LAUNCH YOUR
AI PRODUCT
From Hackathon MVP to Market-Ready Product
The Hackathon isn't the end — it's the kickoff for your year-long product development fellowship. Build your MVP in 3 days, then spend 10 months refining it with industry mentors into a portfolio-ready, market-viable AI application.
4 Experiences. 1 Transformation.
The AI Hackathon is Experience 2 of a four-part, year-long professional development pipeline. Here's the full roadmap.
AeroCraft™ Drone Intensive
Engineer Flight
Week-long drone engineering bootcamp with take-home kit
AI Hackathon + Fellowship
Launch Your MVP
Build your first AI prototype and develop it over 12 months
Gaming Tournament
Build Champions
Esports competition meets STEAM innovation
World Tech Day
Showcase Mastery
Demo your market-ready product to industry and community
AeroCraft™ Drone Intensive
Week-long drone engineering bootcamp with take-home kit
AI Hackathon + Fellowship
Build your first AI prototype and develop it over 12 months
Gaming Tournament
Esports competition meets STEAM innovation
World Tech Day
Demo your market-ready product to industry and community
🚀 Building on AeroCraft™ Foundations
Students who completed the AeroCraft™ drone intensive in Experience 1 can integrate their AI models into their drone kits during the Fellowship. You're not just building software — you're building the "brain" for a drone you've already learned to fly.
Not Your Average Hackathon
See why our 12-month fellowship model outperforms a typical weekend hackathon.
| Feature | Standard Hackathon | RITE AI Fellowship |
|---|---|---|
| Project Timeline | Ends Sunday night | 12-month "Market-Ready" track |
| Certification | Basic participation certificate | Industry-recognized credentials & digital badges |
| Mentorship | Peer feedback only | 1-on-1 mentorship from industry professionals |
| Portfolio Value | A line on a resume | A market-ready product in your portfolio |
| Next Steps | None — you're on your own | Gaming Tournament + World Tech Day showcase |
| Industry Access | None | Direct access to tech company mentors & partners |
Your Year-Long Journey
MAY
Hackathon Sprint
3-day intensive MVP build
Team formation & rapid prototyping
Professional judging panel
Top 10 teams advance to Fellowship
JUN–OCT
Fellowship Development
Monthly mentor sessions with industry pros
Product iteration & user testing
Business model & go-to-market strategy
Legal compliance & IP education
LinkedIn-ready digital credentials
NOVEMBER
World Tech Day Showcase
Live product demos to industry & community
Investor-style pitch presentations
Innovation awards & recognition
"Most Innovative School" competition
What You'll Build & Own
Forget 'learning to code.' You'll launch a real MVP and develop Product Ownership skills that set you apart.
Technical Mastery
AI/ML model development & training
Full-stack application architecture
Database design & cloud deployment
UI/UX prototyping & user testing
API integration & data pipelines
Professional Readiness
Product management & ownership
Business model canvas development
Legal, ethical AI & IP protection
Brand identity & marketing strategy
Investor pitch & presentation skills
Career-Ready Outcomes
Market-viable AI application
Industry-recognized digital badges
Professional portfolio & case study
College application differentiator
Direct mentor & industry connections
A Safe, Standards-Aligned Program
We understand that a year-long commitment requires trust. Here's why gatekeepers endorse this program.
Curriculum Alignment
Mapped to CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) standards
Supports Georgia DOE CTAE & CTE pathway requirements
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) aligned
Eligible for elective credit consideration in many districts
STEAM + Aerospace integration for cross-disciplinary learning
Safety & Privacy
FERPA-compliant student data handling
Background-checked mentors and staff
Curated, moderated learning environment — not an unsupervised platform
Professional adult supervision at all sessions
Clear parent/guardian consent and communication protocols
Who Should Apply
Ideal Candidates
High school students grades 9-12
Interest in technology, entrepreneurship, or problem-solving
Team players ready for year-long intensive collaboration
Creative minds looking for real-world portfolio projects
Students planning STEM or business college pathways
No Prior Experience Required: Our curriculum takes you from beginner to product owner — no coding background needed.
The World Tech Day Stakes
The product you start building this weekend will be demoed live in front of your community, industry leaders, and potential partners at World Tech Day in December. The stakes are real from Day 1.
Live product demonstration to 500+ attendees
Industry networking & partnership opportunities
"Most Innovative School" award competition
Innovation awards & community recognition
Potential startup foundation for your AI product