A new multi-year gift from Michigan State University alumnus Steve Lang is empowering Spartan entrepreneurs to learn, connect, and build in Traverse City.
Lang’s five-figure commitment to the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation will fund immersive learning experiences that connect MSU students with Northern Michigan’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. His support expands opportunities for students to engage directly with alums, growing startups, and industry leaders across the state.
A Northern Michigan native and longtime advocate for MSU, Lang aims to help students expand their entrepreneurial perspective through real-world experiences beyond the classroom. His investment reflects a shared belief that hands-on learning, community connections, and exposure to Michigan’s entrepreneurial landscape are essential to developing the next generation of student entrepreneurs.
This fall, Lang’s gift will send three startup teams—MemorySketch, CocoMar, and Leave No Trace—on a four-day learning trip to Traverse City from October 19-22, 2025. Students will engage directly with MSU alums and Northern Michigan companies, including Atlas Space Operations, 20Fathoms, and MediCool Technologies, while gaining insights from conversations with Mike and Denise Busley, founders of Grand Traverse Pie Company, Chad Munger, co-founder of Mammoth Distilling, and Nate Crane, owner of Rare Bird Brewpub, who are all alumni shaping the region’s entrepreneurial landscape.
The experience will culminate in a pitch showcase before the MSU vs. U-M rivalry weekend, where students will present their ventures before alumni, donors, and business leaders. Through experiences like these, the Institute continues to prepare Spartans to think creatively, act boldly, and build what’s next.
Lang’s investment represents more than a trip, it’s an opportunity to strengthen connections between entrepreneurial communities and create lasting pathways for Spartan entrepreneurs to thrive.
A follow-up story will be released after the group’s return, highlighting student reflections, key takeaways, and the lasting influence of Lang’s support on MSU’s entrepreneurial community.
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.