Gauntlet
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Admissions
Austin, Texas

Applications open for Cohort 8, starting on February 1, 2027

Ten weeks,
all expenses paid
Interview for $200K+
roles
from week five

Only the best survive

Gauntlet AI is an AI-first acceleration program for experienced software engineers.
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WatchThis is Gauntlet AI

$200Kto$950K*

Offers received and accepted from attending the program

*Range of cash compensation for offers accepted from Hiring Partners in our program.

100+

Commercial partners

Across train-to-hire and corporate training.

1,350+

Individuals transformed

Across train-to-hire and corporate training.

Train-to-hire program, est. January 2025.

Live instruction in the atrium at Gauntlet HQ in Austin, Challengers seated on the bleachers with laptops
Live instruction in the atrium, Gauntlet HQ, Austin

Before you apply

Everyone's initial questions,
answered

The short answer is here. The full answer is one click away.

Who is Gauntlet AI for?

A cohort of Challengers after a run, downtown Austin behind them
Cohort run, downtown Austin

The TLDR;

Exceptional AI-first engineering talent.

  • Score in the 95th percentile on our cognitive assessment.
  • A proven track record that demonstrates elite levels of IQ, EQ, and grit.
  • Typically 3+ years of software engineering experience, with room for the exceptional without a traditional background.
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What do you teach, and who do I become?

An instructor sketching an evaluation pipeline on a whiteboard with a Challenger in a glass meeting room at Gauntlet HQ
Whiteboarding an eval pipeline, Gauntlet HQ

The TLDR;

The first principles of building with AI and building AI systems.

Building with AI

Building AI systems

  • The curriculum currently revolves around using AI within existing codebases.
  • Adjusted ahead of every cohort to stay on the bleeding edge.
  • You leave as a Champion: an engineer who takes an ambiguous requirement to a defended production build.
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What is life in the program like, and how does Gauntlet AI prepare me for a job?

Two Challengers fist bumping across their desks with code on the monitors at Gauntlet HQ
Pairing on the floor, Gauntlet HQ

The TLDR;

The 80 to 100 hour week is no joke.

  • Live instruction averages 15 hours a week. The rest of your time is building to meet unreasonably short deadlines.
  • Mock technical interviews with mentors and staff every Thursday and Friday.

Two teams dedicated to job outcomes

Career Development

Works 1:1 with you to prepare for interviews with hiring partners.

Customer Success

Works with our hiring partners to plan and coordinate onsite interviews and events.

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How is this program free?

A visiting hiring partner talking with a Challenger on the atrium bleachers at Gauntlet HQ
Hiring partner visit, Gauntlet HQ

The TLDR;

Hiring partners prepay for access to each cohort before it starts.

  • That prepayment is what funds your flights, housing, food, and training.
  • You never pay anything, and there is nothing to repay.
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The application

Three steps.
A transparent decision.

Applying takes a few minutes. We email you at every step.

01

Cognitive assessment

Take the assessment. We are looking for the 95th percentile and above, and existing years of experience earn bonus points.

02

Profile review

We review what you submit and will ask for additional information, for example a resume or public portfolios, if we have questions.

03

A transparent decision

If you are one of the 2% who make the cut, you hear it from us with next steps. If not, you hear why we made our decision, along with an invitation to join our Scouts program.

Apply now

Start your
application.

Submit this form and the assessment link lands in your inbox.
A Challenger at a laptop on the mezzanine at Gauntlet HQ in the evening
Heads down, Gauntlet HQ

Check your application status

Already applied?
We will email where you stand.

Enter the email on your application. The status email tells you your stage, your cohort, and what happens next.