Michigan House Economic Competitiveness Committee — Letter, February 3rd, 2026

Summary

This is a letter dated February 3rd, 2026, to the Michigan House Economic Competitiveness Committee from the founders of BRCĒ, a Michigan-based material technology company founded by student entrepreneurs at Michigan State University. The letter says the East Lansing / Lansing Regional SmartZone connected the company to early grant funding, commercialization support, and mentors. It states that SmartZone-backed funding enabled the company to file and secure its patent, which it says was approved in just 62 days. The letter says renewing SmartZones through House Bill 5031 preserves this pathway, and closes with the names Tanvi Gadamsetti and Madhav Aggarwal, Founders.

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February 3rd, 2026​
Michigan House Economic Competitiveness Committee​
Anderson House Office Building​
Lansing, MI 48933

Dear Members of the Michigan House Economic Competitiveness Committee,

We are writing as the founders of BRCĒ, a Michigan-based material technology
company founded by student entrepreneurs at Michigan State University. BRCĒ
develops patented polymer composite technologies engineered to improve
performance, safety, and durability in athletic, industrial, and medical applications,
replacing failure-prone textiles with function-driven materials designed to perform under
demanding conditions.

BRCĒ began as a class project and a simple question: how could we improve
something as basic as a shoelace to make athletes safer and more consistent in their
performance? Through hands-on testing, mentorship, and real-world feedback, that idea
evolved into patented technology now used by athletes and professionals across
multiple sports.

Building a company as students required far more than a strong idea or technical
curiosity. It required access to capital, mentorship, and a support system that
understood how to help early-stage founders translate innovation into real products. The
East Lansing / Lansing Regional SmartZone and its partners played a critical role in
making that possible.

Through SmartZone programming, we were connected to early grant funding,
commercialization support, and experienced mentors who helped us navigate
intellectual property strategy, product development, and customer discovery. Without
this support, we would not have been able to pursue or protect our core technology.
SmartZone-backed funding directly enabled us to file and secure our patent, which was
approved in just 62 days—one of the fastest approvals in material science—and later
recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a top five undergraduate
invention nationwide.
Beyond intellectual property, the SmartZone ecosystem helped us grow responsibly as
a company. Their support enabled us to expand our team, create paid opportunities for
Michigan State University students, and keep our operations rooted in the region while
competing nationally and globally. As student founders, having access to trusted
guidance and infrastructure made the difference between an idea remaining in a
classroom and becoming a Michigan-based business.

From our perspective, renewing SmartZones through House Bill 5031 is about
preserving this pathway for future founders. Programs like the East Lansing / Lansing
Regional SmartZone reduce barriers to entry, accelerate commercialization, and ensure
that talent developed at Michigan universities has the opportunity to remain in the state
to build companies and create jobs.

We are proud to be building BRCĒ in Michigan and strongly believe that continued
investment in SmartZones is essential to sustaining the state’s innovation economy and
supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.



Tanvi Gadamsetti & Madhav Aggarwal​
Founders​
BRCĒ


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