ASU Students Win $10,000 in Shojaee Software Startup Challenge

Two Arizona State University students, Raghav Bansal (GetHired) and Sandul Gangodagamage (Legion Platforms), have taken home $10,000 in grant funding after an intensive 8-week startup program that ended with a Demo Day pitch competition at ASU’s Honeywell Innovation Labs.

The Shojaee Software Startup Challenge, run by ASU DevLabs and funded by alum and serial entrepreneur Hamid Shojaee, aimed to give student founders the tools, mentorship, and confidence they need to build successful software companies. 

Over the program, participants met weekly and received guidance from industry leaders, including Mike Roberts (SpyFu), Clate Mask (Keep/Infusionsoft/PhxFWD), Chris Crittenden (Sandbox), Bob La Loggia (Appointments Plus), and Tyler Baldridge (AZVC).

Eight teams reached Demo Day, showcasing innovative solutions in healthcare AI, quality control, communication platforms, and educational technology. After impressive pitches, Raghav and Sandul were announced as winners, splitting the prize to advance their ventures.

What do the winning startups do?

  • GetHired – an end‑to‑end hiring and recruitment platform that combines a job board, applicant tracking, and built‑in video/audio assessments. It streamlines the hiring process by letting employers post jobs easily, pre‑screen candidates using video/audio questions, conduct real‑time interviews, and manage onboarding and time/attendance – making hiring faster, simpler, and more efficient. https://www.githired.tech/
  • Legion Platforms – a browser‑based multiplayer gaming platform built especially for users with slow internet or older/low‑powered computers. Their games load in seconds, avoid lengthy downloads or heavy storage requirements, and deliver 3D gaming experiences that are accessible even on weaker machines. The vision is to make gaming widely accessible – even to those with limited bandwidth or hardware, making it possible for nearly anyone to play. https://legionplatforms.com/

The challenge reflects ASU’s ongoing commitment to supporting student entrepreneurs and providing opportunities to turn ideas into real-world impact.

Learn more about Devspace at: https://devspace.devlabs.club/.