Mixing collaboration, innovation and imagination into a spectacular 48 hour experience. Make48 returns this year with seven teams to compete at Nationals!
Make48 is a blend of traditional hands-on learning, cutting edge technology, collaborating with a team of experts and documenting with a film crew. Add in a ticking clock and you’ve got an incredible invention competition. Later this month, people from all over the country will head to Kansas City to vie for a $10,000 prize, a custom-made trophy and a chance to see their prototype be developed.
From June to December 2022, 186 participants discovered what could be possible through the Make48 City Series. We kicked off the second season back in Wichita at GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative.
Eight teams battled it out in the ‘Community Gardening for Food Accessibility’ challenge called by Koch Industries. Two teams tied for the People's Choice Award (SweetTarts and That One Team. First place went to the L Quadratics! Lacie Leatherman, Jay Leatherman, Justin Leatherman, and Jo Leatherman will represent Wichita at Nationals.
Pictured: L Quadratics; That One Team; SweetTarts (with Kollin Wasserlein, Kim McCollum, David Marshall and Bill Bender)
In July, Harley-Davidson called the challenge at MIAD. Teams were tasked to create an Interactive Outdoor playground element that could potentially be used on the Harley-Davidson Museum campus. The eight teams pitched their ideas on that campus and got a full tour. After 2 days of brainstorming and building, the family team (Kevin, Melissa, Winston and Emilia) Dreaming DeNicola's received First Place, with the Golda Girls picking up the People's Choice Award!
Pictured: Dreaming DeNicola's and Golda Girls (with Amy & Tom Gray, Annushka Peck and Marie Conture)
Make48 returned to Madison, Wisconsin in August and held the competition at FabLab Stoughton, with TREK Bicycle as the challenger. TREK asked teams to find a solution that benefits the community and environment by recycling bicycle waste parts that would usually end up in a landfill. They could include: old bike tires, alloy frames, helmets, shoes, and even bicycle packaging. For the first time during this series, one team left with both the People's Choice and First Place trophies. Congratulations to The Stellar Tech Girls! Marina Bloomer, Keerthi Peddinti, Ella Burmania and Nina Chan will head to Kansas City this March representing Madison.
Pictured: Stellar Tech Girls (with Chad Manuell, Katie Cappozzo and Mike Connor)
Indianapolis was the next stop for Make48. We held the fourth innovation challenge in the 2022 Series at Fishers Maker Playground. Corteva Agriscience and The United Way of Central Indiana came together to construct the challenge Food Preservation: Food At The Right Place-At The Right Time. Teams had to create a suitable "Food Locker'' that can house pre-cooked meals that the community members (consumers) can access, placed in locations around the city. (Think community little free library, but for food/prepared meal distribution). It was a difficult challenge, but the teams did a phenomenal job. Two families won the challenge, the Super Seatons won the People's Choice with The Mavericks, Jason Tuntland, Kelly Tuntland, Tyler Tuntland, and Grant Venable, taking home first place!
Pictured: The Mavericks and Super Seatons (with Ronda Hamm, Nick Snyder and Tyler Isaacs)
The fifth event was held at The AR Innovation Hub at Winrock International. The North Little Rock Economic Development and the City of North Little Rock were the sponsors for the ‘Trail Of Tears’ challenge. Teams had to create an outdoor-interactive tribute that will be on display at the Riverfront Park, eleven blocks of green space on the south bank overlooking the Arkansas River and downtown Little Rock. Pulaski Tech Titans won People's Choice and the BruWin team, Les Williams, Galen Jauss, Allen Thomason and Evan Goodwin took home first place and will represent North Little Rock at Nationals.
Pictured: Bruin and Pulaski Tech Titans (with Amy Gray, Errin Stanger and Robert Birch)
November was a great time to hold an event in Wisconsin! Joking aside, the weather gods were good to us and it was all clear in Beloit, WI. Visit Beloit, local entrepreneurs and the community banded together to celebrate innovation. The event was hosted by The Lincoln Academy and the challenge was Winter Outdoor Activities. After 48 hours, two teams were handed trophies with the People’s Choice going to team Jumpstart. Eric Seo, Sydney Felhofer, Joshua Laue, and Aleksander Mytko (Rock River Dinners) students at Beloit College took first place for their prototype X-Barrage.
Pictured: Rock River Dinners and Jumpstart (with Dr. Kristi Cole, Kerry Frank and Brian Morello)
Make48’s final event concluded at The Kansas State School For The Blind in Kansas City, KS. This event was special because these students were visually-challenged. Nineteen students competed for a chance to win $2,000 and a seat at Nationals. The students and their team leaders had to build a working prototype for a Chicken Egg dispenser/holder that displayed natural, farm-fresh chicken eggs! At the end of 48 hours, the difficult decision was announced. Little Red Hens, Mariah Presley (Team Captain), Callie Dyches, Cecilia Leal and Lyra Thompson won First Place, with team Noble Nuggets being awarded the People's Choice.
Pictured: Little Red Hens and Noble Nuggets (with Amy Gray, Lydia Knopp and David Marshall)
We can’t wait to see what ideas breakout in Kansas City with T-Mobile as the co-challenger. Watch all these teams compete now on This Old House Makers Channel on Roku. LINK