PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Purdue student startup technology could reduce the waiting period for computer science students to receive grades.

  Purdue University students have developed a cloud-based technology that could reduce the amount of time it takes for professors to grade coursework in computer sciences.

"Because of the complicated computer programming algorithms and software programs and the potential for plagiarism, it can take up to three weeks for coursework in a computer science class to be graded," said Prahasith Veluvolu, a student in Purdue's College of Science and a co-developer of the platform. "The technology we developed provides automated grading, course management tools, analytics and interactive feedback outlets for both students and instructors."

          Veluvolu partnered with Jacobi Petrucciani and Colton Voege, also students in the Purdue College of Science, to develop a Web-based platform for automatic grading and a learning management system for computer sciences. They are commercializing the innovation through their startup,Mimir LLC.

"The main feature of our system is being able to grade programming projects automatically," Veluvolu said. "As soon as the student turns in their project they will get a grade and feedback back in just a few seconds, instead of two to three weeks. We reduce the time and overhead it takes to grade."           

Veluvolu said their system is unique because it includes a plagiarism algorithm.

"One of the reasons coursework can take up to three weeks to grade is because instructors have to check each project to determine that people aren't copying each other," he said.

Mimir LLC won the Boiler Mini-Accelerator Competition, held at Purdue, which allowed them to develop their product and move it into testing.

          "Winning the competition made us realize the value of our product and then we continued to pursue it over the summer," Veluvolu said. "After that, we bought together a few schools as a beta testing program, and acquired customers such as summer camp programs. This fall we began working with six different schools across the nation. Four of the schools are universities and two of them are high schools." 

Veluvolu said that, so far, the feedback has been positive.

"After we introduced our product to one of the first schools we worked with, they saw a huge improvement in student teacher interaction and also saw a rise in grades. The exit surveys were all positive and the customers reported being very satisfied with the product," said Veluvolu.

          Mimir is receiving assistance through the Purdue Foundry, an entrepreneurship and commercialization hub in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship and The Anvil, a co-working space for Purdue students and the surrounding community at 320 North St. in West Lafayette and close to Purdue's campus. Veluvolu accredited much of their success to the advisers they have worked with through Purdue's resources.

"I worked with an adviser from the Purdue Foundry during the Boiler competition, which is what really turned this idea more into a valuable business proposition, and since I've always been able to go back and ask questions or get help from the staff there," said Veluvolu.

           "There are a lot of resources at Purdue, especially talent. All the alumni networks, the Boiler and the Anvil have really made the difference in getting our idea off the ground. We have worked with three advisers whom we met through the Anvil, and their knowledge and guidance has really helped us."  

Mimir is working on confirming a trial of their system in a computer science course at Purdue and will launch a sales and marketing campaign to target other Indiana schools this semester. The student startup aims to branch out into more academic subjects in the future.