Lally AI Academy: A 30-Day Sprint to Ship Real AI Products
The Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has launched the Lally AI Academy - a 30-day, AI-augmented experiential sprint where cross-disciplinary student teams design, build, and launch fully functional AI products. No prior coding or computer science background is required.
Open to students from all five RPI schools, the Academy provides professional AI tools, cloud infrastructure, and hands-on mentorship. Each team also receives up to $500 in resources, including makerspace access, to move from concept to deployment.
What Teams Get
- Professional-grade AI tools and cloud computing resources
- Guidance and mentorship from experienced faculty and practitioners
- Makerspace access and up to $500 in materials and services
- A focused structure optimized for building and shipping in 30 days
How the 30-Day Sprint Works
Teams own the full product lifecycle: ideation, planning, execution, iteration, and launch. Expect fast feedback loops, scope control, and permission to pivot when the data says so.
The Academy is non-competitive and collaborative across disciplines. Each cohort ends with live demos where teams show their shipped products, what they learned, and the problems they addressed.
Skills That Transfer to the Workplace
- Resource management under real constraints
- Technical communication and stakeholder alignment
- Cross-functional teamwork and practical leadership
- Design thinking from problem framing to deployment
- Responsible and ethical use of AI
Why This Matters for Managers and Product Leads
This program reduces barriers to building with AI and creates a repeatable operating system for execution. Students learn to ship value fast, manage risk, and make tradeoffs that mirror real product work.
As Lally Dean Liad Wagman noted, "You do not need deep technical expertise to innovate and address pain points." The Academy gives students structure, tools, and support to turn those pain points into deployed products.
Leadership and Vision
The initiative is overseen by Professor Saggi Nevo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems. The goal is simple: expand access to state-of-the-art AI tools, combine them with makerspace capabilities, and enable product development for any discipline.
Students learn by building. Confidence grows, entrepreneurial thinking matures, and portfolios reflect shipped work - not just concepts.
Key Dates, Access, and Funding
The first sprint window opens April 1, 2026. The Lally AI Academy is funded through a philanthropic gift from an RPI alumnus and reflects the Institute's commitment to interdisciplinary education, responsible AI, and entrepreneurial readiness.
Learn more or apply via the Lally School's website: lallyschool.rpi.edu. Questions? Email LallyData@rpi.edu.
Quick Prep Checklist for Interested Teams
- Pick a real customer pain point and define a single success metric.
- Assemble a cross-disciplinary team (business, design, data, domain).
- Draft a week-by-week plan: prototype → validate → iterate → launch.
- Map responsible AI considerations: data sources, model risks, evaluation.
- Decide on deployment path early (cloud, integrations, user onboarding).
About the RPI Lally School of Management
The Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prepares students to lead at the intersection of business and technology. Through rigorous programs, real-world projects, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Lally equips future leaders with the analytical, strategic, and ethical skills required in a fast-changing global economy.
For Product Leaders Looking to Level Up
If you're building your own AI product capability or coaching teams, explore the AI Learning Path for Product Managers for strategy, prototyping, and roadmap guidance aligned with hands-on execution.
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