Python Programming Foundations
4-6 weeksSkills You'll Build
Python syntax and core conceptsData structures and algorithms basicsWorking with APIs and JSONPackage management and environmentsGit version control fundamentals
Startup Founder/CEO → Technical AI Founder/AI Engineer
Startup Founder to AI Engineer: From Business Vision to Technical Implementation
You've built products, raised funding, and understand what it takes to ship. But you've been managing engineers rather than being one, or your technical skills have atrophied while you focused on business. AI is transforming every industry, and you want to build AI-native products, not just direct others to build them. This path leverages your product sense and urgency while filling the technical gaps. You already know what matters: shipping fast, iterating based on feedback, and building things people want. Let's add the AI engineering skills to do it yourself.
4-8 months
Prerequisites
- Basic programming understanding (even if rusty)
- Product sense and user empathy
- Comfort with ambiguity and rapid iteration
- Experience shipping products (any capacity)
- Business and market understanding
Your Learning Path
LLM APIs and Rapid Prototyping
3-4 weeksSkills You'll Build
OpenAI and Claude API integrationPrompt engineering for product featuresBuilding MVPs with AI capabilitiesCost management at scalePrototyping tools (Cursor, Claude Code)
Building AI Products
4-5 weeksSkills You'll Build
FastAPI for backend servicesDatabase design for AI applicationsUser authentication and security basicsFrontend integration patternsDeployment to cloud platforms
RAG and Knowledge Systems
3-4 weeksSkills You'll Build
Vector embeddings and searchBuilding knowledge bases for productsDocument processing pipelinesRAG for customer-facing featuresEvaluation and improvement cycles
AI Agents and Automation
3-4 weeksSkills You'll Build
Agent architecture patternsTool use and function callingWorkflow automation with AIBuilding AI-powered featuresTesting and evaluation
Scaling and Technical Leadership
2-3 weeksSkills You'll Build
Technical architecture decisionsHiring and evaluating AI engineersAI product roadmap planningTechnical due diligence for investorsBalancing build vs buy decisions