The 2026 MOMENTUM powered by the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Michigan State University, is a six-week experience designed to help student founders build, test, and refine their ventures through hands on learning and real-world engagement.
Throughout the six-week accelerator, seven student teams including Ekos, Coldbridge, E-Z Lift, Kernex, Memory Sketch, Sapt.ai and Zoris engaged in an immersive, hands-on experience designed to help founders test their ideas, gain exposure and prepare for continued venture growth. Through coaching, mentorship, and feedback, students embraced the entrepreneurial process of learning, iterating, and taking action by testing ideas, making decisions in real time and continuously moving their ventures forward.
“MOMENTUM had a huge impact with all of the people I’ve met and the new connections I’ve made,” said Alana Lungard, (B.A’26) and chief marketing officer of Sapt.ai, “This program helped us focus and really figure out what our mission is moving forward and dial in what we want to be doing.”
Beyond weekly venture refining activities, participants explored Michigan’s major innovation hubs including — Detroit, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor to engage within the entrepreneurial ecosystems. Throughout these visits, they connected with organizations and Spartan alumni that opened their doors for insights into innovation in action, including Apple Developer Academy, NewLab, Bamboo, SPARK, The Dancing Pine, 1 Million Cups, and SKY7.
In Detroit, Lindsay Joseph and Tim Moore hosted a pitch perfect workshop focused on sharpening venture narratives, while Taylor Kangiowski facilitated a storytelling session that emphasized clarity, confidence, and authentic communication. In Grand Rapids, Anna Baeten hosted a leadership development session centered on building strong teams and developing a resilient founder mindset. Matt Gira, owner of Bamboo, opened the space, offering a tour and hands-on exposure to a collaborative environment designed to support innovation and community.
The cohort also gathered at The Dancing Pine hosted by Min Kyu Kim, creating space for connection. The experience concluded with Vineet Katial of SPARK, who led a venture capital session focused on understanding pathways, investor, expectations, and what it takes to scale early-stage ideas
The program concluded with Demo Day, bringing together founders, mentors, and community partners from across the region. Teams showcased their progress and how their ideas were shaped through ongoing feedback and experimentation, reflecting the entrepreneurial mindset at the core of the experience. It marked a celebration of innovation and collaboration while highlighting the drive that continues to power Michigan State's entrepreneurial community
This year's accelerator would not have been possible without the support of Chris Gibbons, a successful co-founder, entrepreneur, and high-growth venture executive. Through her commitment to supporting the Burgess Institute and the Dashney Women’s Leadership Accelerator, Gibbons has helped provide Spartan founders with the resources and opportunities needed to turn ideas into growing ventures.
As the seven teams move beyond MOMENTUM, they leave with more refined businesses and polished pitches, they carry forward new relationships, deeper confidence and an expanded entrepreneurial mindset that will continue to shape their journey as founders and innovators.