Hurco names finalists for Chipmaker Challenge

The winner could walk away with Hurco's VMX24i CNC mill.

Seven finalists have been named for the first ever Chipmaker Challenge Championship to be held Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Hurco IMTS booth.

Hurco sponsored the Chipmaker Challenge to garner attention for manufacturing entrepreneurs. This challenge is modeled loosely after the television show Shark Tank.

The winner will walk away with their choice of a brand new Hurco VMX42i CNC mill or TM8i lathe in addition to a tooling package from Sandvik Coromant.

“We were extremely impressed by the high caliber of applications we received. This was a rigorous application process that required a substantial time commitment, and all of the applicants delivered. It was very close. So close, in fact, that we expanded the final field from five to seven,” said Maggie Smith, Marketing Manager for Hurco Companies, Inc.

The application process was July 1-Aug 8. Participants answered a series of online questions related to manufacturing and business, and then were given an outline of subjects to cover in a written or video essay. On Aug. 30, the second phase of the contest begins. The public will vote online for the finalist they think should win at www.hurco.com/win.

The results of the online vote will be revealed at the Live Chipmaker Challenge Championship Sept. 9, said Smith.

The seven Chipmaker Challenge Finalists who will pitch their business plan in front of a panel of judges at IMTS are:

• Jordan Hill, Middle Coast Moldmakers, in Wisconsin
• Jason Merrell, Wolfpack Motorsports, Inc., in California
• Wade Moore, Moore Engineering in Connecticut
• Ben Noordhoek, On Time Machining, in Michigan
• Richard O'Neal, Zel Technologies, in Florida
• Philip Paull, Excavating Solutions, LLC., in Indiana
• Dakota Sodergren, DKS Machining, in Washington.

“We hope the Chipmaker Challenge will be an exciting and entertaining event that showcases manufacturing entrepreneurs and highlights the hi-tech aspect of manufacturing in this country,” said Smith.

Important Dates

Online voting period/social media and www.hurco.com/win

• Aug 30 – Sept 8

Chipmaker Challenge Championship

• Tues, Sept. 9, 1:30 pm
• Hurco IMTS Booth S-8319
• Winner Announced