Author – Ritesh Ranjan: The Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI at IIT Madras has announced a one-week, in-person short course titled “Building a Successful AI Startup.” Scheduled to take place from 10 to 14 August 2026 at the IIT Madras campus, the programme aims to help students, researchers, aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders transform promising artificial intelligence ideas into commercially viable ventures.
The course arrives at a time when artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities across industries such as healthcare, finance, education, agriculture, manufacturing and software. However, developing an innovative AI solution is only the first step in building a successful company. Founders must also identify the right market, understand customer needs, validate their product, develop a revenue model, attract investors and create a strategy for sustainable growth.
Through practical sessions, expert guidance and an investor-facing Pitch Day, the IIT Madras AI startup course will provide participants with a structured path from idea development to startup funding.
A Practical Programme for Aspiring AI Entrepreneurs
The short course has been designed to address one of the biggest challenges faced by technology founders: converting technical innovation into a viable business.
Many AI startups begin with strong technology but struggle to identify a clearly defined customer problem. Others may build a product before understanding whether customers are willing to use or pay for it. The programme will help participants avoid these common mistakes by introducing them to the essential stages of startup development.
Participants will learn how to identify market opportunities, evaluate customer pain points and determine whether an AI-based solution can solve a meaningful problem. They will also be guided through the process of developing a minimum viable product, commonly known as an MVP.
An MVP allows founders to test the most important features of their product before investing significant time and money in full-scale development. By gathering feedback from early users, startups can improve their product and reduce the risk of building something that the market does not need.
Focus on Customer Discovery and Market Validation
Customer discovery and market validation will be important components of the programme.
A technically advanced AI product may still fail if it does not address a genuine market requirement. Participants will therefore learn how to interact with potential customers, collect useful feedback and test the assumptions behind their startup ideas.
The course will also explore the concept of product-market fit, which refers to the stage at which a product effectively meets the needs of a clearly identified market. Achieving product-market fit is one of the most important milestones for an early-stage startup because it indicates that customers see value in the solution.
Through exercises and discussions based on real startup experiences, participants will learn how to refine their ideas according to market feedback. This practical approach can help founders make informed decisions before committing substantial resources to product development.
Building a Sustainable AI Business
Beyond product development, the programme will cover the commercial aspects of running an AI startup.
Participants will explore user acquisition strategies and learn how startups can attract their first customers. They will also study different revenue models and understand how an AI product can generate sustainable income.
Depending on the nature of the solution, an AI startup may use subscription-based pricing, enterprise licensing, usage-based pricing or other business models. Choosing the right model is important because it affects customer adoption, revenue growth and the company’s ability to scale.
The course will also examine the challenges involved in expanding an AI venture. Scaling an AI startup requires more than adding users. Founders must consider technology infrastructure, data management, operational costs, customer support, regulatory responsibilities and ethical use of artificial intelligence.
By covering both business and technology considerations, the programme aims to help participants build startups that are innovative, responsible and commercially sustainable.
Fundraising and Term Sheet Negotiations
Securing investment is often an important step for AI startups, particularly those that require significant resources for technology development, computing infrastructure, data acquisition or talent recruitment.
The IIT Madras programme will introduce participants to the fundraising process and explain what investors generally look for in an early-stage startup. Founders will learn how to communicate the value of their idea, present evidence of market demand and demonstrate the potential for future growth.
The course will also cover term sheet negotiations. A term sheet outlines the key terms and conditions under which an investor may invest in a company. Understanding elements such as valuation, equity, investor rights and founder responsibilities can help entrepreneurs make better fundraising decisions.
For first-time founders, exposure to these topics can be especially useful, as investment agreements may have long-term consequences for the company and its founding team.
Course to Be Led by Lakshmi Shankar
The programme will be led by Lakshmi Shankar, General Partner at Together Fund and former Vice President of Google Search.
He has also held leadership roles at Twitter, IBM and EY and is a Sloan Fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His experience across technology, product development, business strategy and venture capital will provide participants with insights into both the founder and investor perspectives.
Learning from an industry professional with experience in building technology products and evaluating startup opportunities can help participants understand the practical expectations of customers, business leaders and investors.
The sessions are expected to combine structured instruction with practical exercises and discussions around real-world startup journeys.
Pitch Day and ₹4 Lakh Prize
One of the major highlights of the course will be Pitch Day, during which participants will present their AI startup ideas before a panel of investors.
Pitch Day will give participants an opportunity to apply what they have learned during the programme. They will need to clearly explain the problem they are solving, their proposed AI solution, target customers, market potential, business model and growth strategy.
Presenting before investors can also help founders identify weaknesses in their ideas and improve their ability to answer difficult questions.
The best-performing team will receive ₹4,00,000 to support the development of its AI venture. The funding could help the selected team build a prototype, conduct customer research, test the product or begin early market entry.
For a student-led or early-stage startup, such financial support can provide valuable momentum during the initial development phase.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
The programme is open to participants from both academic and professional backgrounds.
Eligible applicants include final-year BTech students, MTech students, PhD scholars, faculty members, researchers, engineers, product managers and aspiring entrepreneurs. Early-stage AI startups can also apply for the course.
This broad eligibility is likely to create a diverse learning environment in which participants can exchange ideas across disciplines. Technical researchers may gain exposure to business strategy, while product managers and entrepreneurs may develop a better understanding of AI innovation.
Applicants will be evaluated as part of the selection process. Selected candidates will receive confirmation through email. Those seeking additional information about the course can contact the programme organisers.
Why the IIT Madras AI Startup Course Matters
India’s AI startup ecosystem is expanding rapidly, but founders require more than technical knowledge to build successful companies. They must understand customers, markets, business models, funding and responsible growth.
The WSAI short course at IIT Madras brings these elements together in a focused, one-week programme. Its combination of startup education, expert mentorship, investor exposure and financial support makes it relevant for anyone interested in building a serious AI venture.
For students and researchers, the course could provide a pathway to commercialise innovative ideas. For early-stage founders, it could offer an opportunity to validate their strategy, strengthen their business model and prepare for investment.
The programme is not simply about learning how startups work. It is designed to help participants take practical steps towards building, validating and pitching their own AI businesses.
With applications open to a wide range of innovators and a ₹4 lakh prize available for the top team, the IIT Madras AI startup bootcamp could become an important launchpad for the next generation of AI entrepreneurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the IIT Madras “Building a Successful AI Startup” course?
It is a one-week, in-person short course offered by the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI at IIT Madras. The programme will help participants develop, validate, market and pitch AI-based startup ideas.
2. When and where will the AI startup course be conducted?
The programme is scheduled from 10 to 14 August 2026 and will be conducted in person at the IIT Madras campus.
3. Who can apply for the IIT Madras AI startup bootcamp?
Final-year BTech students, MTech students, PhD scholars, faculty members, researchers, engineers, product managers, aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage AI startups are eligible to apply.
4. What topics will be covered during the course?
The course will cover market opportunity identification, MVP development, customer discovery, market validation, product-market fit, user acquisition, revenue models, fundraising, term sheet negotiations and startup scaling.
5. Is funding available for participants?
The top team selected during Pitch Day will receive ₹4,00,000 to support the development of its AI startup venture.