Purdue Students Win $20,000 for Innovative Soy-Based Adhesive Tape

A team of Purdue University sophomores has secured a $20,000 prize at the 32nd annual Student Soybean Innovation Competition for their innovative soy-based adhesive tape, SoySeal. The event, held on March 26, 2026, is a collaboration between the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Purdue University, aimed at promoting new uses for soybeans and enhancing their market potential.

The winning team, comprised of Elizabeth Heckaman, Kasey Wright, and Jocelyn Erickson, developed SoySeal, which features a backing made of 90% soy and a 100% soy adhesive. According to Heckaman, "This is a soy-based adhesive. It’s pressure sensitive. It’s multi-component, so we have a soy backing made of 90% soy, and then we have a soy adhesive on the other side made of 100% soy. It’s able to outperform some competitors like masking tape. It’s sticky, it’s reusable, it’s waterproof, and it’s just all-around a very versatile tape product."

Heckaman, who studies biological engineering with a concentration on food and biological processes, expressed excitement about the potential impact of their product. "To see that come to life and see it enter the market... is something that would be absolutely amazing to see come to fruition," she said. The team believes that if they can capture just a 3 percent share of the adhesive tape market, they could sell approximately 351,000 tons of soybeans annually.

The competition featured a total of 12 teams and 36 students, all vying for a share of over $45,000 awarded by the Indiana Soybean Alliance. The second-place team, which earned $10,000, created SoySlipSafe, a soy-based anti-icer that can be applied to roads before freezing precipitation. This product, developed by Taylor Helman, Marley Kakalia, and Lucy Shepard, offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chloride-based anti-icers, which are known to cause infrastructure corrosion and environmental damage.

Helman, a mechanical engineering student, noted the importance of their product, stating, "SoySlipSafe uses soybean-derived components to achieve the two primary functions of an effective anti-icer – freezing point depression and ice-bond reduction." The third-place team, which received a $5,000 prize, developed SoyLam, a soy-based plastic laminate intended to replace conventional plastic lamination materials. Team members Elizabeth Rozzi and Erica Conley emphasized the product's biodegradability and potential applications within the food industry.

Jocelyn Erickson, who played a key role on the SoySeal team, previously participated and placed third last year. She contributed significantly to the marketing aspect of their project, stating, "I was definitely the main contributor to the marketing plan. I made the logo with the little seal, I made the name, and I made the presentation. So, I made it look good and they made the great product."

The competition also included a People’s Choice award of $500, which was determined by votes from attendees at the awards ceremony. This year’s award went to Soyé, a team of Purdue students who developed a soy-based menstrual pad featuring three soy-derived layers for comfort and absorbency. The creators of Soyé include Marcia Kusumah, Eleanor Malinowski, and Chanyoung “Ivy” Moon, who highlighted the potential for their product to make a positive impact on women's health.

Each of these products showcases the versatility of soybeans and the innovative spirit of Purdue students. The Student Soybean Innovation Competition is not just about winning prizes; it is about fostering new ideas that could lead to sustainable practices and new markets for U.S. soybean farmers. Roger Wenning, a Decatur County farmer and judge at the event, remarked on the significance of such competitions: "It’s awesome to see what these students can do and how they come up with their marketing plans and just the work that they put into this. It’s good for all soybean farmers when we can increase demand."

The competition also featured a new track this year focused on soy-based food innovations, where eight teams collaborated with the Purdue Food Science Department. The top prize of $5,000 for this track went to the MiSoy Pan team, who proposed a vegan, soy-based variation of the popular Japanese salt bread known for its buttery richness and airy interior. Team member Brooke Erwin explained, "Our market strategy for selling our rolled dough... is to provide high convenience, niche and on-trend products, and a brand that aligns with values of sustainability."

With a growing emphasis on sustainability and the environmental benefits of soy-based products, the innovations showcased at the Student Soybean Innovation Competition signal a promising future for both the agricultural and consumer markets. The Indiana Soybean Alliance continues to support these efforts, working to develop the winning products and assess their commercial viability.

For the students involved, the competition is a springboard into future opportunities, with many expressing a desire to continue innovating within the soybean industry. "We hope that after graduating from Purdue, we’ll continue to seek opportunities for innovation with the incredibly versatile and valuable soybean to bring even more value back to the farm," said Wright. The impact of these student-led initiatives could be transformative, for the soybean market and for sustainable practices across various industries.