University of Salford says a six-week artificial intelligence accelerator has helped 12 entrepreneurs develop working products, with several already launched or undergoing customer testing.
BUILD AI was developed by the university’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation with NoCodeLab.ai for founders, SME owners and other participants without conventional software development backgrounds.
Across the first cohort, four products reached launch or near-launch, six working prototypes entered testing and two existing technology ventures were accelerated. Participants combined AI-assisted development tools with commercialisation support and mentoring.
James Bulmer of Kenyon Hall Farm in Warrington used the programme to build a ticketing platform for his family’s fruit-picking business. The system is now used by around 10,000 people a week during peak periods, according to the university.
The farm says the platform has reduced annual software costs by more than 90%, allowing some of the savings to be reinvested in seasonal recruitment and the visitor experience.
That example shows a form of AI adoption that differs from buying a packaged tool. Kenyon Hall Farm used AI-assisted development to create software around a specific operating problem that had previously required an external ticketing service.
Engineer David Butler developed E.ai.R, a prototype that captions phone conversations in real time for people with hearing loss. Other participants worked on products covering pharmaceutical development, construction administration, support for vulnerable children, injury recovery, communication coaching and manufacturing compliance.
BUILD AI was structured around six expert-led sessions alongside access to development tools and commercial support. Its objective was to reduce the technical barrier between recognising a problem and producing a functional prototype.
AI-assisted development can shorten that process because founders are able to create and alter software without first building a conventional development team. Faster prototyping can reduce the cost of testing whether customers will use a product before larger sums are committed.
It does not remove the other requirements of a technology business. Products still need reliable architecture, security, compliance, customer demand and a commercial model capable of supporting ongoing development.
The Salford cohort nevertheless shows how those tools are reaching businesses outside the software sector. Founders with detailed knowledge of an industry can begin testing digital solutions without waiting for a large technology budget or external development contract.
Participants are now progressing into customer testing, product refinement, commercial launch and investment discussions. Their results beyond the six-week programme will show how many of the prototypes develop into sustainable businesses or lasting improvements inside existing companies.
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