People have used laces to hold shoes on their feet for 5,000 years — five millennia of struggling to keep them tied or tripping over dangling laces.
That’s what drove Michigan State University student Madhav Aggarwal, co-founder of BRCĒ, to turn a blend of polyester and the same fibers in Kevlar into shoelaces that can’t come untied, providing extra support for feet and ankles.
“From the simplest daily accessory, we invented the world’s first and only shoelaces that never come untied due to activity, weather, or fraying,” Aggarwal told judges at the University of Georgia’s 2025 Great Collegiate Brands Competition.
“By using a proprietary microscopic interlock technology that works like Velcro when tied, it’s just a single knot but feels like a regular shoelace. These have been perfected for different product verticals and showcased in products for the largest stages across the world.”
Adoption by large shoe manufacturers and $93,000 in sales over the last 18 months convinced judges that BRCĒ deserved the top prize of $15,000.
The company plans to use the money for third-party testing to secure a lace contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, co-founder and fellow Michigan State student Tandi Gatun told judges.
In addition to the prize money, BRCĒ will showcase its laces at the Consensus Great Brands Show in New York City this fall.
It’s the ninth year the University of Georgia Entrepreneurship Program has hosted the Great Collegiate Brand Competition, sponsored by Consensus Advisors and restaurant supplier What Chefs Want. Students from 10 universities traveled to Athens from California and Massachusetts on March 27 to compete in this year’s competition at UGA’s student entrepreneurship center, Studio 225.
“This is truly a special competition, and these are some of the best entrepreneurial minds from across the country,” said Don Chambers, associate director of the UGA Entrepreneurship Program.
In addition to BRCĒ, judges recognized Bobica Bars — a superfood granola bar made from acai and created by Rowan University students Harrison Nastasi and Justin Iannelli — took home the $7,000 second-place prize. Janey Health — a supplement company providing a supplement to protect cannabis users from heart disease created by Loyola Marymount University student Brendan Conn — was awarded the $3,000 third-place prize.
In addition to support from Consensus Great Brands and What Chefs Want, this year’s competition was made possible by volunteer judges including Joel Libowsky (BBA ’97), founder of promotional merchandise company Jeckil Promotions; David Abes, founder of DASH Hospitality Group; Heather Jones (MBA ’05), chief operating officer of Civitas Capital Group; Ron Turnier, founder of What Chefs Want; and Tony Christensen, president of ACCESS wealth management.
The Great Collegiate Brand Competition is hosted by the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, whose mission is to help develop the mindset of future entrepreneurs and prepare students for business leadership roles. It provides a comprehensive academic program that encompasses experiential learning and equips students with the tools and resources to pursue their startup ventures.
