Taught By

Pritwik Jeeva

Pritwik Jeeva is a UC Berkeley Data Science graduate, AI startup founder, and former Entrepreneur in Residence at Berkeley SkyDeck (top 3.5% of applicants). He has extensive experience building cutting-edge AI technology, including breakthrough computer vision systems and recommendation engines for Silicon Valley startups and major international banking clients. Pritwik's academic background includes innovative AI research at UC Berkeley and IIT Madras, alongside founding two global non-profits. He has also developed and launched multiple apps with over 20,000 downloads. As a mentor for the AI Launch Lab, Pritwik leverages his deep technical expertise and entrepreneurial success to guide high school students in building standout AI projects that demonstrate the initiative, technical rigor, and leadership qualities sought by Top 20 university admissions committees.

Week by Week Curriculum

Week 1 - Ideation + Foundations

Explore examples of AI apps and brainstorm ideas
Define the target user, problem, and simple MVP scope
Introduction to tools like Cursor/Claude Code and basic APIs
Goal: Clear app idea + simple product spec

Week 2 - Planning + Architecture

Break the app into components (UI, backend, AI integration)
Introduce prompt engineering and API usage
Create rough wireframes and feature checklist
Goal: Project plan + basic architecture

Week 3 - Core Build (Part 1)

Set up the project and build the first working version
Develop basic UI and make the initial AI call
Focus on getting something functional quickly
Goal: First working prototype

Week 4 - Core Build (Part 2)

Expand functionality and improve prompts
Debug issues and refine the user experience
Introduce basic testing and iteration workflows
Goal: Functional MVP with core features

Week 5 - Polish + Testing

Refine UI and handle edge cases
Conduct simple user testing
Add light branding or a landing page if time permits
Goal: Polished, demo-ready app

Week 6 - Demo + Presentation

Learn how to present (problem → solution → demo → impact)
Record a short demo video of your application
Present projects to the cohort

AI Launch Lab: Build Your First AI App

In Partnership With