Harvard’s $699 HBS Foundry Bootcamp Uses AI Avatars for Startup Feedback

Harvard Business School’s HBS Foundry is an eight-week, $699 bootcamp for entrepreneurs that includes live weekly sessions with instructors. The program also uses AI avatars of instructors to provide individual feedback during practice pitches and board meetings.

The avatars were created by HeyGen, according to TechCrunch. The setup signals a push to expand access to startup education while keeping feedback central to the experience.

New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler tested the feature by pitching an AI-generated version of Flybridge Capital co-founder Jeff Bussgang. TechCrunch reports that both Bussgang and the avatar were unimpressed by her “Uber for bananas” idea, while Kessler noted the virtual version’s noticeably frozen smile.

For participants, the main value is not replacing instructors outright but adding more guided practice moments. That makes the tool most relevant for founders who want repeated, low-pressure pitch rehearsal before facing real investors, boards, or customers.

Project director Katharina Rings said she originally imagined the AI component as something closer to a chatbot. After HBS released a trial version, students said they wanted a more guided experience.

That feedback helps explain why the program leans into instructor-like avatars rather than a text-only interface. It also highlights a key lesson for AI in education: format matters when users are practicing interpersonal skills like pitching and boardroom communication.

TechCrunch notes that some college students have been vocal about negative feelings toward AI, but Foundry participants told Kessler they like the avatars. Bussgang described his digital copy as a little “creepy,” while also saying, “My students love it.”

The tension is the story: AI avatars may feel uncanny, but they can still be useful if they deliver timely, structured feedback. For schools and training programs, the takeaway is to pair AI tools with clear use cases rather than treating them as generic add-ons.