AI Make-or-Buy Analysis for a Climate-Tech Series-B
Overview
What this challenge is about.
You receive: the company's headcount and ML capability map, vendor RFP responses from 3 vendors per category, and 18-month strategic context. For each model category, build a make-or-buy scorecard covering: total cost over 3 years, time-to-value, strategic-control risk, vendor lock-in, and integration cost. Recommend make/buy/hybrid per category with a sequencing plan. Write a 5-page memo + 6-slide board appendix.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Decide make vs. buy vs. hybrid for 3 model categories under tight ML headcount and board-velocity pressure.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Structure make-or-buy analyses for AI capabilities
- Reason about strategic-control vs. velocity trade-offs
- Build a defensible 3-year TCO model
- Communicate AI build-vs-buy trade-offs to a board
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
Careers
Roles this prepares you for.
Real titles. Real skill bridges. Pick the one closest to your trajectory.
AI Product Manager
Make-or-buy strategy work is the senior AI PM's natural domain in growth-stage startups facing capacity constraints.
This challenge sharpens
- make-or-buy-analysis
- ai-strategy
- executive-communication
AI Engineer
Translating technical capability into TCO is the AI-engineer skill that lets engineers move into staff-level cross-functional work.
This challenge sharpens
- vendor-evaluation
- financial-modeling
- ai-strategy