ASU Venture Devils fuels the next generation of AI-ready student entrepreneurs

JOYCELYN MUÑOZ

October 13, 2025

This article is included in the third publication of The AI Journey at Arizona State University.

From student entrepreneurs to post-grad start-up founders, ASU Venture Devils has successfully supported multiple AI-leveraged ventures that are still seeing high levels of success today.

ASU Venture Devils is part of the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute within ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise. The program offers current ASU and Maricopa Community College students a full suite of resources to support entrepreneurial success. Students can submit their venture idea, and once they have an accepted venture, they are provided with access to networking opportunities and mentorships with university and industry leaders.

Most importantly, they can pitch their venture during Demo Day for the chance to receive funding to support their venture. This is a shark-tank style event where students pitch their venture idea to a panel of judges.

Ishaan Mirchandani is an ASU graduate and founder of “Studygenie,” an ethics-first AI study platform that promotes active learning by transforming course materials like PDFs, documents, and lecture videos into high-quality study materials in just seconds.

At Demo Day, Mirchandani first won $2,500, then went on to win $25,000. Now, as an ASU graduate, Mirchandani’s start-up has seen 40,000 users — he also works in generative AI for a leading AI technology company.

On Studygenie, students can engage in active learning through flashcards, multiple choice questions, AI-graded free response questions, and AI tutoring sessions, all designed to enhance retention and academic performance.

Mirchandani earned his degree in computer information systems from ASU. For him, choosing ASU over other universities was an easy decision.

“The really big differentiator with ASU is that they don’t just provide you with resources,” Mirchandani said. “But they actually actively encourage you to pursue these opportunities in venture development and entrepreneurship.”

Studygenie leverages foundational generative AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic with its own proprietary algorithms to create deeply specialized learning experiences.

“A really popular feature is: ‘explain like I’m five,’” Mirchandani said. “Whenever you get stuck or get a question wrong, the AI tutor will simplify the concept and guide you step-by-step at the pace you need.”

The platform also tracks student progress, enabling focused attention on areas where students have the greatest gaps. By leveraging AI, the platform encourages ethical and responsible AI use for students working on their studies.

“Students are among the fastest adopters of generative AI,” Mirchandani said. “The technology has spread exponentially across campuses. Since everyone’s already using it, universities need to enable students to adopt it ethically and responsibly, and I believe that can only happen by providing them with the right tools to do so seamlessly.”

With Venture Devils, Mirchandani got the experience he needed to ideate, develop and market his start-up. The combination of mentorship, education, and competency growth all paved the way for him to be successful on Demo Day. Mirchandani said that Venture Devils is an ample opportunity for both aspiring entrepreneurs, and for students looking for something new.

“If you want to become an entrepreneur, and your heart is set on that, Venture Devils is the absolute best place to start,” Mirchandani said. “But also, for students who are just curious and want to gain unique experiences, I think Venture Devils is an incredible opportunity.”