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MSU’s Burgess Institute For Entrepreneurship & Innovation Rises to Fourteen in National Ranking
By Aaryn Richard For the third straight year, Michigan State University’s Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is recognized as a leader in entrepreneurship education. The Princeton Review announced today its top 25 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the nation, and Michigan State rises from #16 to #14. The entrepreneurial ecosystem at Michigan State has received deep investments since its 2012 inception, fostering a culture of innovation where participants hone a mindset that attracts the attention of talented, motivated student and alumni venturers. “Providing students with real-world opportunities to take action on their ideas is a serious undertaking,” said Lori Fischer,…
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Burgess New Venture Challenge Announces Semifinalists for Fourth Annual Competition
March 1, 2022 Contact: Aaryn Richard, Karina Stankowski East Lansing, Mich. — The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation today announces the fifteen semifinalist teams selected to compete in its fourth annual contest, the Burgess New Venture Challenge (BNVC). On April 7, 2022, the Burgess Institute will host MSU’s premier pitch competition at The Graduate in East Lansing from 4 – 8 PM. The annual competition highlights top student entrepreneurs and celebrates Michigan State University’s growing venture creation ecosystem. The Burgess New Venture Challenge is more than a competition, said Ken Szymusiak, managing director of academic programs for the Burgess…
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Triple4s Founders, Logan Nash, Matthew Rogien, Named 2022 Kaufman Family Scholars
By Gabe Berke The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announces that Logan Nash and Matthew Rogien are 2022’s Kaufman Family Scholars. Nash (’23, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) and Rogien (’24, Broad College of Business) are co-founders and co-CEOs of Triple4s, an advanced solution for common pepper spray with a vision of convenience, style, and integrated location services. Nash and Rogien are now the second-ever scholars of the new Kaufman Family Endowment Scholarship. Established in 2021 by Michigan natives Brandon and Barbara Kaufman, the scholarship supports exemplary student venturers at Michigan State University. We wanted to create scholarship…
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Two-Student-Tech-Founders-Selected-as-2022-Kelly-A-Ford-Technology-Award-Recipients
by John Hart, Aaryn Richard The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is proud to announce that Adam Green (College of Law, ‘23) and Vigneshwer Ramamoorthi (Engineering, ‘23) are this year’s recipients of the Kelly A. Ford Technology Award. Green and Ramamoorthi are recognized for their academic success and commitment to their tech-based entrepreneurial ventures. Kelly Ford (Communications, ’94) established the scholarship because of her passion for the Burgess Institute’s work. She wishes to support the next generation of Spartan entrepreneurs. Ford’s financial commitment to entrepreneurship education at Michigan State is only one part of her active role within the…
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Thirteen Spartan Alumni named Burgess Institute’s 2021–2022 Entrepreneurs-in-residence
AUGUST 23, 2021 by Diego Fernandez, Aaryn Richard The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Michigan State University announces its 2021–2022 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence lineup. In addition to four returning EIRs, nine accomplished Spartan entrepreneurs will be joining the program’s ranks, growing this year’s cohort to thirteen. Entrepreneurs-in-Residence serve as mentors and coaches, working closely with student venturers participating in the Burgess Institute’s venture creation program. This year’s cohort brings with them expertise, insights, and a network that will fuel student success and assist them in bringing to life their go-to-market strategies. Nine New EIRs Join the Burgess Institute’s 2021-2022 Cohort…
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Broad Spartans Dominate Third Annual Burgess New Venture Challenge Winners’ Circle
By Bridgette Bauer, student writer Monday, April 19, 2021 The Burgess New Venture Challenge is an annual competition that highlights top student entrepreneurs and celebrates Michigan State University’s growing venture creation ecosystem. The third annual competition, held on April 1, set the bar high with students from six colleges presenting their innovations — which ranged from sustainable clothing to electric bikes — for a chance to win a share of up to ,000 in cash prizes. Of the 15 semifinalist and five finalist teams chosen by a panel of expert judges, the winner’s circle was dominated by Broad Spartans. [Read…
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Burgess New Venture Challenge Announces Semifinalists for Third Annual Competition
East Lansing, Mich. — The Burgess New Venture Challenge (BNVC) today announces the fifteen semifinalist teams selected to compete in its third annual contest. On April 1, 2021, the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will host the early-stage pitch competition in a virtual setting. The annual competition highlights top student entrepreneurs and celebrates Michigan State University’s growing venture creation ecosystem. “The Burgess New Venture Challenge is more than a competition,” said Ken Szymusiak, managing director of academic programs for the Burgess Institute. “This is high-stakes experiential learning. These fifteen semifinalists must prove their ideas are viable; the market demands…
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Burgess New Venture Challenge Announces 2021’s Judges Panel
Burgess New Venture Challenge Announces 2021’s Judges Panel East Lansing, Mich — The Burgess New Venture Challenge (BNVC) announced today the lineup of judges deciding the fortunes of fifteen semifinalist teams at the third annual student startup competition. On April 1, 2021, Fifteen Student Semifinalist teams will compete for a chance at K in total prizes. 2021 Burgess New Venture Challenge Judges BNVC judges are passionate about venture creation and Michigan State University’s entrepreneurial community. From prosperous entrepreneurs to venture capital and angel investors to c-suite executives, the Burgess New Venture Challenge 2021 judges are experts with deep ties to…
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Burgess Institute Announces 2022 Simpson-Birkestrand Endowed Scholars
By Diego Fernandez and Aaryn Richard The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the inaugural awardees of the Simpson-Birkestrand Endowed Scholarship for Entrepreneurs. Established by Suzanne (née Simpson) (Social Science, ‘65) and Dennis Birkestrand, the scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate a deep commitment to venture creation, the principles of free-market innovation, and academic excellence. Please join us in congratulating 2022’s Simpson-Birkestrand scholars, Pia Gandrothu, Grant Petrucci, and Arielle Smith. ABOUT SUZANNE AND DENNIS BIRKESTRAND Dennis and Suzanne met at The Maytag Company in Newton, Iowa, where they worked in marketing and home economics, respectively. They left…
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Bringing the World Closer One Startup at a Time
By Aaryn Richard In the time before a once-in-a-century pandemic, attending an East Lansing Startup Weekend was a raucous occasion, replete with pizza, pop, and all-night work sessions. Since 2012, over a thousand students, community members, and mentors have gathered for one of the nearly two dozen East Lansing events—some participants coming from as far away as Montana. For 54 hours, Startup Weekenders would form teams around ideas, solve problems through collaboration, and, culminating in a final night of pitches, take home a year’s worth of frosted animal crackers. Today, though, while Spartans work to keep one another healthy, the…