🏆 TrailEagle Wins $10,000 at the 2024 Burgess New Venture Challenge

By Kevin K Burnett | April 12th, 2025

TrailEagle is proud to announce that we took home a $10,000 prize at this year’s Burgess New Venture Challenge (BNVC)—MSU’s premier pitch competition for student-founded startups.

Hosted by the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, BNVC brings together some of the university’s most promising student ventures to pitch live in front of judges, investors, and leaders from across Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

🚀 What We Pitched

We presented our flagship product—the TrailOrigin 75L, a next-generation backpack engineered for faster gear access, modular functionality, and durability designed for real outdoor use. What set us apart was our focus on solving core user pain points through design innovations not found in traditional pack systems.

Our pitch centered on:

• Pain points in legacy backpacking gear

• Our design philosophy—durability, organization, and access

• Validation through preorders and community support

• Vision for expanding our product ecosystem

💬 What We Learned

BNVC pushed us to sharpen every aspect of our business—especially our storytelling, customer focus, and path to market. Engaging with judges and mentors helped us identify ways to refine how we communicate value and scale operations post-Kickstarter.

🙏 Thank You

We’re incredibly grateful to the Burgess mentors, faculty, and the BNVC team who supported us throughout this journey—especially:

• Josh Cooper

• Jack Peurach

• Colby Covington

• The Burgess Institute staff and leadership

Their time, insight, and belief in our venture made this moment possible.

🔭 What’s Next

We’re investing the prize funds directly into growing TrailEagle—fulfilling Kickstarter orders, strengthening our manufacturing pipeline, and preparing to scale beyond our first product.

This milestone is a reminder that TrailEagle is gaining real momentum—and we’re just getting started.

Thank you to everyone who continues to believe in the mission.

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About the Author:

Kevin K. Burnett is the CEO and co-founder of TrailEagle Packs, a company founded on a passion for outdoor adventures and a mission to improve the hiking experience. As an Eagle Scout and student entrepreneur, Kevin’s journey began on the rugged trails of New Mexico, where he and his co-founder faced the challenges of carrying heavy gear in demanding conditions.

Inspired by his experiences, Kevin is dedicated to solving the frustrations of traditional backpacks with thoughtfully designed gear that prioritizes organization, accessibility, and comfort. When not designing innovative products, Kevin shares his love for the outdoors through practical advice and tips to inspire fellow adventurers.

Follow him on LinkedIn and learn more about his experiences here!