Six weeks. Twenty-One MBA analysts. One working AI prototype, market-validated and demo-ready for your leadership team. No consulting decks. No theoretical frameworks. Execution.
The AI opportunity is real. The pressure from boards, investors, and customers is real. But building an internal AI roadmap, running customer discovery, and prototyping a working product in-house takes time and people most early-stage and PE-backed companies simply don't have.
McKinsey found that only 1% of executives describe their generative AI operations as "mature," and fewer than a third of companies are following the practices that actually drive AI ROI at scale. The window for early movers is open now.
Source: McKinsey, "The state of AI: How organizations are rewiring to capture value," March 2025
Industry analysis, competitive landscape, and AI vendor shortlist tailored to your exact use case, presented exec-ready.
TAM/SAM/SOM modeling, cost-benefit analysis, and a build vs. buy vs. partner recommendation backed by real numbers.
Five to ten interviews with your actual customers or prospects, synthesized into ICP definition and demand signal documentation.
Not a wireframe. An actual, prompt-engineered, tested AI POC your team can hand off to engineering or take to your next board meeting.
Launch sequencing, pricing signals, early adopter strategy, and a cross-functional RACI ready for your team to execute.
Industry sizing with sourced data, top 5 competitors profiled, AI vendor landscape scanned and shortlisted for your specific use case.
Exec-readyTAM/SAM/SOM modeled with methodology, cost-benefit analysis, build vs. buy vs. partner decision with full justification.
5-8 slide deck5-10 real interviews, ICP definition written up, win/loss themes synthesized, demand signal scored as strong, weak, or none.
Primary researchWorking prototype, not a wireframe. Built with real AI tools, prompt-engineered, tested against at least 3 realistic scenarios.
Live demoLaunch sequence, pricing signals from comparable products, early adopter outreach plan, cross-functional RACI built for your team.
Actionable roadmapExecutive deck tying all six deliverables together, plus a live product demo presented directly to your leadership team.
Board-readyClick any stop to see what gets built and delivered.
Select any milestone to explore what gets built
Students are assigned to PE-backed software companies across sectors, embedded like operators, not consultants. Every deliverable goes directly to company leadership.
Companies with real AI problems. Students who execute. A mentor who's done it at scale. This is the lab.
Submit your company for consideration as a lab partner. We're looking for PE-backed and funded software companies with real AI use cases.
Applications accepted each spring through Foster Jobs. Attendance at the info session is strongly encouraged. Only 6 spots per cohort.
Connect directly with Russ Mann after any Foster AI session, or reach out via the Foster School of Business.