AG3 Labs, an autonomous systems startup supported by Michigan State University's Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, has been awarded $350,000 after being named one of four global winners in the Army xTechCounter Strike competition. The competition is part of the Army’s Project Flytrap 4.5 initiative, which accelerates innovative counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) technologies through live soldier experimentation and rapid transition pathways.
More than 200 U.S. and international companies applied, and AG3 Labs was one of only 11 teams deployed to the field for the final evaluation phase in Germany. Over two weeks, the team worked alongside leading C-UAS companies under the observation of United States Department of War evaluators, NATO representatives, and military end-users from across Europe.
The four winners were announced as AG3 Labs, Armaments Research Company, MatrixSpace, and Mountain Horse Solutions.
Co-founded by Gavin Gardner ('23, M.S. '25), Gryson Gardner ('25, M.S. '26), and Ryan Atkinson ('24), AG3 Labs develops attritable autonomous drone systems designed to support next-generation training, readiness, and real-world tactical operations. Their technology is built to be intelligent, reliable, and scalable, enabling soldiers to train against realistic, threat-representative systems in rapidly evolving environments.
During the CounterStrike field tests, AG3 Labs deployed threat-simulated drone systems and trained soldiers from the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade on emulating real-world threat profiles. Their systems earned high praise from military evaluators and subject-matter experts for realism, adaptability, and operational relevance.
This recognition also grants AG3 Labs placement into the new Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) Marketplace, along with invitations to multiple European training events in 2026.
In a public update, company advisor Nick Smock shared, “The connections we made — with soldiers, NATO partners, and fellow defense innovators — might be just as valuable as the win itself.”
The $350,000 award will accelerate AG3 Labs’ next phase of development, including expanded pilot testing, increased system durability, scaled manufacturing, and additional collaborations with global defense partners.
About the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation: The Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation is the destination where students launch high-impact, entrepreneurial journeys at Michigan State University. The Burgess Institute empowers students to learn through action by providing global mentors, courses, seed funding, entrepreneurship competitions, student organizations, resources, and campus-wide co-working spaces.