Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU

What Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU does

Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU is a botanical garden facility operated by Michigan State University, located in Tipton, Michigan, with 7 employees according to firmographic data. The source materials note that specific operational detail on Hidden Lake Gardens itself is limited; the majority of available data describes MSU's Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) department, which is a separate administrative unit within the university that manages campus-wide facilities, utilities, transportation, construction, and event services. The source explicitly cautions that IPF is not the same entity as Hidden Lake Gardens, which is operated through MSU's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The broader IPF department operates across 25.5 million square feet of campus space and 586 structures, supported by a 99 MW cogeneration facility (T.B. Simon Power Plant), a 10.5 MW solar carport array producing 15 million kWh annually, a 1,200-vehicle transportation fleet, and a 400-vehicle motor pool. Service delivery uses the Planon online portal, with rates reviewed and approved by MSU's Office of Financial Analysis and Reporting. Revenue mechanics for IPF include labor and material indirect rates, PDC design fees (3.25%-5% of project budget), utility distribution charges, transportation rentals, and surplus store sales. The customer base is exclusively internal MSU departments.

For Hidden Lake Gardens specifically, the entity functions as a public garden within MSU's portfolio; source data does not disclose revenue, customer segments, product lines, or technology stack distinct from the parent university context.

Name

Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU

Legal name

Michigan State University - Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

Website

https://ipf.msu.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU is a 7-employee botanical garden facility operated by Michigan State University in Tipton, Michigan, functioning within the university's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The available source data primarily describes the separate MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities department rather than the gardens themselves.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Gardens

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL), Horticulture, Nursery & Greenhouse Operations (EDAOAOAB)

Keywords

• Botanical garden
• Horticulture education
• Plant conservation
• Public gardens
• Nature programs

Headquarters

HQ city

East Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Campus Service Billing: IPF charges MSU departments for services including labor, materials, utilities, transportation, and capital projects. Rates are reviewed and approved by MSU's Office of Financial Analysis and Reporting. Services include building/custodial/landscape labor, material/logistics indirect, nursery, rental parts, equipment rates, utility distribution, waste collection, bus service, motor pool, and garage services.
2. Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) Fees: Capital projects management and design fees charged as percentage of project budget: 5% up to $1 million, 3.75% up to $100 million, 3.25% over $100 million
3. Utility Services: Utility rate calculated based on prior fiscal year's actual costs for campus utility production and distribution
4. Transportation Services: Bus service fees at 8% for charters plus $35/hour labor; motor pool daily/monthly/annual lease rates; garage service fees at $80-100/hour labor
5. Surplus Store Sales: MSU Surplus Store sells used furniture, electronics, and equipment at market prices. Revenue supports recycling and waste diversion costs. When sales exceed costs, difference returns to university.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU is a public botanical garden operated by Michigan State University, founded in 1926 in Tipton, Michigan. It maintains plant collections and offers horticulture education and nature programming for visitors, families, and school groups, operating under MSU's Infrastructure Planning and Facilities umbrella.

Product overview

The source data primarily covers MSU's Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) department services rather than Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU specifically. The only reference to Hidden Lake Gardens-related content is the MSU Horticulture Gardens, which hosts events like Digger Day in partnership with IPF.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Save ~$550,000 annually in steam and electricity costs through temperature setpoint policy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InovateuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar company based in Indiana partnered for solar carport array through 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). MSU plans to purchase all power produced by solar arrays at a fixed rate.
• AlterracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian renewable-energy company partnered for solar carport array through 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Part of joint initiative to deliver solar power at peak demand times.
• PenskeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTruck rental partner for departments. Customers reserve through Penske office then complete MSU paperwork through Transportation Services. Required for MSU insurance coverage to apply.
• Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides campus bus and special transportation services including daily transit buses, evening fixed route service, later-evening demand response buses, parking shuttle, and paratransit buses.
• Gorno FordminorOthersLocal Michigan Ford dealership on active contract for vehicle purchases. Part of MSU's approved dealership network.
• Todd WenzelminorOthersLocal Michigan dealership on active contract for vehicle purchases. Part of MSU's approved dealership network.
• Berger ChevroletminorOthersLocal Michigan Chevrolet dealership on active contract for vehicle purchases. Part of MSU's approved dealership network.
• Clock MobilityminorOthersOff-campus accessible vehicle rental provider for wheelchair-accessible vehicles when MSU motor pool cannot accommodate needs.
• Michigan Department of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape equipment rates are set according to MDOT rates. IPF charges MDOT rates for equipment usage.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Morton Arboretum: Large Illinois-based public garden with significant research, education, and tree-collection programs. Comparable Midwestern climate and university-adjacent operating model, though at much greater scale.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: One of the largest U.S. public botanical gardens with extensive research, education, and visitor operations. Provides upper-bound benchmark for what a Midwestern botanical garden can scale to.
• Longwood Gardens: Premier U.S. public garden with world-class horticulture, education, and event operations. Sets the upper benchmark for what scaled botanical garden operations can deliver.

Direct peers

• Matthaei Botanical Gardens: University of Michigan-operated botanical garden with comparable public-garden operations, education programs, and collections focus. Highly comparable as a Michigan-based, university-affiliated botanical garden of similar institutional scale.
• Holden Arboretum: Ohio-based public arboretum and botanical garden with comparable Midwestern operating environment, horticultural collections, and educational programming model.
• MSU Horticulture Gardens: Michigan State University's campus-based botanical garden operated by the same parent institution. Provides a direct comparison of on-campus vs. satellite garden programming models within MSU.
• Michigan 4-H Children's Garden: MSU-operated educational children's garden in East Lansing, directly relevant as a same-institution educational garden counterpart with focus on youth horticulture programming.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum: University-affiliated public garden and arboretum with research, education, and native plant restoration missions. Comparable land-grant university garden model with similar funding structure.

Regional players

• Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: Major Michigan-based public garden and sculpture park with much larger scale and visitor base. Provides regional context for what a fully developed Michigan botanical garden operation can become.
• Dow Gardens: Mid-Michigan public garden with similar regional visitation patterns and horticultural collection focus. Comparable scale and Midwestern climate context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/facilitiesmsu
• Facebookfacebook.com/MSUFacilities
• Instagraminstagram.com/facilitiesmsu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hidden-lake-gardens-of-msu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hidden Lake Gardens of MSU