The Burgess New Venture Challenge, an early-stage pitch competition bringing together Michigan State University student entrepreneurs and business leaders, announces the winners of its sixth annual contest. On Thursday, April 4, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, fifteen Spartan student teams pitched their startup ideas to a panel of expertjudges. All were competing for their share of $50,000 in total scholarship prizes.

“The Burgess New Venture Challenge is an opportunity for our entrepreneurial students to showcase their ventures to the campus and the local community,” said Lori Fischer, director of operations at the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “These students have put in extra time and effort conducting research, writing business plans, and validating their idea, above and beyond their regular academic schedules. I am honored to work with the Burgess Institute students and witness their accomplishments throughout their entrepreneurial journey.”

This year over fifty teams applied to be part of the Burgess New Venture Challenge, with fifteen semifinalists rising to the top.

To qualify to compete, BNVC team members must be enrolled students at MSU, undergraduate or graduate, and be in good academic standing. Applicants must be active participants in the Burgess Institute's Discovery or Launch Programs. Once selected, semifinalists must commit to attending group practice sessions, meet with assigned venture coach mentors, and demonstrate movement toward their tailored milestones. Winning ideas must use awarded cash toward accelerating their startup ideas.

And the winners are...

These MSU student startups presented their most robust cases to 2024's Burgess New Venture Challenge judges and, as a result, took home the top prizes:

1st Place: $15,000: Motmot, Elliot Smith, smit3821@msu.edu, Eli Broad College of Business. Motmot is a company specializing in the use of Autonomous Underwater Robotics, or AURs, for the inspection and management of underground water pipe networks, aiming to improve operational efficiency and reduce water loss for municipalities and water authorities. This year’s first-place prize was sponsored by the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union.

2nd Place: $10,000: Odin Classroom, Aman Dhruva Thamminana, thammina@msu.edu, College of Engineering. Odin Classroom is an online coding platform aimed at reducing friction in computer science courses by providing a better user experience and reducing downtime. The second-place prize was sponsored by Foster Swift.

3rd Place: $7,500: Triple4’s, Matt Rogien, rogienma@msu.edu, Eli Broad College of Business. Triple4’s is a high-tech pepper spray device that instantly sends out the user's current location to their emergency contacts as well as emergency services when deployed. This year’s third-place prize was sponsored by theLansing Economic Area Partnership.

4th Place: $5,000: Student Tutors, Christian Shaman, shamanch@msu.edu, Eli Broad College of Business. Student Tutors are simply students helping students learn.

5th Place: $3,000: PharmaBlue Labs, Chloe Katz, katzchlo@msu.edu, Communication Arts and Sciences. PharmaBlue Labs is a pioneering startup dedicated to advancing novel solutions for overlooked dermatological disorders, by leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovative ingredients. 

The Burgess New Venture Challenge attendees held sway in choosing two People's Choice Awards. These awardees earned $1,000 each: Detroit Salsa Company and Odin Classroom. The two People’s Choice awards were sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The Eli Broad College of Business’s Center forEthical and Socially Responsible Leadership sponsored a $1,000 Social Impact Award. Representing CESRL was Beth Hammond, CESRL’s managing director. 2024's Social Impact Award went to Detroit Salsa Company.

“Detroit Salsa Company is not only growing their business, but they are also taking care of the people around them,” said Beth Hammond.“They have given over $45,000 back to individuals and organizations in need. The salsa was not only delicious, but they are also doing amazing things for their community.”

As is BNVC tradition, no team goes home empty-handed. Each of the remaining semifinalist teams took home $750 in seed funding.

"I love the Burgess New Venture Challenge because it gives an opportunity to 15 semifinalists student entrepreneurs to pitch their best and brightest ideas," said Paul Jaques, managing director for venture creation at the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. "I also love this event because I get to see creators who didn't win or place in the finalist spots in previous years come back again and be able to win after working and crafting their startup another year."

Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all the semifinalist teams!

This story was originally featured on the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation website.