Entreprenurship and Startups Archives - MSU Innovation Center

grant

MSU to reimagine faculty promotion and advancement through national MA3 Challenge grant

MSU Today

Michigan State University has been awarded a $250,000 grant through the inaugural Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement, or MA3, Challenge, strengthening a university-wide effort to reimagine how faculty and academic staff are recognized and supported in their career advancement. The national initiative funds bold approaches to academic hiring, review, promotion and tenure systems, with an emphasis …

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investment

Michigan Startup Wins $1 Million Investment at Statewide PitchMI Competition

LANSING, Mich. (Apr. 8, 2026) — Yesterday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the MSU Research Foundation and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce Adrenaline Interactive as the grand prize winner of the 2026 PitchMI Championship. Following a high-stakes “Shark Tank” style competition at Grewal Hall in Lansing, the company was awarded a $1 million investment, bringing its total PitchMI winnings to $1.375 million. …

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grid

Startup of the Year: Switched Source Helps Utilities Unlock Capacity on the Grid Without Costly Upgrades 

By Keith Rouse

The modern electrical grid faces unprecedented pressure. As the prevalence of electric vehicles, data centers, and electric heating grows, power demand surges. Yet the traditional solution remains costly, time-consuming “wire-and-pole” upgrades.  This year’s MSU Innovation Center Startup of the Year, Switched Source, offers a faster, more efficient solution. Using advanced power electronics to rebalance electricity flows in real time, it helps …

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drone

Student Startup of the Year: AG3 Labs Builds LowCost Drone Swarms for Realistic Training 

By Keith Rouse

AG3 Labs, a student-founded startup, develops low-cost, highly maneuverable drone systems for military and defense training. Designed to fly in coordinated swarms with repeatable flight patterns, these drones serve as realistic aerial targets, enabling teams to train against agile unmanned threats common in modern conflicts.  Unlike multipurpose drone platforms containing advanced sensors and computing systems, AG3 Labs …

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BRCĒ

MSU student entrepreneurs land deal on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

MSU Today

Michigan State University student entrepreneurs Madhav Aggarwal and Tanvi Gadamsetti, co-founders of BRCĒ, secured a $300,000 investment during their appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” which aired on March 4, 2026, bringing their student-built venture from campus to one of the largest stages for entrepreneurship. The deal came after the founders pitched their venture to the panel …

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IASO Therapeutics

From Molecule to Medicine: How MSU’s Synthetic Vaccine Platform Is Shaping the Future of Global Health

The world faces a growing threat from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, rapidly evolving viruses, and diseases for which traditional vaccines are ineffective or impractical. Existing vaccines often require multiple doses, cold storage, and complex manufacturing barriers that limit global access.  At Michigan State University (MSU), Dr. Xuefei Huang, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and …

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Annual Report

Read the 2025 MSU Innovation Center Annual Report

Dear Innovators, Collaborators, and Friends of MSU,  Innovation is the driving force that shapes economies, elevates lives, and redefines the future. Thirteen years ago, the vision for the MSU Innovation Center was ambitious: to bring together brilliant minds, dedicated partners, and diverse communities to create an ecosystem where breakthrough ideas blossom into tangible solutions for …

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MSU Researchers Pioneer Next-Generation Battery Materials and AI Diagnostics for Industry and Public Good 

East Lansing, MI — 09/22/2025 — The Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub, funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and working in partnership with the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center, has awarded more than $2 million to support 13 promising mobility research projects across Michigan—including MSU faculty member, …

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Athlete

BRCĒ: Inside the MSU startup aiming to revolutionize athletes’ footwear

The State News

A group of Michigan State University students is making waves in the entrepreneurial world with their innovative company, BRCĒ (pronounced “brace”). What began as a simple idea for better shoelaces has blossomed into a business gaining both national and international recognition. BRCĒ was founded by CEO and computer science junior Madhav Aggarwal, who initially worked …

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Candy

Student start-up Zolli Candy aims to make people smile

The State News

“No means no!” are words that every kid hears when their parents tell them not to buy something while shopping, stay up late or eat that piece of candy. One more piece of candy is too much sugar… right? For finance sophomore Alina Morse, no didn’t mean no. After her dad refused a lollipop at …

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