BRCĒ, MTEC SMARTZONE AMMP PARTICIPANT TO APPEAR ON SHARK TANK
HOUGHTON, MI – [February 26, 2026] – BRCĒ, a 2025 Advance Materials & Advanced Manufacturing Accelerator Program (AMMP) participant, will appear on Shark Tank on March 4th at 10 PM EST on ABC.
A Full Circle Moment
Growing up, cofounder Madhav Aggarwa watched Shark Tank every week. As shared on a recent LinkedIn post, Shark Tank was about more than just entertainment, it was educational. In watching, he was able to learn about valuation, leverage, margins, storytelling, and conviction under pressure. To him, that stage where hundreds of entrepreneurs have stood on represents the American Dream built by ordinary people with amazing ideas.
Years later, he and his fellow cofounder, Tanvi Gadamsetti, found themselves walking down that same hallway they once eagerly watched as kids. “A full circle moment” she shared.
BRCĒ is an athletic shoelace company with a patented lace technology designed to never come untied. Together, this duo has engineered the world’s first high-performance laces. Their product is designed to stay tied under extreme athletic stress and resist fraying. From running, to basketball, to hockey, football, and anything else in between, BRCĒ is setting a new standard for athletic footwear performance and reliability. Compatible with virtually any shoe brand, these laces eliminate the need for constant retying and allow athletes to focus on performance and avoid injury.
The AMMP Connection
BRCĒ participated in the 2025 AMMP cohort, a program designed and led by MTEC SmartZone. The accelerator supports advanced materials and manufacturing startups as they scale their technologies into viable, growth-ready businesses. Through hands-on mentorship, commercialization guidance, and ecosystem support, AMMP helps founders navigate everything from product development and to investor readiness. Seeing BRCĒ on Shark Tank is a powerful example of what can happen when structured support is met with a bold idea and entrepreneurial drive.
“This is exactly why we built AMMP,” says MTEC’s VP of Business Development, Jason Mack. “We take pride in helping entrepreneurs refine their vision and harden their business models. BRCĒ’s journey from our cohort to the Shark Tank stage perfectly illustrates our mission: turning advanced manufacturing startups into growth-ready companies that investors can’t ignore.”
A huge part of AMMP is its local Demo Day, hosted each year right in downtown Houghton. During this event, founders take the stage to formally “pitch” their business models in front of experienced investors, industry leaders, and community stakeholders. It’s an intentional, high-pressure environment designed to refine messaging and build confidence for entrepreneurs to pitch at a competitive level. That experience serves as preparation for AMMP’s annual Detroit Demo Day. There, the startups then have to present on a much larger stage to statewide investors. For BRCĒ, their preparation began for an opportunity like Shark Tank over a year ago in the 2025 AMMP Cohort. While the stage may be bigger, the discipline, clarity, and composure required for that moment were strengthened through experiences like AMMP’s Demo Day.
2026 Applications
For founders building the next breakthrough in advanced materials or manufacturing, this story should serve as a reminder of what’s possible through AMMP. Applications for the 2026 AMMP Accelerator cohort close on Friday, March 6.
If you’re developing an innovative material technology, manufacturing solution, or turning research into a real-world product, we encourage you to apply. AMMP was built to help founders move from concept to commercialization. As BRCĒ’s journey shows, sometimes, even leads to national recognition.
APPLY HERE: AMMP Accelerator 2026 Application – Fill out form
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About MTEC SmartZone
Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) SmartZone is one of 21 SmartZone Incubators in the State of Michigan. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization directed by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), their mission is to accelerate high-tech businesses growth in the region. Since 2003, MTEC SmartZone has provided mentoring, technical support, and other services to local companies that has led to the creation of over 800 high-tech jobs in the Houghton/Hancock area. For more information, visit mtecsz.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and email mtec@mtecsz.com.
About AMMP
The AMMP Accelerator program is designed to support around five cohort companies, fostering a sustainable model for startup acceleration. Through targeted training and mentorship, the initiative aims to catalyze economic growth, with a projected creation of 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in the Upper Midwest region. Additionally, the program will provide guidance and mentorship to approximately 120 companies in the community, driving forward the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.