{"id":509263,"date":"2026-03-07T13:17:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T13:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/509263\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T13:17:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T13:17:49","slug":"msu-student-entrepreneurs-land-deal-on-abcs-shark-tank-msutoday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/509263\/","title":{"rendered":"MSU student entrepreneurs land deal on ABC\u2019s \u2018Shark Tank\u2019\u00a0 | MSUToday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michigan State University student entrepreneurs Madhav Aggarwal and Tanvi Gadamsetti, co-founders of BRC\u0112<\/a>, secured a $300,000 investment during their appearance on ABC\u2019s \u201cShark Tank,\u201d which aired on March 4, 2026, bringing their student-built venture from campus to one of the largest stages for entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n

The deal came after the founders pitched their venture to the panel of investors, seeking funding and strategic guidance to help grow their company.<\/p>\n

\"TwoMSU students Madhav Aggarwal (left) and Tanvi Gadamsetti pitch BRC\u0112 to investors during the March 4 episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank.”<\/p>\n

BRC\u0112, pronounced \u201cbrace,\u201d is a performance materials technology company built by Aggarwal and Gadamsetti while studying at MSU. Their patented product, \u201cshoelaces that NEVER QUIT,\u201d is designed to help prevent sports-related ankle injuries by reducing untied laces \u2014 a concept the founders began developing while actively leveraging entrepreneurship resources and opportunities across MSU\u2019s campus. <\/p>\n

Appearing on \u201cShark Tank\u201d gave the student founders the opportunity to present their business to millions of viewers and a panel of high-profile investors known as the \u201csharks,\u201d who evaluate entrepreneurs in hopes of backing the next breakout company.<\/p>\n

After several rounds of questions and negotiations, guest shark Fawn Weaver, CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, and Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND Snacks, teamed up to offer $300,000 for 20% equity, a deal the founders accepted.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Shark Tank\u2019 has been a full-circle moment for us,\u201d said Aggarwal. \u201cIt allows us to accelerate what we\u2019ve been building from day one \u2014 bringing our material technology to more products, more athletes and launching exciting brand collaborations that push performance innovation forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their appearance on \u201cShark Tank\u201d highlights the growing momentum of student entrepreneurship at MSU and the ambition of Spartans building companies while still in college.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis moment shows just how much momentum student entrepreneurship has at MSU. Our students aren\u2019t waiting until after graduation to start companies \u2014 they\u2019re building real ventures now, solving real problems and taking those ideas to national platforms like \u2018Shark Tank,\u2019\u201d said Paul Jaques, managing director of venture creation at the MSU Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While building BRC\u0112, the founders connected with MSU\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including the Burgess Institute, where students from across campus are equipped with the mindset, community and real-world experiences needed to turn ideas into action.<\/p>\n

\"A Guest Shark Fawn Weaver, CEO of Uncle Nearest Whiskey, and Daniel Lubetsky, founder of KIND Snacks, chat with the BRC\u0112 founders after they accepted a deal. <\/p>\n

Through programs, mentorship and hands-on experiences, the Burgess Institute supports students as they test ideas, launch ventures and develop the skills that drive innovation across industries.<\/p>\n

The institute also connects student founders with opportunities to pitch their ventures at competitions across the country, where they gain national exposure, compete for early-stage funding, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs and investors.<\/p>\n

Before appearing on \u201cShark Tank,\u201d the founders earned recognition in several local and national pitch competitions. BRC\u0112 was a finalist in the 2025 Burgess New Venture Challenge, won the top prize at the 2025 Collegiate Great Brands Competition<\/a> and was named runner-up in the 2025 Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge at the annual e-Fest Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Competition. The team was also a finalist in the 2025 Collegiate Inventors Competition, an alternate in the student category for the 2025 SXSW Pitch<\/a>, and will compete as a finalist in the upcoming 2026 Rice Business Plan Competition. <\/p>\n

The founders join a growing community of Spartan entrepreneurs who have taken ventures from campus classrooms and student programs to national stages and high-growth startup opportunities.<\/p>\n

With new investment and national exposure, Aggarwal and Gadamsetti are looking ahead to the next phase of BRC\u0112\u2019s growth \u2014 scaling the company, expanding its reach and continuing to build the business they first imagined as students at MSU.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis moment propels BRC\u0112 into its next chapter. The exposure from \u2018Shark Tank\u2019 introduces our technology to millions of people and opens the door for new product launches and partnerships with global brands,\u201d said Gadamsetti. \u201cWe\u2019re incredibly excited about what comes next and how far this platform can take the mission we started as students.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Spartan entrepreneurs, Gadamsetti and Aggarwal\u2019s appearance on \u201cShark Tank\u201d demonstrates what is possible when students and their ideas meet the resources, mentorship and community that help them grow. <\/p>\n

From a student startup in East Lansing to securing investment on national television, BRC\u0112\u2019s journey reflects the ambition, creativity and drive of the next generation of Spartan entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

The full episode is available to watch on ABC\u2019s \u201cShark Tank\u201d web page.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Michigan State University student entrepreneurs Madhav Aggarwal and Tanvi Gadamsetti, co-founders of BRC\u0112, secured a $300,000 investment during…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":509264,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[231181,231185,231186,231172,28,231179,231182,158,231184,231183,231173,779,231176,231180,231170,20234,231177,231171,231175,231178,231174],"class_list":{"0":"post-509263","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"tag-abc-shark-tank-investment","9":"tag-brce","10":"tag-brce-shoelaces","11":"tag-brce-startup","12":"tag-business","13":"tag-college-entrepreneurs","14":"tag-daniel-lubetsky","15":"tag-entrepreneurship","16":"tag-entrepreneurship-at-michigan-state-university","17":"tag-fawn-weaver","18":"tag-madhav-aggarwal","19":"tag-michigan-state-university","20":"tag-msu-burgess-institute-for-entrepreneurship","21":"tag-msu-startups","22":"tag-msu-student-entrepreneurs","23":"tag-shark-tank","24":"tag-shark-tank-deal","25":"tag-shark-tank-msu-students","26":"tag-shoelaces-that-never-quit","27":"tag-student-startup-success","28":"tag-tanvi-gadamsetti"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=509263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/509264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=509263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=509263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=509263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}