Academics / Courses / DescriptionsELEC_ENG/COMP_ENG 495: AI Innovation Lab
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Prerequisites
Design thinking skills, or prior exposure to business or entrepreneurship is preferred. Students with background in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or similar areas are highly encouraged.Description
AI Innovation Lab focuses on the intersection between software (AI), hardware (IoT), data (analytics), and business (entrepreneurship). This course is a unique opportunity for passionate students and future entrepreneurs to journey through the formation of a commercial technology startup.
The course is designed to expose students to all aspects of creating a technology start-up, covering a wide range of topics in AI, IoT, data analytics, IT infrastructure, cyber security, and business development. Students will develop AI technologies that leverage computer vision, natural language processing, and machine learning to build smart IoT devices, cloud infrastructure, process real-time data, and produce analytics applications.
Throughout the term, students will work with a team to build a plan for a new enterprise using a proven framework, the Disciplined Entrepreneurship process. Students will develop and evaluate their technology as a commercial product, identify target commercial market(s), and develop business and financial plans to launch the business. Student will also work on lab assignments to build practical AI applications that focus on data analysis and classification. Student teams will be mentored by faculty and advisory board members to ensure they have an opportunity to build a compelling business case.
This course is designed for anyone who wants to understand firsthand the process of launching a new venture in AI. While this course obviously fits the “ready to go” entrepreneur who is looking to launch a startup or join one in the near future, it is also a good course for those who are simply curious to learn about entrepreneurship, or those looking to join a startup. This course will give you a solid understanding of what it takes to launch a new venture and a common language for future entrepreneurial endeavors.
The primary goal is to learn the process of launching your startup and understanding the nuances in developing your business and AI technology. In many ways, the class is also designed to be a business accelerator. Although launching a startup is not necessarily a planned outcome, it could certainly happen.
TEXT: Disciplined Entrepreneurship, Bill Aulet
FACULTY: Prof. David Zaretsky
TEACHING ASSISTANT: TBD
COURSE GOALS: In this course you will gain an in-depth understanding of how to:
- Launch a lean startup
- Build a management team and manage responsibilities
- Develop a business model for a product, service, or analytics that uses AI
- Identify key customer market segments
- Develop a pitch deck for investors
- Create a sales pitch for the product or application
- Identify tools and infrastructure to run your business
- Understand technology requirements & risks
- Build a pro-forma financial model
- Provide the starting point for students to launch an AI company
DELIVERABLES: At the completion of this course, you will have completed the following requirements:
- Technology/Product Concept or Demo
- Executive business summary
- Investor pitch deck
- Pro-forma financial model
- Market research & competitive analysis
GRADING: Grading is team-based, and is composed of the following:
- Assignments (8): 80%
- Tech Talk Discussions (8): 5%
- Team Updates (8): 5%
- Labs (5): 10%
CLASS FORMAT:
The course is intended to balance entrepreneurship skills as well as technical skills necessary for any commercial AI technology. Guest speakers will cover a particular aspect of technology in the business realm. Student teams will also be expected to make regular presentations of their business model to the class.
ADVISERS:
The Adviser’s role is to provide mentorship and networking for student teams in all areas
of business, technology, and course deliverables. Teams are encouraged to meet with their assigned Advisor at least once per week to provide feedback on their deliverables.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
Week 1:
o Introduction to Entrepreneurship
o Tech Topics: Artificial Intelligence
o Develop Teams
o Identify Technology & Commercial Product
Week 2:
o Market Segmentation
o Identify Beach Head Market
o Tech Talks: Cyber Security
o Tech Topics: Regression Analysis
o Lab 1: Regression
Week 3:
o Primary Market Research
o Customer Interviews
o Tech Talks: Business Strategy & AI
o Tech Topics: Internet of Things
o Lab 2: Sentiment Analysis
Week 4:
o Customer Persona Development
o Total Addressable Market (TAM)
o Tech Talks: Data Privacy & AI
o Tech Topics: Computer Vision
o Lab 3: Edge Detection
Week 5:
o High-level product specs
o Product Life Cycle
o Quantified Value Proposition
o Tech Talks: AI Ethics
o Tech Topics: Machine Learning
o Lab 4: Image Classification (CNN)
Week 6:
o Customer Acquisition Process
o Competitive Positioning
o Customer Decision Making Unit (DMU)
o Sales Funnel & Processes
o Tech Talks: Internet of Things (IoT)
o Lab 5: Large Language Models (LLMs)
Week 7:
o Unit Economics
o Cost of Consumer Acquisition (COCA)
o Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
o Pro-Forma Financial Model
o Tech Talks: Design Thinking & AI
Week 8:
o Define Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
o Investor Pitch Deck
o Tech Talks: Investors & Fundraising
o Tech Topics: Agile & Scrum Week 9:
o Present & Refine Pitch Deck
o Executive Summary
o Tech Talks: Business Startup & Legal Week 10:
o Final Presentations
o Deliverables
o Pitch deck
o Executive summary
o Pro-forma financial model