one-minute promotional pitch video. The competition was evaluated by

Menomonie, WI – July 30, 2026 – The countdown is officially on. This weekend marks the end of the 2026 Make48 season as we head into our final regional competition of the season before the National Championship hits Kansas City this September. From July 31st to August 2nd, UW-Stout Polytechnic will play host to our third major event of the year. To say the stakes are high is an understatement. This region shaped up to be the most packed bracket we’ve seen so far! To help th

Kansas City, MO – July 23, 2026 – What happens when you take 125 middle school students, mix in a heavy dose of real-world business challenges, and add a passion for helping animals? You get an unforgettable four weeks of summer school innovation. From June 1st through June 26th, sixth through eighth graders stepped out of the traditional classroom mindset and into the shoes of professional product designers. Their mission? Partner with KC Pet Project, Kansas City’s 501(c)(3)

When our CEO, Tom Gray, connected with the STEMCONNECTOR team at an event in Salt Lake City last month, it reinforced something we feel deeply every day: building a sustainable talent ecosystem requires everyone at the table. Tom reflected on the extraordinary energy of the gathering: "I was really impressed with the strategic group of leadership that attended the event, the format is small and very engaging for the 2 days. Working closely with all attendees created a much mo

When Make48 first started, the mission was simple: bring people together through a high-energy, live invention event where creativity, teamwork, and rapid problem-solving could shine. As we grew, we realized this magic belonged in the classroom, too. We’ve expanded into schools, giving students hands-on engineering and design experience during the academic year. Now, we are taking the next step. Learning, creativity, and big ideas shouldn't have to pause just because the scho

The energy of a Make48 competition is famously infectious. For John Katers, Ph.D., that spark ignited in 2024 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Watching teams dive headfirst into the intense, 48-hour rapid-prototyping whirlwind, the Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology at UW-Green Bay knew he couldn't just walk away. He wanted more. Following a series of collaborative brainstorming sessions with Make48 CEO Tom Gray, John is officially steppi

Known in the Make48 ecosystem for her deep expertise in education strategy and curriculum development, Sharrell Howard is stepping into a new era for Season 10 and beyond. Sharrell Howard, Make48 With the ‘retirement’ of longtime host Amy Gray from the emcee microphone, the torch has officially been passed. For the first time, Sharrell is taking the reins as the sole emcee and host of Make48. We sat down with Sharrell to talk about overcoming backstage nerves, channeling her

Kansas City, MO (July 2, 2026) – If you missed the high-octane Season 9 "National Championship" episodes on the This Old House Makers Channel, don’t sweat it! We are thrilled to announce that the full competition is now officially available to stream on the Make48 YouTube page. With just one click, you can dive straight into the makerspace action and witness the ultimate finale of Nationals anytime, anywhere. The Best of the Best: Meet the Finalists The road to the National C