AWS GenAI Trailblazer Portfolio Challenge

Build a portfolio-ready AI project in 90 minutes.

In this fast-paced, hands-on challenge, participants work in teams to create a professional PR/FAQ, build a working PartyRock GenAI application, document their work, and practice presenting—everything needed for a first AI portfolio piece.

At HUMANBULB, we believe access to emerging technology should come with real practice, not just lectures. The GenAI Trailblazer Portfolio Challenge gives learners an on-ramp to AI product building, digital confidence, and portfolio-ready proof of skills—all in a format that’s collaborative, supportive, and high-energy.

Who this is for?

This challenge is designed for:

  • Students and early-career learners who want a real GenAI project for their portfolio

  • Anyone curious about product thinking + AI building, even if it’s your first time

  • Builders who want structured practice: idea → PR/FAQ → app → demo

What you build:

Teams choose from a set of student success app use cases and turn one into:

  • a PR/FAQ (the “working backwards” customer story)

  • a PartyRock application that takes inputs and generates helpful outputs

Examples of app types include: campus resource navigator, event discovery assistant, study environment generator, career pathway planner, student budget helper, internship finder, scholarship matcher, and more.

What happens during the challenge?

90-minute, team-based build sprint where each participant has a role and your team moves through:

  1. Collaboration & Build (build the first version together)

  2. Testing & Validation (test, refine, improve)

  3. Final Prep (get ready to present)

Team presentations are 5 minutes total:

  • Team intro (1 min)

  • PR/FAQ (2 min)

  • Live app demo (3 min)

How teams are structured

Participants work in a 6-role team model, such as:

  • PartyRock Developer

  • Business Case Lead

  • Presentation Creator

  • App Demonstrator

  • Application Tester

  • Technical Doc Lead

This makes the experience feel like a real product team: build, test, document, and present.

What you’ll leave with:

  • A PR/FAQ written using Amazon’s “Working Backwards” method

  • A functioning AWS PartyRock app

  • Basic technical documentation for your build

  • A short presentation experience (practice telling the story + demo)

Career keywords you can use on your resume/LinkedIn:
Amazon Working Backwards • GenAI Development • Product Management • AI/ML Solutions • Technical Presentation

How projects are evaluated:

Projects are evaluated using a rubric that looks at:

  • Business Impact (40%) – PR/FAQ quality, clarity, presentation

  • Technical Excellence (40%) – PartyRock feature use, implementation, working demo

  • Innovation (20%) – unique approach, creativity, original thinking