From McKinsey to Y Combinator: Building an AI Startup in 12 Months

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Kim Rantz, CEO and co-founder of Alice Tech, an AI-driven learning platform for university and high school students. Formerly an associate partner at McKinsey & Company and a university lecturer for over a decade, Kim left a successful consulting career to bet on AI in education. We talk about the "regret minimization" mindset that drove his leap into entrepreneurship, how he and his co-founder went from idea to a funded company in six weeks, his experience at Y Combinator in San Francisco where the entire team relocated for 11 weeks, the discipline of having "no Plan B," and the cultural contrasts between Danish caution and American blue-sky ambition. Kim also shares his vision for personalized, responsible AI in education — moving beyond the one-size-fits-all "broadcasting model" of teaching toward learning experiences that reduce student stress and support genuine understanding rather than shortcuts.Resources Kim mentions and recommends for aspiring founders and educators include Y Combinator (ycombinator.com) for early-stage startup acceleration, and Alice Tech (Alice.tech) to explore the platform itself. For those interested in the broader landscape of AI in education, the OECD's work on AI and the future of skills offers a useful overview: https://www.oecd.org/education/ai-future-of-skills.htmAbout the hosts:Berit Sander is a business psychologist (aut.) with experience as consultant, head of training, leadership development, management training, coaching, former censor for the University of Copenhagen and at CBS. Author of books and articles.Stephane Guerraz is a consultant and university lecturer helping executives read where value is migrating in light of AI, and build capacity to capture it. He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, an MSc. in AI and is an actuary and CFA charter holder.Visit www.competenceinflow.com to know more about the hosts' leadership development offering.