SharkNinja and Boston University’s Questrom School of Business have launched a new collaboration, creating the SharkNinja AI & Analytics Lab, a joint initiative designed to advance artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, and solving real-world business problems.
The partnership brings together Questrom faculty and graduate students with SharkNinja’s product design and technology teams to support the development of AI-based solutions across the company’s global operations.
The newly created lab will serve as a structured, faculty-led environment in which graduate business students will work directly with SharkNinja under the guidance of Questrom advisors. The goal is to design and deliver advanced analytics tools, machine learning applications, and insight generation frameworks that improve organizational decision-making, enhance operational accuracy, and enhance SharkNinja’s innovation cycles.
Questrom leaders emphasized that the collaboration creates a strong bridge between academic expertise and industry needs. Students will contribute to real-world projects and gain hands-on experience applying their classroom knowledge to active business challenges. The lab is also expected to function as a center for testing and scaling new analytical approaches while helping SharkNinja accelerate the adoption of AI across product categories.
The partnership also supports broader experiential learning efforts within the Questrom Action Learning Center and the Questrom Consulting Lab. These programs provide students with hands-on industry exposure, opportunities to engage with leading companies, and the ability to learn competitive skills that prepare them for success in the job market. SharkNinja, which designs and develops consumer products under the Shark and Ninja brands, will collaborate closely with Questrom faculty and student teams as part of this expanded initiative.
KEY QUOTES
“We’re leveraging AI to usher in a new era of innovation at SharkNinja. We’re excited to partner with Boston University’s Questrom Consulting Lab to connect world-class academic insights with real-world business challenges. Together, we’re deepening how we use data and analytics to make smarter decisions, operate with greater precision, and accelerate how we turn insights into action while continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible. As we As we scale AI across the organization, we drive faster execution, stronger collaboration, and ultimately better outcomes for our consumers.
Mark Barrocas, CEO of SharkNinja
“This partnership provides our students with the opportunity to bring their academic knowledge to bear in a dynamic industry environment. Working alongside SharkNinja’s experts, our team is excited to deliver relevant, measurable value to support SharkNinja’s growth.”
Professor Peter Howard, Executive Director of Action Learning and the Questrom Consulting Lab
“Experiential learning is essential to ensuring that business students enter the world of work prepared to succeed from day one. That’s why we are truly excited and grateful for our collaboration with SharkNinja to provide our students with the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of AI and enhance their learning experience while making a real impact in real time.”
Susan Fournier, Allen Questrom Professor and Dean of the Questrom School of Business
