What is the AI Founder Sprint 2025?

The AI Founder Sprint is an intensive, eight-week virtual program designed to teach entrepreneurs globally how to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build, test, and scale startups. It is positioned as the first global initiative focused on transforming entrepreneurship through AI.

Who is organizing the AI Founder Sprint and what is its core mission?

The sprint is organized by the AI Venture Lab, which was founded at INSEAD. Its core mission is twofold: to provide real-world impact by helping thousands of global entrepreneurs use AI to build better companies, and to serve as a research program that generates insights into how AI is changing the startup landscape, which can inform policymakers, managers, and investors.

What is the duration and format of the AI Founder Sprint, and when does it take place?

The program is an eight-week virtual sprint. It is scheduled to launch on August 25th, 2025, and conclude on October 14th, 2025, with a Demo Day.

What are the main components of the AI Founder Sprint program?

The sprint includes three key components: new frameworks on using AI for building, testing, and scaling startup ideas; expert-led small study groups for applying AI tools; and masterclasses with feedback from leading investors, entrepreneurs, and AI experts.

What is the AI Venture Lab's central thesis on using AI in entrepreneurship?

The AI Venture Lab's thesis is focused on "using AI to build better companies," rather than solely focusing on companies that build AI products. Their program is built on three core pillars: AI-enhanced ideation, accelerated in-silico experimentation for business models, and go-to-market strategy implementation powered by AI agents. This approach aims for capital-efficient venture development.

What is the significance of the program's research-backed approach?

A key differentiator of the AI Founder Sprint is its foundation in rigorous academic research from institutions like HBS and INSEAD. The program is designed to not only educate founders but also collect data to understand the impact of AI on startups, contributing valuable knowledge to the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Who are some of the key academic leaders involved in the AI Founder Sprint?

The program is led by a team of accomplished academics including Hyunjin Kim, a strategy professor at INSEAD; Rembrand Koning, an entrepreneurship professor at Harvard Business School; and Vic Woo, an entrepreneurship lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Director at INSEAD SF Hub of Business Innovation.

What is the role of the Demo Day in the AI Founder Sprint?

The program culminates in a Demo Day held in San Francisco. This event provides an opportunity for the most promising startups from the program to pitch to leading seed and venture capital investors and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, potentially facilitating future funding and growth.