From apple orchards and biomedical labs to wastewater systems, electric grids and drone training fields, Spartan Engineering innovation was well represented at the 2026 MSU Innovation Celebration.
Hosted by the MSU Innovation Center on April 7 at the Henry Center for Executive Development, the annual event recognizes technologies, startups, research partnerships and inventions emerging from Michigan State University.
This year, College of Engineering faculty, students and MSU-rooted startups were recognized across several major award categories.
Engineering-connected honorees
- Innovation of the Year: Zhaojian Li and Kyle Lammers
- Innovator of the Year: Aitor Aguirre
- Corporate Connector of the Year: Wei Liao
- Startup of the Year: Switched Source
- Student Startup of the Year: AG3 Labs
A robotic apple harvester built for real orchards
Zhaojian Li, Red Cedar Distinguished Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Kyle Lammers, a Ph.D. student in electrical and computer engineering, received the Innovation of the Year award for an integrated apple-picking robot and in-field sorting platform designed to support specialty-crop agriculture.
Their AI-powered system is designed to see, reach and gently pick apples in real orchard conditions, where changing light, dense foliage and hidden fruit can challenge automated systems. The technology aims to help growers address labor shortages, reduce bruising and improve harvest consistency during narrow picking windows.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “Innovation of the Year: A Robotic Apple Harvester Built for Real Orchards.”
Engineering “mini hearts” to improve drug discovery
Aitor Aguirre , associate professor of biomedical engineering, received the Innovator of the Year award for his work developing heart organoids, or “mini hearts,” that model human heart structure and function.
The technology gives researchers a way to study heart conditions and test potential therapies using human organ-like structures in a dish. Aguirre’s work includes a heart organoid model of human atrial fibrillation, a condition that has been difficult to model accurately for drug development.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “ Aitor Aguirre is Revolutionizing Medicine by Creating ‘Mini Hearts’ to Speed Drug Development and Improve Safety.”
Turning waste streams into working solutions
Wei Liao, professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, received the Corporate Connector of the Year award for his work with private-sector partners on technologies that convert high-strength wastewater into clean water, renewable methane and recoverable green ammonia.
Through MSU’s Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center, Liao works with industry partners on systems that can transform organic waste streams into usable products while supporting cleaner and more sustainable operations.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “Powering Sustainability at Scale: Wei Liao Turns Waste into Working Solutions.”
Student startup earns recognition for drone training technology
AG3 Labs received the Student Startup of the Year award for developing low-cost, highly maneuverable drone systems for military and defense training.
The student-founded startup traces its roots to hands-on engineering and undergraduate research at MSU. The company develops drones that can fly in coordinated swarms with repeatable flight patterns, creating realistic aerial targets for training against small unmanned systems.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “Student Startup of the Year: AG3 Labs Builds LowCost Drone Swarms for Realistic Training.”
Switched Source recognized for grid technology
Switched Source received the Startup of the Year award for its work commercializing smart grid technology that can balance electrical load in real time.
The company’s Phase-EQ device is designed to help utilities improve reliability and unlock additional capacity on existing infrastructure. Switched Source licensed technology from MSU and has continued to grow as it moves toward wider deployment in the utility industry.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “Startup of the Year: Switched Source Helps Utilities Unlock Capacity on the Grid Without Costly Upgrades.”
The 2026 Innovation Celebration also recognized David Douches, a professor in MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, with the Technology Transfer Achievement award for his work in potato variety development.
Read more from the MSU Innovation Center in “David Douches Breeds Better Potatoes and a Sustainable Path to the Field.”
For MSU Engineering, this year’s honorees showed the range of innovation taking shape across the college, from agricultural robotics and biomedical engineering to clean energy systems, student startups and electric grid technology.
Original story by Keith Rouse. Read more about the 2026 Innovation Celebration at the Innovation Center .
Photos courtesy of the MSU Innovation Center.
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page