Harvard Is Offering a New $699 Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs, But There’s a Catch

What happens when Ivy League education meets artificial intelligence? Harvard Business School’s new $699 entrepreneurship bootcamp, HBS Foundry, isn’t just blending technology into learning—it’s redefining access to elite startup training. The most striking element? Students aren’t video-chatting with real professors, but with AI avatars trained on actual faculty, including senior lecturer Jeff Bussgang. At first glance, it’s indistinguishable from a live mentorship session—until you realize the feedback is coming from a digital twin.

The program’s structure is no less impressive: an eight-week guided journey from idea refinement to investor pitching, combining HBS’s proven curriculum with AI simulations and peer interaction. Participants practice sales calls and boardroom scenarios with AI avatars, while live sessions with founders and faculty provide real-time insights. But what’s truly revealing is the data—users didn’t just embrace the AI, they trusted it more when it was modeled after a specific, known professor.

In my experience coaching founders, one of the biggest hurdles is access—both to knowledge and to networks. HBS Foundry attempts to scale mentorship without diluting quality. Project director Katharina Rings noted early users wanted more than a chatbot—they craved structure. The response shaped a program that now serves over 760 founders, with institutions like Georgia Tech integrating it into their own courses.

Yet, despite the AI immersion, faculty co-chair Tom Eisenmann points to an unexpected takeaway: community remains central. The forums where founders connect with each other have become one of the most valued aspects of the experience. It’s a powerful reminder that even in a tech-driven learning environment, humanity still anchors lasting growth.

Is it revolutionary? Possibly. Is it accessible? Far more than traditional MBA pipelines. For early-stage founders looking to sharpen their edge, HBS Foundry offers a compelling new path. Curious how AI might reshape mentorship in your own journey?

Dive into the original article to explore how Harvard is scaling entrepreneurship—one AI avatar at a time.