Harvard Business School Launches HBS Foundry Bootcamp to Provide Affordable Startup Education via AI Avatars
Harvard Business School has launched HBS Foundry, an eight-week startup bootcamp designed to make elite education more accessible. For a tuition of $699, participants can engage with AI avatars modeled after actual faculty members to receive real-time feedback during practice pitches and simulated board meetings. Project director Katharina Rings noted that while the AI component was initially envisioned as a chatbot, students requested a more guided experience, leading to the school to implement interactive video avatars. These avatars are trained to provide strict, critical feedback rather than simple compliments, mimicking the rigorous evaluation style of the Harvard brand. The program aims to overcome the physical limitations of the traditional MBA, which has a limited annual quota. By leveraging AI technology, the school can scale its educational services to a wider audience. This move allows entrepreneurs to receive high-quality coaching derived from Harvard's institutional knowledge without the high cost of a full degree.