We’re proud to announce that Phu Do, Founder & CEO of LinkWaveAI, has won first place in the 2025 E‑Biz Challenge at Westcliff University - earning a $3,000 seed prize along with 6 months of incubation and mentorship to accelerate his startup’s growth.

 

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Showcasing Entrepreneurial Talent at Westcliff

The E‑Biz Challenge is Westcliff University’s flagship pitch competition, designed to spotlight the most innovative student-founded startups across all disciplines. This year’s event brought together more than 25 student entrepreneurs, building ventures in fields ranging from AI construction tech to health e-commerce, sustainable fashion, 3D printing, and digital platforms.

After a competitive first round, the top 5 finalists were invited to pitch live on campus to a panel of seasoned investors from Tech Coast Angels (TCA Venture Group). The atmosphere was high-energy, with founders presenting real-world business solutions in front of professionals who have helped scale some of Southern California’s most promising startups.

The top 5 finalists of The E‑Biz Challenge

LinkWaveAI Takes the Lead

Phu Do, currently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science at Westcliff, impressed the judges with LinkWaveAI, a platform that uses artificial intelligence to detect code compliance issues and design flaws in architectural plans before construction begins.

Our CEO - Phu Do has won first place in the 2025 E‑Biz Challenge at Westcliff University

The pitch emphasized:

• - The massive cost of construction rework due to overlooked design/code issues

• - LinkWaveAI’s AI-powered detection engine trained on building codes

• - Real-world validation from early users in the construction industry

• - A founder story grounded in military discipline and field experience
  
  

For these reasons, Phu was awarded the top prize, standing out as a solution with both technical depth and market urgency.

What Comes Next

As the competition wraps up, all five finalists including LinkWaveAI will now enter the SMART Capstone program, receiving ongoing support from Westcliff MBA students. This includes business consulting, pitch refinement, and go-to-market strategy, helping each founder turn momentum into long-term traction.

The win also grants LinkWaveAI direct access to investor networks and the broader TCA community - an important step as we prepare for early fundraising and growth.

A Note of Thanks

Special thanks to Westcliff University leadership, including President & CEO Dr. Anthony Lee and Dr. Barry Sandrew, Director of Entrepreneurship and a Tech Coast Angels member, for their guidance, belief, and commitment to real-world entrepreneurship.

At LinkWaveAI, we’re excited to keep building and this milestone brings us one step closer to our mission: helping contractors build smarter, safer, and faster with AI-powered code compliance.

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