Growing ideas: Purdue startup offers ‘seeds’ of hope, connections for entrepreneurs, product innovators

Purdue University alumnus Andrew Tye created an online startup for budding entrepreneurs called Seedproof. (Image provided) Download image

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Five hundred dollars may not seem like much to some entrepreneurs creating a new company. But for Purdue University alumnus Andrew Tye and others like him, a few hundred dollars can launch a business idea and have a life-changing impact.

That’s one of the driving forces behind Seedproof, an online startup that Tye created for budding entrepreneurs.

“The response we are getting from entrepreneurs using our Seedproof platform is very gratifying,” said Tye, who received degrees from Purdue’s Krannert School of Management and the College of Engineering. “That’s why I like to say Seedproof is where makers make and ideas grow.”

Seedproof has a user-friendly format. A budding entrepreneur visits the website, creates a free account and then can post an invention or idea. Likewise, inventors from across the globe have used the website to find idea validation and product feedback. The inventions with the highest number of votes, comments and online page views are eligible for cash grants.

Tye said the number of active users for Seedproof has doubled each month since May. The startup has received support from Google and other sponsors.

 “The main value in Seedproof is that the community of product makers from all over the world can view each other’s inventions and ideas and provide feedback,” Tye said. “It’s kind of a quick and fairly easy way to obtain early users for your product or invention.

 “It was amazing to be a student at Purdue and find myself surrounded by a diverse group of people with an entrepreneurial spirit and working on so many different things.”

Seedproof is looking to expand its user base and potentially add a professional

subscription option in the near future. Tye also is looking to partner with more sponsors.

Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org

Sources: Andrew Tye, andrew@seedproof.com