Applications for June event now open nationwide!
Kansas City, MO (March 18, 2022) - Fastest invention-competition Make48 will return to Wichita for its City Series competition this summer with Koch Industries on board as challenge sponsor. For the second year running, the celebrated docuseries has tapped GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative makerspace, as the venue partner to host the 48-hour collaborative inventor and maker challenge. Set to take place June 10-12, this event will mark the third competition Make48 has held at the facility, following 2021’s City Series challenge as well as their newly minted National Competition, set to take place March 25-27.
Now open to teams nationwide, competitors from Wichita and beyond will be able to participate in the unique maker competition, which helps participants discover what is possible in just 48 hours. The winning team will win $2k and advance to compete at the national competition, slated for March 2023, where one team can win $10k. Applications are open now. Details on applying can be found at https://www.make48.com/wichita-2022.
Make48 is a nationwide, invention-competition docuseries that gives teams a challenge at the start of a two-day event. With just 48 hours, teams must create a prototype, promotional video, sales sheet, and present their idea to a panel of judges. The teams have access to a makerspace and numerous Tool Techs that can make almost anything. Teams receive a hint about the challenge theme, but specific details are revealed at the start of each competition, allowing everyone to have a level playing field and the chance to win.
“This June will mark the third competition Make48 has held at GoCreate, which is a testament to their world-class facility, rich with resources in both equipment and mentorship,” said Make48 Co-Creator and CEO Tom Gray. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Koch Industries, as our brands share the values of innovation, creativity, and teamwork. Koch’s reach within the Wichita community, combined with support from the city itself, continue to foster inspiration in the maker movement and beyond.”
Koch Industries will once again serve as the competition’s challenge sponsor, helping craft the teams’ objective. As one of the largest private companies in America, Koch spans diverse industries, from manufacturing to consumer products to electronics to software. Koch strives to continually build networks to share knowledge among employees and across its capabilities. Such work is essential to innovation and progress, both at Koch and in society. That’s why Koch actively supports mentoring and community programs that provide individuals the opportunity to discover, develop, and apply their talents in ways that transform lives and help others do the same.
“Last year’s partnership highlighted the creative talents among Wichita entrepreneurs and their determination to develop innovative solutions to everyday problems,” said Meredith Olson, vice president of community affairs for Koch Industries. “GoCreate will once again host the event, providing an ideal environment for teams to dream big.”
GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative 18,000-square foot state-of-the-art makerspace located on the Wichita State University campus, has once again been selected to host the event. A creative community makerspace, GoCreate features numerous resources including textiles, woodworking and metals studios, 3D printing, electronics and more. Its expert staff will be on hand to support Make48 participants as they create their prototypes.
Following a successful four-city series of events in 2021, Make48 is expanding its reach in myriad ways for 2022. Applicants to City Series competitions were previously restricted to participants residing in the host city. Applications are now open nationwide, allowing for diversity and removing geographical limitations. Make48 recently launched a licensing initiative for its competition blueprint, giving community makerspaces, colleges, and high schools the opportunity to host their own events by licensing the Make48 name and format. In addition, Roku recently announced the Make48 docuseries, currently in syndication on PBS, as featured programming in their newly launched This Old House Makers Channel.
Watch what happened in Wichita 2021 HERE !
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About Make48
Make48 is a nationwide invention-competition docuseries distributed by leading syndicator American Public Television that gives teams a challenge at the start of a two-day event. With just 48 hours, teams must create a prototype, promotional video and sales sheet, and present their idea to a panel of judges. The teams have access to a makerspace and numerous Tool Techs that can make almost anything, patent attorneys, marketing experts, and more. This format allows everyone to have a level playing field and the chance to win, with no prior technical knowledge necessary. Make48 Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram
About Koch Industries, Inc.
Based in Wichita, Kansas, Koch Industries, Inc. is one of the largest private companies in America, with estimated annual revenues that have exceeded $125 billion. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in industrial manufacturing, agriculture, building materials, glass, automotive components, refining, renewable energy, chemicals and polymers, pulp and paper, packaging, consumer products, electronics, enterprise software, data analytics, medical products, engineered technology, project services, recycling, supply chain and logistics, global commodities trading, and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested nearly $150 billion in growth and improvements. With a presence in more than 70 countries, Koch companies employ more than 120,000 people worldwide, with about half of those in the United States. For more news and information, visit www.KOCHind.com.
For more information please contact:
Make48:
Jessica Ricci/Late Bar PR
347.410.2798
jessica@latebarpr.com
Koch Industries:
Melissa Scheffler-Hoyle
316.828.0093
melissa.schefflerhoyle@kochps.com
