Turning Food Waste into Power: How Saprofy Is Connecting Purdue to the Community
What began as a simple class project has evolved into a mission-driven startup reimagining how West Lafayette approaches food waste. Saprofy, a venture founded by Purdue students and alumni, is led by Chief Executive Officer Deepesh Balwani, a senior in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and a student in the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program. He is joined by Chief Legal Officer Jack Heo, a December 2024 Purdue graduate now working in tech sales at Gong in Chicago, and Chief Financial Officer Matt Russell, a Supply Chain Financial Analyst at PepsiCo based in Indianapolis. Together, the team brings complementary expertise in engineering, legal strategy, and finance to address an issue that affects communities far beyond campus. All three completed the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, providing a shared foundation in entrepreneurial thinking that informs their work.