CHENNAI: The Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) at IIT Madras has launched a week-long intensive programme aimed at equipping aspiring entrepreneurs and researchers with the skills needed to convert artificial intelligence ideas into commercially viable startups, with the best team set to receive Rs 4 lakh in seed support.
Titled “Building a Successful AI Startup”, the residential programme will be held on the IIT Madras campus from August 10 to 14. The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between AI innovation and entrepreneurship by offering participants structured exposure to every stage of the startup journey, from identifying market opportunities and building a minimum viable product (MVP) to refining business models, raising capital and pitching to investors.
The course will be led by Lakshmi Shankar, General Partner at Together Fund and former Vice President of Google Search, who has also held leadership roles at Twitter, IBM and EY. A Sloan Fellow from Stanford Graduate School of Business, he will mentor participants through classroom sessions, practical exercises and discussions based on real-world AI startup experiences.
“The programme is intended to help innovators build AI ventures with strong market relevance and commercial potential,” IIT Madras said.
Participants will also receive training in customer discovery, market validation, product-market fit, user acquisition, revenue strategy, fundraising, term-sheet negotiations and scaling AI-led businesses.
The programme will conclude with a Pitch Day before a panel of investors, where the winning team will receive Rs 4 lakh to further develop its venture.
The course is open to final-year BTech, MTech and PhD students, faculty members, researchers, engineers, product managers, aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage AI startups. Applications close on July 27, while selected candidates will be informed after an evaluation process.