Relive the UW-Stout Polytechnic-Make48 With A Sizzle Reel!
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 expert guidance from our Tool Techs and mentors, the pace never slowed down. Whether you were there on the ground in Menomonie or following along from home, this is what a Make48 live competition is all about.
Catch all the action and behind-the-scenes breakthroughs in the official event sizzle reel!
Highlights From the Floor
UW-Stout Polytechnic’s hands-on labs and makerspace provided the ultimate stage, letting competitors move from lasers to 3D printers to CAD renders, creating physical prototypes in record time. Local industry leaders, university faculty, and the Tool Techs worked alongside teams around the clock to help turn rough ideas into viable innovations for the fast food challenge.
The UW-Stout Polytechnic regional event proved once again how much creativity can be unlocked when students are given the right tools, mentors, and platform.
Stay tuned for the announcement as episodes head to Roku, and keep your eyes peeled as the winning team gears up for the Season 10 National Championship!
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Watching a fast-paced student invention challenge reminded me how different learning feels when there is a deadline, a team, and something tangible to finish. I have had the opposite experience with self-paced courses, where no deadline means it is easy to keep moving a lesson to tomorrow. That contrast is what made Mindvalley interesting to me as a user experience rather than just as a library of content. I notice whether reminders, lesson structure, app access, and pacing create enough momentum to keep me returning. Some programs work because they fit naturally into a week; others disappear behind more urgent tasks. The part I care about most is whether the platform helps turn initial motivation into a repeatable routine.
Watching them bring prototypes to life—even tweaking plant-based tech using dendrobium nobile extracts—is super inspiring. Can’t wait for the Roku episodes!
What a fantastic recap of the Make48 event! I loved seeing all those creative ideas come to life. It reminds me of my time playing drift boss—finding unique ways to navigate obstacles is so thrilling! Did you have a favorite project from the event?