School of Business
AI for Business Accelerator
Course overview
This intensive six-week programme equips small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), microbusiness and social enterprise leaders to harness the power of the rapidly developing artificial intelligence revolution for sustainable growth. Beginning with a one-hour induction, the course combines interactive learning - comprising two in-person workshops (three hours each), four online webinars (two hours each), and 24 hours of structured self-guided study - to provide a practical, strategic roadmap for AI adoption and growth.
Designed for decision-makers seeking practical impact, the programme takes a business-problem-led, evidence-led and no/low code approach. Participants will assess organisational readiness, identify and prioritise credible AI opportunities, compare alternative approaches, define a responsible pilot within boundaries, and establish the capabilities, ownership and measures needed for implementation alongside learning to recruit and manage AI talent. By the conclusion of the course, leaders will be equipped to identify opportunities, design a hands-on pilot project and establish a practical roadmap towards wider adoption.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the Accelerator, as a delegate, you should be able to:
- Recognise how current AI developments may affect your organisation, sector and operating model.
- Assess your organisation’s current readiness for responsible AI adoption.
- Identify and prioritise AI opportunities based on business value, feasibility and risk.
- Define a low-risk AI pilot with clear ownership, controls and measurable outcomes.
- Understand how to manage the people, skills, data and organisational capabilities required to deliver an AI initiative.
- Develop a practical AI for Growth and 90 Day Mobilisation Plan that establishes immediate actions and the evidence required before wider adoption.
Programme Induction and AI Readiness Assessment
Induction (online)
Friday 6 November 2026 - 10:00am - 11:00am
Introduces the programme journey and its business-problem-led approach. Reviews the expanded pre-course diagnostic covering business pressures, current managed and unmanaged AI use, executive sponsorship, data, technology and security constraints, appetite for change, prior pilots and the participant’s authority to act. Discusses results of the pre-course AI Readiness Assessment.
Takeaway: An assessment of your organisation’s readiness for AI to carry into Week One.
AI in Business: Problem Framing and Readiness
Week one workshop (in person)
Monday 9 November 2026 - 10:00am - 1:00pm
Provides a concise overview of generative AI, automation and agentic AI, supported by selected business examples. Differentiates opportunities in individual productivity, process improvement, customer or employee experience, decision support, and new products or services. Participants use a simple problem-framing and readiness method to identify two or three relevant business problems and select one priority area for further exploration.
Takeaway: An AI Opportunity Canvas for your business.
Prioritising AI Opportunities and Planning Adoption
Week two webinar (online)
Monday 16 November 2026 - 10:00am - 12:00noon
Provides a practical method for judging whether an AI opportunity is worth pursuing. Participants assess expected business value, user or customer impact, process suitability, data availability and sensitivity, technical feasibility, risk and governance, organisational change, ownership and measurability. The session also explains why AI deployment requires continuing monitoring, feedback and improvement.
Takeaway: A prioritised opportunity shortlist with a clear rationale for the leading candidate.
Action: This module provides six hours of online self-guided content to help embed the learning, preferably undertaken before the next webinar.
From AI Assistants to Agents: Choosing the Right Solution
Week three webinar (online)
Monday 23 November 2026 - 10:00am - 12:00noon
Positions AI agents as one implementation pattern rather than the default solution. Participants compare process improvement, deterministic automation, AI assistants and agents; identify where human review is required; consider data access, boundaries, failure, escalation and exception handling; and develop a simple low/no-code demonstration.
Takeaway: A pilot proposition covering the problem, intended users, boundaries, expected value, human controls, ownership and success measures.
Action: This module provides six hours of online self-guided content to help embed the learning, preferably undertaken before the next webinar.
AI Capability, Leadership and Talent
Week four webinar (online)
Monday 30 November 2026 - 10:00am - 12:00noon
Broadens the focus from recruitment to the capabilities and responsibilities needed for successful delivery. Participants consider the accountable business sponsor, use-case or process owner, technical and data expertise, risk, privacy and security input, user involvement, change leadership and benefits realisation. The self-guided learning also provides guidance on scoping an AI internship project (available within the wider EMPAIP project) while making clear that interns and specialists do not replace business ownership.
Takeaway: A capability and accountability map.
Action: This module provides six hours of online self-guided content to help embed the learning, preferably undertaken before the next webinar.
Responsible AI Governance for SMEs
Week five webinar (online)
Monday 7 December 2026 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Applies practical and proportionate governance to low-, medium- and higher-impact use cases. Topics include approved and unapproved use, confidentiality and access, privacy, intellectual property, transparency, bias and fairness, human accountability, testing and acceptance, monitoring, incident response, and supplier or platform dependency.
Takeaway: A proportionate risk and controls assessment for the selected pilot.
Action: This module provides six hours of online self-guided content to help embed the learning, preferably undertaken before the next webinar.
AI for Growth and 90-Day Mobilisation Workshop
Week six workshop (in person)
Monday 14 December 2026 - 10:00am - 1:00pm
Integrates the outputs from previous sessions into an executable AI for Growth Plan. Participants revisit their starting point, challenge assumptions through peer feedback, define the smallest meaningful test, agree success measures and identify evidence that would justify continuation, redesign or stopping. ROI is considered alongside credible indicators such as time saved, cycle time, quality, error reduction, responsiveness, capacity released and risk avoided.
Takeaway: A draft AI for Growth Plan and achievable 90-day mobilisation plan.
Action: Continuation of your AI for Growth and 90 Day Mobilisation Plan for submission by 31 January for assessment.
AI for Growth Plan Success Surgeries
Post-course
6-29 January 2027
In these one-hour sessions per company, tutors will support to test assumptions, refine success measures and controls, resolve ownership or sponsorship barriers, narrow over-ambitious pilots, and strengthen the AI for Growth and 90 Day Mobilisation Plan.
AI for Growth and 90-Day Mobilisation Plan Submission
Post-course
31 January 2027
Submission of your final AI for Growth and 90 Day Mobilisation Plan, incorporating the organisational starting point, prioritised opportunity, pilot proposition, capability map, risk and controls assessment, and success measures.
Who should attend?
The AI for Business Accelerator has been designed for leaders and professionals of East Midlands’ organisations which have been in operation for at least one year, who are responsible for growth, innovation and optimising operational effectiveness, including:
- Innovation, transformation and operations managers
- Digital and technology leads
- Business development professionals
- Social enterprise and Community Interest Company leaders
- Micro/SME decision-makers exploring AI adoption
No technical background knowledge is required. The programme focuses on strategic understanding and practical implementation rather than software development.
Programme format
Duration: Six weeks plus development of an AI for Growth and 90-day Mobilisation Plan
Delivery: Two in person workshops, four webinars and self-guided learning
Cost: Fully funded, no cost to eligible businesses, social enterprises or CICs, in operation for at least one year
Approach: Practical, discussion-led, business-problem-led and evidence-based, using real-world examples and a developing organisational initiative to translate learning into responsible action. Informed by our expert Industrial Advisory Board
Certificate: Participants will receive a certificate following course attendance, completion and plan submission
Tutor biographies
Register your interest
Applications are now open for the AI for Business Accelerator.
- Register your interest in joining the pilot programme starting 6 November 2026 or the full cohort in March 2027.
- Find out more or ask us questions by emailing [email protected], calling 0116 252 2167 or booking in a call back via MS Teams
- Stay connected by following the University of Leicester School of Business on LinkedIn
Supported by Innovate UK
The AI for Business Accelerator is one element within the University of Leicester’s East Midlands Pathways to AI Programme, supported through Innovate UK's investment in regional AI skills and innovation. The programme contributes to efforts to develop stronger local AI ecosystems, improve business productivity and create new opportunities for people and organisations to participate in the AI economy.