MSU’s Burgess Institute For Entrepreneurship & Innovation Rises to Fourteen in National Ranking By Aaryn Richard The Princeton Review announcement marks the third consecutive year of distinguished recognition Contact(s): Aaryn Richard, Caroline Brooks 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…

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Burgess New Venture Challenge Announces Semifinalists for Fourth Annual Competition

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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…

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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…

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Thirteen Spartan Alumni named Burgess Institute’s 2021–2022 Entrepreneurs-in-residence AUGUST 23, 2021 by Diego Fernandez, Aaryn Richard

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Broad Spartans Dominate Third Annual Burgess New Venture Challenge Winners’ CircleBy 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…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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