This winter, Cory Jbara, MBA ’25, will be hosting an AI Prototyping Bootcamp that will meet weekly over 5 weeks. Cory is an entrepreneur, software engineer, technical product leader, and a Chicago Booth alum with extensive experience working at high-growth tech startups. His expertise is in early-stage product development, but his passion is working with founders to better understand their businesses, build features that matter, and see their ventures thrive. You can sign up to read Cory’s substack on start-ups and more here.

These sessions will convene in Booth 455 (across from the Gleacher Center) room 130 on January 20, January 27, February 3, February 10, and February 17 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. By applying for this program you are committing to all 5 sessions. Please make sure to hold the sessions in case you are selected. There is no option to join virtually. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 3 at 3:00 p.m. CST.

Who is this bootcamp for?

· Students exploring startup ideas

· Aspiring entrepreneurs with business ideas but no technical co-founder

· Product managers who want to prototype ideas without engineering resources

· Startup founders tired of explaining their vision, ready to show it instead

· Business professionals who need to communicate better with technical teams

· Career pivoters considering technical entrepreneurship

You are a great fit if:

· You have a business idea but feel stuck at the technical validation stage

· You’re tired of waiting for a technical co-founder to magically appear to start your venture

· You want to validate ideas with real users before spending $50K+ on development

· You’re willing to learn and experiment (no prior coding experience needed)

· You can commit to 90 minutes/week for 5 weeks plus homework time

By the end of this bootcamp, you will be able to:

1. Build functional prototypes using AI-powered tools, integrate databases and APIs, and understand core technical concepts like frontend/backend architecture

2. Make strategic technical decisions by assessing feasibility, creating technical roadmaps, prioritizing features, and knowing what to build vs. buy vs. skip

3. Validate ideas with real users through prototype testing, meaningful feedback collection, and using prototypes for investor conversations

4. Communicate confidently with engineers using technical vocabulary, translating business requirements into specs, and knowing when/how to hire technical talent