Innovation waits for no one, especially when you only have 48 hours. As we gear up for Season 10, the pressure is on for our teams to prototype faster with more precision than ever before. That’s why we are pleased to announce that Thunder Laser   is officially joining the Make48 family as a key product placement partner! For a decade, Make48 has been about proving that great ideas can come from anywhere. But to turn those ideas into reality, you need tools that you can trust

One of the most recognizable faces in the Make48 arena is Luis Rodriguez, an Application Engineer for UltiMaker and a veteran Tool Tech. Luis has been with us since the very beginning, and we mean the very beginning. Before Make48 even hit television screens, Luis was there. He worked with the team during early pre-TV competitions, including the historic event at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in June 2016. From his early days as a Community Strategist

The dust has settled, the prototypes have been judged, and the results are finally in! We are thrilled to wrap up another incredible Make48 Classroom Experience, made possible by our partners at Alliant Energy . Students were tasked with the “Clear the Path” challenge, a problem that demanded innovative solutions and the ability to think outside the box. As always, the students exceeded our expectations, proving that the future of innovation is in good hands. Meet the Winning

This semester, students didn’t just stay in the classroom; they stepped up to the runway to take on real-world challenges through the Make48 Innovation Experience.  The results were nothing short of first-class.  The Challenge “Home Away From Home”  With the new terminal at Kansas City International Airport setting a new standard for travel, the bar has been raised for passenger experience flying to and from the Heart of America.  These teams took on a unique challenge presen

Kansas City, MO (January 20, 2026) – The Make48 ‘Women in STEM’ episodes are planned for a spectacular release on February 4, 2026 !  In this special series, you will watch seven all-female teams from across the country tackle the signature 48-hour challenge. These episodes showcase a passion for innovation while noting the importance of gender equity in STEM and closing the gap.  The competition provided an exceptional platform for these young women to step into the shoes of

This semester, students across the country stepped up to take on real-world challenges through the Make48 Innovation Experience, and boy did they deliver! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting the student teams whose ideas rose to the top, starting with a fantastic group of student innovators from the Bentonville, Arkansas area. These teams took on the challenge “Tools for the Trade,” presented by the Arvest Foundation, Nabholz, and ABC Arkansas. The students were ta

As we kick off 2026, Make48 is taking a moment to look back at the incredible sponsors who made our past season possible. Leading the charge as the challenge sponsor for our Season 9 Nationals was the global agricultural powerhouse   Corteva Agriscience™ .  For over 100 years, Corteva has worked side-by-side with farmers to grow healthy food, driven by the belief that no one should go hungry.  The 9th season challenge was titled  "Food Forward."  It addressed a critical reali

We are thrilled to announce that the first full semester of this year’s competition season is officially complete! Make48’s first competition of the year stems from our  Classroom Challenge , where students across the region have been hard at work solving real-world problems. The first set of challenges, which ran from  September 2nd to November 14th, 2025 , has concluded, and the results are nothing short of inspiring. Hundreds of students, dozens of schools, and countless h

We are thrilled to start the year off with an introduction to the newest addition to the Make48 family! Please join us in welcoming Alexandria Lundquist, who has joined us as our new Education Associate. Born and raised in Kansas City, Alexandria is a recent graduate of Colorado Christian University, where she majored in Business Administration and Marketing. After graduating this past May, she returned to her roots in KC to kick off her career. While this is her first full-t

Nashville, TN (January 7, 2025) – We hope everyone had a restful holiday break! As we gear up for an amazing year ahead, we wanted to take a moment to rewind to one of our highlights from right before the holidays. Visit NAAE at https://www.naae.org Nothing beats the feeling of connecting with educators who share a passion for hands-on learning. That’s exactly why Tom and Amy Gray headed to Nashville, TN, for the 2025 NAAE Convention. As the premier organization for school-ba