Next Cohort Applications Open

Real AI projects,
research, and
startup ideas.

For ambitious students looking to build standout projects for university applications and beyond. Guided by mentors from MBZUAI, Stanford, Harvey Mudd and more.
Summer cohort
8 weeks · Live online · Ages 14–18
June-August · Next cohort starts June 2026

Apply for the next cohort

Submit a short application for review. We will review your application within 24-48 hours.

Apply now
8
Weeks
2
Tracks
14–18
Age Range
Mentors from world-leading institutions
Why The AI Lab

What makes this different

01

A Real Portfolio Project

You leave with a completed, deployable AI project — not a toy tutorial. Something you built, can explain, and are genuinely proud of.

02

Research beyond the classroom

Projects are scoped and structured to meet the standards of international and regional science fair competitions.

03

Introduction to the Startup World

Startup Track students learn what it means to take an idea to a demo-ready product — pitching, iterating, and shipping under real constraints.

04

Learning by Building

Theory only sticks when it's applied. Every concept is immediately embedded in hands-on work on your own project, every week.

05

Internationally Experienced Mentors

Your mentors have built, published, and researched across four continents. They bring perspective no single classroom can replicate.

06

Competition Preparation

Structured feedback sessions, abstract writing workshops, and mock presentations to prepare you for the stage — whatever the competition.

Programme Tracks

Choose your path

Group · Startup Track

Build an AI product

Work in a small team to design, develop, and demo a functioning AI product. From idea to live demo in eight weeks.

  • Team-based project with mentor oversight
  • Weekly sprints and progress check-ins
  • Live demo at the final showcase
  • Product design, development, and pitching
Selective Summer Cohort
£495
Per student
Choose Startup Track
Individual · Research Track

Go deeper, technically

For students who want to go further under the surface. Individual projects, structured research papers, and one-on-one mentor support.

  • One-on-one mentor pairing throughout
  • Structured research process
  • Designed for research competition submission
  • Literature review and methodology coaching
Selective Summer Cohort
£1,195
Per student
Choose Research Track
Previous Cohort Projects

What students actually build

Quantization project
Advanced · Software / ML Research

Quantization for On-Device AI

Compressing AI models to run on mobile and edge devices without cloud dependency. Benchmarked multiple post-training quantization methods measuring accuracy-vs-memory trade-offs on real hardware.

Drone control project
Intermediate · Software / Robotics

Controlling a Drone with Human Language

Plain English instructions translated into autonomous drone actions. VLM-based task planning with self-correction loops and real-time decision-making — no code required, just speak.

Health monitor project
Beginner-friendly · Hardware / Health AI

Smart Health Monitor with AI Diagnostics

A 3D-printed ESP32 wearable tracking pulse, blood oxygen, and temperature. An onboard ML model detects early influenza symptoms and surfaces alerts via a live web dashboard.

How it works

A structure that keeps students moving

Two live sessions a week

Classes run twice a week, live and interactive, held on GMT time. Miss one? Every session is recorded and available to rewatch at any time.

Mentor access, always on

Between sessions, students can reach their mentor anytime. Questions, roadblocks, feedback on work in progress — support doesn't stop when the call ends.

Certificate and recommendation

Every student receives a certificate of completion and a written mentor recommendation — specific to their project, not a template.

We accept a small number of students each cohort to maintain a high level of mentorship.
No advanced experience required — curiosity and motivation matter more.
What Students Gain

Built for applications, portfolios, and serious next steps

A complete AI project

Students build a real, working AI system they can showcase in university applications and portfolios.

A strong portfolio piece

Not a certificate, but a tangible project demonstrating technical ability, problem-solving, and initiative.

Mentorship from top AI students and founders

Guidance from mentors with experience in research, competitions, and real-world product building.

Confidence in interviews and applications

Students learn how to clearly explain their work — a key advantage in university interviews and personal statements.

Exposure to competition- and research-level thinking

Projects are developed to a standard aligned with top universities and high-level competitions.

Next cohort mentors

Some of the mentors in the next cohort

Student & Parent Reviews

What changed for students

★★★★★
"I built my first AI project from scratch and now have something real to include in my university applications. The mentors pushed us to think at a much higher level."
Y11
Year 11 student
Research Track
★★★★★
"Before AI Lab, my project idea was too broad. By the end, I had a clear research question, a working model, and a presentation I could actually defend."
Y12
Year 12 student
Research Track
★★★★★
"Our team went from a rough idea to a demo people could try. It was the first time I understood what building an AI product actually means."
Y10
Year 10 student
Startup Track
★★★★★
"The best part was learning how to explain my work properly. My mentor kept asking why each choice mattered, and that made my final presentation much stronger."
Y11
Year 11 student
Research Track
★★★★★
"My daughter came out with a project she could show, not just a certificate. More importantly, she became confident explaining what she built and why it matters."
P
Parent
Startup Track
★★★★★
"My son used his AI Lab project in two summer program applications. It gave him something specific to talk about beyond grades and activities."
P
Parent
Startup Track
Limited places per cohort

Ready to build
something real?

Apply for review, select the preferred track, and tell us what the student wants to build. Expected commitment is 4-6 hours per week.

Apply now