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How One QR Code Is Changing the Way Farmers Manage Their Equipment
Imagine scanning a QR code and instantly seeing everything you need to know about your tractor, pivot, or grain bin—past services, inspection logs, user manuals, even a training video. That’s the simplicity Gripp is bringing to farms everywhere.
In the latest episode of The Germinate Podcast, host Joe Sampson sits down with Tracey Wiedmeyer, co-founder of Gripp, a software company founded to address a significant, overlooked issue in agriculture: chaotic equipment maintenance.
What started as an incubated idea inside Purdue’s Dial Labs has evolved into a game-changing solution for farms and small, blue-collar businesses. The core idea? Dead-simple record keeping through QR codes. No apps to learn, no lengthy onboarding, no tech headaches.
The Problem: Maintenance Is a Mess
Let’s face it: most farmers still rely on sticky notes, clipboards, and fading Sharpie scribbles when it comes to equipment maintenance. The reason? Modern maintenance software is too complex, expensive, or just doesn’t fit how farms actually work.
“When we walked farms, we kept seeing the same thing, equipment records were on paper, and the paper was usually out of date or lost,” says Tracey.
There are tools out there for tracking tractors, semis, or irrigation—but they’re all separate. If a farm wanted to go digital, it’d need to learn four or five different apps just to cover its operation. The result? Frustration and inaction.
The Solution: One QR Code to Track Them All
Gripp solves this by offering QR-coded tags that farmers can attach to any asset, tractors, skid loaders, irrigation pivots, cherry trees, and even PPE. Scan the tag, name the asset, add notes or media, and it’s now trackable forever.
“We’re not replacing your ERP system,” says Tracey. “We’re replacing your clipboard. That’s the bar we’ve set.”
You don’t even need the app to input information. Anyone on the farm can scan the tag and add what’s needed, from breakdowns to inspections to squeaky bearings.
Gripp’s user interface looks and feels like tools people already know; think Facebook-style profiles and WhatsApp-style chats—so there’s no learning curve. Everything is designed to be operator-friendly, not engineer-built.
Recognition from the Ag Industry
Gripp's fresh approach caught the attention of the American Farm Bureau Federation, where Tracey and his team pitched at the national Ag Innovation Challenge in San Antonio.
The experience was intense—think Shark Tank for agriculture, but their no-slides, 3-minute pitch resonated with judges and farmers alike.
“It was one of the first times I got halfway through the pitch and my mind went dark,” Tracey admits. “But I powered through, and we ended up in the top four.”
Their pitch? Replace complexity with simplicity. Replace five apps with one scan. Replace knowledge stuck in someone’s head with universally accessible info.
Beyond Agriculture: A Tool for Blue-Collar America
While Gripp was born in agriculture, the potential goes far beyond the farm. Tracey and his team are already seeing use cases in:
Construction
Fabrication
Septic pumping
Manufacturing
Residential building
Anywhere tools and equipment are used, but not digitally tracked, Gripp has a role to play. The business model is intentionally designed to be affordable and scalable, with pricing as low as a few thousand dollars per year.
“We’re not trying to be fancy; we’re trying to be useful,” Tracey says. “That means making sure we actually solve problems without asking people to change who they are.”
Built by a Builder
Tracey isn’t your typical tech founder. Sure, he’s a veteran software engineer with a track record in venture-backed startups, but he also owns backhoes, mills his own lumber, and is currently building his own house, cabinetry and all.
That’s what gives Gripp its grounded feel. It’s not software built in a vacuum. It’s a tool born out of sweat, experience, and deep respect for the people who get their hands dirty every day.
Preserving Tribal Knowledge
One of the most compelling aspects of the podcast is Tracey’s take on tribal knowledge; the critical, undocumented wisdom that resides within farmhands who’ve been on the job for 30 years or more. When they retire or leave, that info often disappears forever.
Gripp changes that.
With video uploads, equipment-specific notes, and searchable logs, the next person to scan the tag gets everything they need, even if the person before them is long gone.
“It’s like YouTube, but customized to your own operation,” says Joe.
Why It’s Catching On
Customers aren’t just using it—they’re loving it. Tracey recalls visiting a large dairy in Iowa:
“I walked in and the guy was like, ‘Okay, let’s hear it.’ Super skeptical. Then we tagged a loader, scanned it, and he said, ‘That’s it? Wow, that’s simple.’ That’s when we know we’ve got it right.”
Where to Learn More
If you're a farmer, rancher, contractor, or anyone who maintains a fleet of machines, you owe it to yourself to check out Gripp.
👉 Visit Gripp’s Website
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
📲 Follow The Germinate Podcast for more grassroots innovation stories
Gripp isn’t about changing how you farm. It’s about making it easier to keep doing what you love—with less frustration, fewer surprises, and more control.
It’s simple. It’s smart. And it’s built for real life.
