AI Founders Lab
Turn a meaningful problem into a validated AI venture. Develop your solution, test the market, build an initial product, and prepare to communicate its value to customers, partners, and investors.
Turn an AI idea into a venture built for the market.
The AI Founders Lab is a 12-week venture-building program for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs ready to transform a meaningful problem into a validated AI business opportunity.
Participants explore customer needs, test their assumptions, define a clear value proposition, and determine how AI can strengthen the proposed solution. The program combines venture strategy, practical AI application, product development, market validation, and founder readiness.
Through live instruction, expert guidance, peer learning, and hands-on activities, participants progressively develop their venture concept, early product direction, business model, go-to-market approach, and founder pitch.
By the end of the program, each founder will have stronger evidence for their opportunity, a clearer path to market, and a practical roadmap for moving their venture forward.
Who this is for
- Aspiring founders exploring an AI-enabled venture
- Early-stage founders refining an existing concept
- Entrepreneurs solving a clearly identified problem
- Builders developing AI-enabled products or services
- Founders ready to test, learn, and execute
WHAT YOU WILL DEVELOP
- A validated problem and customer profile
- A clear value proposition and business model
- An early AI product or solution concept
- A practical go-to-market strategy
- A compelling founder pitch and venture roadmap
Twelve weeks from problem discovery to venture readiness.
Each week combines venture-building guidance, practical AI application, founder activities, and expert feedback to move your idea forward.
Founder Vision and Problem Discovery
Define the problem, the people affected, and the change your venture seeks to create.
- You will develop: A focused problem statement and founder vision.
Customer Research and Validation
Interview potential customers, test assumptions, and gather evidence that the problem is worth solving.
- You will develop: A validated customer profile and research insights.
AI Opportunity and Solution Design
Determine how AI can strengthen your solution and create meaningful value for your customers.
- You will develop: An AI-enabled solution concept and value proposition.
Responsible AI, Data and Feasibility
Assess data needs, technical feasibility, privacy, bias, safety, and responsible design considerations.
- You will develop: A responsible AI and solution feasibility assessment.
Product Design and Rapid Prototyping
Map the customer journey, prioritize essential features, and create an early product prototype.
- You will develop: A testable prototype aligned with customer needs.
Building the Minimum Viable Product
Use accessible AI and development tools to build the first practical version of your solution.
- You will develop: An early minimum viable product or functional proof of concept.
Testing, Learning and Product Improvement
Test the solution with potential users, evaluate feedback, and improve the product direction.
- You will develop: Product testing insights and an iteration plan.
Business Model, Pricing and Financial Planning
Define how the venture creates, delivers, and captures value while remaining financially sustainable.
- You will develop: A business model, pricing approach, and financial assumptions.
Go-to-Market and Customer Acquisition
Identify priority customer segments, marketing channels, sales strategies, and partnership opportunities.
- You will develop: A practical go-to-market and customer acquisition plan.
Venture Operations, Team and Intellectual Property
Plan the people, processes, partnerships, legal considerations, and intellectual property required to advance.
- You will develop: An operational roadmap and venture readiness checklist.
Pitch, Storytelling and Funding Readiness
Communicate the problem, solution, market opportunity, business model, traction, and founder vision clearly.
- You will develop: A compelling pitch deck and founder presentation.
Venture Showcase and Next Steps
Present your venture, demonstrate your progress, receive expert feedback, and define your next milestones.
- You will leave with: A validated venture direction, early product, pitch, and growth roadmap.
Venture progress you can show, not just describe.
Validated Venture Direction
Clear evidence of the customer problem, market opportunity, and value your solution can create.
Early Product Concept
A tested prototype or proof of concept shaped by customer feedback and responsible design.
Founder Pitch and Roadmap
A compelling venture pitch and practical roadmap for your next stage of development.
Founder Network and Credential
A program credential and connections to founders, mentors, practitioners, and ecosystem partners.
Who this program is, and isn't, for.
A clear understanding of fit helps every founder gain more from the program experience.
This program is for you if:
- You have a meaningful problem or AI-enabled venture idea to explore
- You are ready to validate assumptions with potential customers
- You want to develop an early product or proof of concept
- You can commit to weekly sessions and applied work for 12 weeks
- You welcome expert guidance, peer feedback, and continuous improvement
This program may not fit if:
- You only want a general introduction to using AI
- You have no problem, customer, or venture direction to explore
- You want a purely theoretical or self-paced course
- You expect guaranteed funding, customers, or business success
- You cannot commit time to research, testing, and weekly venture-building activities
A venture-building format designed for founders.
Cohort-based
Build alongside other founders, exchanging ideas, feedback, accountability, and valuable peer support.
Live online
Join one three-hour live class weekly, with recordings available when sessions are missed.
Venture-Driven
Apply every week’s learning directly to developing and validating your own venture.
Expert-Supported
Receive practical guidance from instructors, mentors, founders, and experienced AI practitioners.
Build Your Venture with Impact Scholarship Support
ligible Black founders may receive an Impact Scholarship covering the full program value of $10,000 per participant. The scholarship expands access to venture-building education, practical AI support, expert mentorship, product development guidance, and founder networks.
APPLICATION-BASED · LIMITED SPACESFounders turning ideas into action.
Across our AI learning ecosystem, participants gain practical skills, develop solutions, strengthen their businesses, and move promising ideas forward.
Program FAQs.
The program is designed for aspiring and early-stage Black founders developing AI-enabled products, services, or ventures.
No. You may apply with a clearly defined problem or early venture idea. Incorporated businesses and more developed ventures may also participate.
No. You need a meaningful problem or opportunity you are committed to exploring. The program will help you validate and refine the solution.
No. Technical experience is helpful but not required. Participants will use accessible AI and product-development tools, with guidance from instructors and mentors.
The AI Founders Lab runs for 12 weeks, including venture development, product validation, founder preparation, and a final Venture Showcase.
Participants attend one three-hour live class weekly and complete additional customer research, product development, testing, and venture-building activities between sessions.
Yes. The program is delivered live online in a cohort-based format, allowing founders to participate from across the globe.
You will develop a validated problem, customer profile, value proposition, business model, early product concept, go-to-market plan, pitch, and venture roadmap.
The goal is to develop a testable prototype, functional proof of concept, or early minimum viable product. The final outcome will depend on your venture’s complexity, readiness, and available resources.
Session recordings and learning materials will be available. Participants should review missed content and complete the required venture-building activities before the next class.
The AI Founders Lab is valued at $10,000 per participant, reflecting the instruction, venture-building support, mentorship, tools, and ecosystem access provided.
Yes. Eligible Black founders may receive an Impact Scholarship covering the full program value. Scholarships are application-based, and spaces are limited.
No. Applications are assessed based on eligibility, venture potential, program fit, founder commitment, readiness, and available capacity.
The program does not guarantee funding or investment. It helps founders strengthen their ventures, pitches, market evidence, and overall funding readiness.
Founders present their venture direction, customer opportunity, proposed solution, business model, product progress, and next-stage roadmap to instructors, mentors, peers, and invited guests.
Yes. Participants who meet the program requirements will receive a certificate of completion and digital badge from the Black AI Centre.
Ready to move your AI venture forward?
Join a focused community of founders developing meaningful solutions, validating market opportunities, building early products, and preparing for their next stage of growth.
Impact Scholarships are available to eligible Black founders. Admission is application-based, and spaces are limited.