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Sept. 22, 2024

Student View: Journey to the Big Leagues

Madhav Aggarwal is a third year computer science major in the College of Engineering, with minors in business, supply chain management and entrepreneurship & innovation. 


Since I was young I have had interests in Shark Tank and being an entrepreneur myself. I grew up in the capital city of New Delhi, India. Being an international student from India has helped to broaden my perspective of what it is to be an innovator. My father is the one who taught me what entrepreneurship was, back in my home country, he is a serial entrepreneur. He is the most hardworking person I know, having persevered since a very young age. Coming from a developing country, my goal was to create a product that could be used by everyone, everywhere. 


Tanvi Gadamsetti is a third year studying applied engineering sciences in the College of Engineering, with minors in business and supply chain management. 


Being a first-generation college student and a first generation American opened my eyes to what I want in life. I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, to immigrant parents. Growing up, I've seen my parents work all day and night to put food on the table. I learned from a young age that nothing comes easy in life and if there is something you truly want, you work hard for it. My dad ignited the immigrant hustle in me, to live the American Dream and I feel that I am doing it everyday while helping to build BRCĒ.


Our company, BRCĒ, is a material-tech startup creating innovative athletic performance and recovery gear that guarantees athletes better performance and safety advantage. Each BRCĒ product is designed in collaboration with experts in Kinesiology at Michigan State University and tested by our 25+ D1 & pro-partner athletes. 


BRCĒ was an idea born during 2DAY VENTURE in spring 2023, where we did not win. After attending the 2023 Burgess New Venture Challenge, we grew competitive with the exciting startups in the Michigan ecosystem and wanted to create a high-impact solution to a commodity. That’s when we first ideated BRCĒ’s “shoelaces that never come untied." 


The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation’s Launch Program helped to propel BRCĒ. The Launch Program provided our team with resources and connections during the beginning of our startup. Getting paired with Jack Peurach as our EIR and getting financial assistance has been a force for our growth. 


As of September 9, 2024, BRCĒ has launched in the Broad Store at the Broad Business College Complex. An exclusive partnership with the Broad Student Senate after winning Spartan Tank 2024 Pitch Competition as a last-minute wildcard entry. We'll soon be launching at Student-Made locations all over campus this upcoming October. 


The launch on campus has validated our team's tireless hard-work over the last eight months, against all odds. After bringing our MVP to market and generating revenue within four months of establishing BRCĒ, we're planning to use this collaboration with Michigan State Spartan Athletics and other Big Ten schools. 


This past summer, BRCĒ became the first student startup to complete both Burgess Institute's MOMENTUM Pre-Accelerator Program & Spartan Innovation's Conquer Accelerator in the same year. An exciting update, we have been accepted into Techstars in Baltimore, Maryland. At Techstars, we will be working on creating a product ecosystem and establishing partnerships with major league administrations and Big Ten Athletics programs. We look forward to working with Spartan Athletics later this year.


More information about BRCĒ is available at https://www.brce.shop/.