Innovate State is a collaboration between the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the MSU Innovation Center.

Hosted in the Entrepreneurship Lab, Innovate State welcomes successful Spartan alumni back to campus for a fireside chat. Guests share their perspectives on everything from launching start-ups to experiencing success and failure to building dynamic and nurturing work cultures.

Starting her career as a proud DJ on WDBM The Impact 89FM and graduating from Michigan State University in 2007 with a bachelors in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Kristen Lueck has had a lifelong passion for media and audio creation. Currently working as the VP, Director of Business Development and Partnerships at Man Made Music, she works towards and builds opportunities to create iconic music and sound for entertainment properties and Fortune 500 brands. Alongside this venture, over the past eight years, she has worked on audio identities, network rebrands and immersive experiences for big-name clients such as AT&T, American Express, Nissan, NPR, IMAX, Disney, and Southwest Airlines. Her expertise has been showcased on TEDx and SXSW stages and numerous conference workshops while also working on and supporting programs that explore how music and sound can improve human health and wellness in hospital and patient care settings. Before her time at Man Made Music, her entertainment background saw her as Music Assistant to Paul Shaffer at The Late Show with David Letterman as well as programming and marketing for film festivals in East Lansing, Michigan and Austin, Texas. Lueck now spends her time in New York City, continuing her career and building on her past experiences.

Find Kristen on LinkedIn.

Starting his extensive career by graduating from Michigan State University in 1995, Matt Growney serves on the Board of the Center for Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Entrepreneurial Finance at the Broad School of Business, as well as attending the New England School of Law | Boston (JD ‘00). Alongside this, Growney consults with dozens of clients within the Fashion, Beauty/Wellness, Food, and Home/Hospitality categories. He has designed exclusive products and consumer experiences (installations, presentations, charity events, concerts, Pop-ups) for such events including the NBA Draft, Art Basel, CES, ComplexCon, KidzCon, Paris Fashion Week, NY Fashion Week, and Formula One. From 1998-2006, Matthew was Co-founder and Managing Director of Motorola Ventures (MV), the corporate venture capital arm of Motorola, Inc. outside of Chicago, IL. In 2008, he departed Motorola to create Isabella Products, one of the industry’s first mobile Internet companies focused on creating digital learning solutions and currently serves as Senior Advisor and Head of Special Projects to PUMA on Technology, Culture, and Fashion. Matthew spends his time living outside of Boston with his wife, Shelley, and their three children, recently picking up the activity of half and full marathon running.

Find Matthew on LinkedIn.

With over 13 years of experience in both mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and business operations, Andrew Dickow leads the Food and Beverage (F&B) practice for GCG, having significant experience working with consumer packaged goods, distribution, contract manufacturing, and ingredient companies amongst others. Alongside this, Dickow focuses on M&A on both the sell-side and buy-side of business and has advised numerous clients through recapitalizations, leveraged buyouts, business valuations, and financial analyses. Andrew co-owns 1701 Hospitality, Inc. with his brother, owning and operating four restaurants in downtown Detroit and Birmingham, Michigan, which employs nearly 200 people. Additionally, Andrew is a minority shareholder and Board Member of Pop Daddy Popcorn, a Michigan based ready-to-eat popcorn company as well as DROUGHT Juice, a Michigan based cold-pressed juice company. Most recently, he worked for a middle-market investment bank advising privately-held businesses as well as holding various financial management roles at General Mills, Inc., where he focused on M&A, financial forecasting, planning and analysis, marketing and supply chain management. Andrew has a passion for investing in and advising/mentoring other early-stage food & beverage companies, such as 86 Repairs, an automated restaurant equipment repair company based in Chicago.

Find Andrew on LinkedIn.