'Coolest Thing Made in California' Winners Announced: Stratolaunch's Talon-A and Phenix's First Due Fire Helmet Take Top Honors
SACRAMENTO, California — Governor Gavin Newsom on November 2 celebrated the winners of the California Manufacturing & Technology Association's "Coolest Thing Made in California" contest. The winner in the large manufacturers bracket was Stratolaunch's Talon-A, the nation's only reusable, autonomous hypersonic flight-test vehicle. The winner of the Small & Medium-Sized Manufacturers bracket was Phenix Technology's First Due Fire Helmet, one of the lightest helmets that protects firefighters.
"California doesn't just lead the nation in manufacturing; we make the things that define the future. Our advantage is cutting-edge innovation, unmatched manufacturing strength, and products built to the highest standard made right here in the Golden State," Governor Newsom said.
Over 124,000 people voted over six weeks to determine this year's winners, and the contest was held during Manufacturing Month in October. The top small and medium-sized manufacturers also included Kokatat in Arcata, maker of the Icon Dry Suit; Northstar Photonics in San Jose, which produces the Fiber Optic Gyroscope; and Wing Inflatables in Arcata, which produces the DBATS 5.2. The top large manufacturers also included Astranis in San Francisco, maker of the MicroGEO Communications Satellite; Intuitive Surgical in Sunnyvale, maker of the da Vinci Surgical System; and Muon Space in San Jose, maker of the Condor-M Satellite Platform.
The Governor's Office also outlined progress under the California Jobs First program: last year it approved over $222,000 for Stratolaunch's aerospace electrical training facility in Mojave, and the Governor championed $5 million for each of the 13 California Jobs First regions to develop regional roadmaps. All 13 regional plans were formally designated by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) as Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) in April 2025, a first in California history. Jobs First funding has supported 333 early-stage projects; in 2025, statewide investments totaled nearly $1.6 billion across all 13 regions, supporting more than 61,000 jobs and training for more than 142,000 workers. The administration recently invested $48.5 million through the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative to support 18 projects across eight economic regions, expected to create 20,000 jobs.
Phenix Technology's First Due Fire Helmet is also part of the new Made in California labeling campaign launched by Governor Newsom, which is now accepting applications from manufacturers producing in the Golden State, with all fees waived for eligible applicants for a limited time, at madeincalifornia.ca.gov. The Governor's Office said California's manufacturing sector generated $391 billion in economic output in 2025.
(Source: Office of the Governor of California)
Source: Office of the Governor of California
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Stratolaunch 公司的 Talon-A 高超音速飞行试验飞行器（资料图）。Stratolaunch 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Stratolaunch's Talon-A hypersonic flight-test vehicle (file photo). By Stratolaunch, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
