A Night of Innovation, Connection, and Community – TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
On the 28th of October, Q2 Corporation had the honor of representing Michigan State University at Spartan Ventures 2025: An Evening with Student Founders, hosted at Thermo Fisher Scientific in South San Francisco. The event brought together MSU innovators, alumni, and industry leaders for a night that celebrated creativity, entrepreneurship, and the enduring Spartan spirit.
This was more than just another networking event — it was a milestone. For us at Q2, it was a reminder that ideas born in classrooms and late-night brainstorms can evolve into movements that transcend borders.
Where Innovation Meets Purpose
Hosted by the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific and the Silicon Valley Spartans Alumni Club, the event spotlighted student founders building companies with global potential.
Founded in 2012, the Burgess Institute has become the beating heart of Michigan State University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem — empowering students to turn their ideas into real-world ventures through mentorship, funding, and community. For our CEO, Nthanda Manduwi, this moment held a special resonance:
“The Burgess Institute was one of the reasons I chose to attend MSU. I remember reading about it before I ever set foot on campus — and last night, standing on that stage, I realized I was now living the very support I once only dreamed of.”
Showcasing Q2 — Building Resilient Communities
Alongside fellow founders from BRCĒ and Memory Sketch, Q2 Corporation was featured on the founder panel to share our mission:
Building resilient communities through interactive digital solutions.
Represented by Nthanda Manduwi (MBA, Marketing Management) and Alvaro Anaenugwu (Mechanical Engineering), Q2 shared how our flagship — Kwathu Smart Innovation Farms (KSIF) — blends gaming, learning, and entrepreneurship to help young Africans Play | [L]Earn | Build their way into sustainable futures.
The panel was followed by a lively discussion with investors, alumni, and MSU leaders — exploring not just our technology, but our purpose: using creativity and digital innovation to empower communities across Africa.
The Burgess Legacy — A Family of Builders
One of the evening’s most meaningful encounters was meeting Brian Burgess, son of the late Bob Burgess, whose vision and generosity helped establish the Burgess Institute. After his father’s passing in 2024, Brian stepped forward to continue the legacy, building on a decade of quiet involvement with the Institute.
His presence was a moving reminder of what Burgess stands for — not just innovation, but continuity. A belief that when you build something meaningful, it outlives you through the people you’ve inspired.
A Night of Connection and Community
As the formal presentations concluded, the evening opened into a networking reception — complete with lively conversation, laughter, and the kind of exchange that only happens when people truly believe in each other’s dreams.
For us, it was a chance to connect with MSU alumni working at leading organizations across the Bay Area, to share ideas, explore collaborations, and celebrate how far Spartan innovation has come. Each story, each handshake, each shared reflection carried the same undercurrent — Go Green, Go Farther.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Hosting this year’s Spartan Ventures event was Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global leader in life sciences and biotechnology. With over 130,000 employees worldwide, Thermo Fisher’s mission — to enable customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer — mirrors Q2’s own commitment to building sustainable systems that improve lives. The evening was a powerful convergence of purpose-driven innovation across generations and disciplines.
A Moment to Remember
From the classrooms of Michigan State University to the Thermo Fisher campus in San Francisco, this event embodied the journey of transformation — from learning to leadership, from vision to venture.
As we continue to build Q2 Corporation and bring Kwathu Smart Innovation Farms to life, we are deeply grateful for the ecosystem that nurtures us — from Burgess to Bay Area, from mentors to makers.
To the Burgess Institute, Thermo Fisher, the MSU alumni community, and all who shared the evening with us — thank you for believing in what’s possible when Spartans dream boldly.
