Ignite Tech Academy
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COHORT 01 · NOW ENROLLING
Hybrid · Live Saturdays 12 Weeks

Real engineering.
Real projects.

Learn to build the technology inside robots, AI gadgets, and smart devices — by actually making them. Real projects every week, guided by a working engineer who does this for a living.

Apply to Cohort 01 → See the curriculum
Apply by [TBD Application Deadline]
First Cohort
Embedded Software The tech inside robots & AI devices
Duration
12 Weeks ~ 8–10 hrs / week
For
Grade 10+ Basic programming OK
Cohort size
≤ 10 students Selective · rolling applications
VIDEO · COMING SOON
01 /Why Ignite

Why this program is different.

The engineers building AI hardware — robotics, smart devices, wearables — are among the highest-paid in tech. We teach you exactly what they know, by actually doing it.

01
Taught by working engineers.
Your instructor leads embedded software at an AI silicon startup. Not a TA, not a content creator — an engineer shipping real products, who teaches the way he learned: by building.
02
Something real to show every week.
From your first blinking LED to a voice-controlled AI assistant — every week ends with something working and yours to keep. The same building blocks inside real robots and AI devices.
03
Built for portfolios, not certificates.
What cuts through to top engineering programs is a working device — not another AP score. Every project is designed to be photographed, documented, and presented. Real signal, not resume filler.
Apply to Cohort 01 → Fewer than 10 seats — applications reviewed rolling. Earlier = better odds.
02 /The first cohort

Embedded Software
Bootcamp.

Zero to a working AI personal assistant in 12 weeks. This is the cohort we're launching with.

Cohort 01 · Now enrolling

From your first circuit
to a working AI assistant.

The skills inside robots, drones, and smart devices — learned by building them. 11 projects, one capstone, all yours.

Fewer than 10 students will be accepted. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis — earlier is better.

Starts
Summer 2026
Format
Hybrid · 12 wks
Apply to Cohort 01 → See curriculum
12 weeks · 12 projects
  • WK 01–02C Programming Essentials
  • WK 03Computer Architecture & RTOS
  • WK 04GPIO, Timers, PWM & Interrupts
  • WK 05UART · Serial Communication
  • WK 06I2C & Sensors · Weather Station
  • WK 07SPI & LCD Display · Retro Game
  • WK 08I2S Audio · Voice Recorder
  • WK 09Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
  • WK 10WiFi & Networking · IoT Dashboard
  • WK 11Cameras & Imaging
  • WK 12Capstone — AI Personal Assistant
03 /How it works

A weekly rhythm built around shipping.

8–10 hours a week. Most of it spent building, not watching. The format is designed for students who already have school, sports, and a life.

1–2 HRS / WK

Office hours + Discord.

1–2 live sessions mid-week for questions and debugging, plus a 24/7 Discord — George is in there.

2 HRS / SAT

Live Saturday session.

2-hour live lecture online every weekend — theory, demos, and hands-on building with George and the cohort. Fully recorded so you never fall behind.

5–6 HRS / WK

Weekly project, shipped.

Every week ends with something working — a CLI, a weather station, a Pong clone on an LCD. Real builds, demo-able, portfolio-ready.

Apply to Cohort 01 → 8–10 hrs/week · hybrid format · Grade 10+
04 /The instructor

You won't be taught
by a teacher. By a builder.

George leads embedded software at an AI hardware startup, built two startups past 100k users, and played D1 soccer. He teaches the way he learned: by building.

George Mansour, Lead Embedded Software Engineer and Ignite Tech Academy lead instructor
George Mansour
Lead Instructor
Lead Instructor · Embedded Software

George Mansour

Lead Embedded Software Engineer at AON Devices

George leads embedded software at AON Devices — an AI silicon startup building ultra-low-power processors for voice recognition and smart devices. The silicon he ships ends up inside wearables and ambient devices used by tier-one companies worldwide.

Before AON, he founded two startups from scratch — a youth sports recruiting platform and an ML-powered soccer training app — both growing past six-figure monthly revenue and 100k+ active users.

San Diego native. Cathedral Catholic High School alum. B.S. Electrical Engineering, UC Irvine. Played D1 soccer at UCI and professionally in Belgium and Jordan. He brings the same mentality to teaching: fundamentals first, then go build something real.

Now
Lead Embedded SWE
AON Devices (SoCal)
Education
B.S. Electrical Engineering
UC Irvine
Built
2× founder · 100k+ MAU
6-fig monthly revenue
Off the clock
D1 college soccer · UCI
Pro · Belgium & Jordan
Apply to Cohort 01 → Learn directly from an engineer building AI hardware today.
Free Guide

The Beginner's Guide to
Embedded Systems

Learn what embedded systems are, why they power everything from AirPods to Teslas, and the exact skills you need to get started — in plain English.

  • ✓ What C programming actually looks like
  • ✓ How microcontrollers talk to the real world
  • ✓ The 5 projects every beginner should build
  • ✓ Career paths in embedded & hardware engineering

Drop your email — we'll send it right over.

No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

05 /Outcomes

What you walk away with.

11 real projects. A working AI capstone. Skills that open doors in college apps, internships, and careers.

For the student

Skills, portfolio, and a head start that lasts.

  • 01
    11 real projects — a new build every week, each one photographed, demo-able, and ready for your portfolio.
  • 02
    An AI personal assistant — your capstone. A working device with a camera, microphone, and wireless connection that you programmed from scratch and present on Demo Day.
  • 03
    Skills engineers making $250k+ use every day — learned by building the real thing, not watching slides.
  • 04
    A head start on CS/EE — arrive freshman year having already built what most students only read about. Internship recruiters notice.
For the parent

A serious investment in a serious future.

  • 01
    College-app material that stands out — a working AI device, 11 documented builds, and a live Demo Day. Not another club.
  • 02
    Direction before the expensive guess — 12 weeks to know if engineering is for them, before years of college tuition.
  • 03
    Skills with real earning power — embedded engineers start at $130k+ and reach $250k+ at Apple, Tesla, and NVIDIA.
  • 04
    A foundation that doesn't expire — AI, robotics, and wearables all run on embedded software. These skills last.
Cohort 01 · Now enrolling

Only a handful of spots left.

Under 10 seats. Every student gets George's direct attention. Seats fill as applications are accepted — don't wait.

Apply to Cohort 01 → See the curriculum
06 /FAQ

Questions, answered.

If your question isn't here, email us at hello@ignitetech.academy — we'll answer within 24 hours.

Do I need to know how to code already?

Basic programming helps — Python or JavaScript is enough. No C or hardware experience needed. Weeks 1–2 get everyone fluent in C before we touch hardware.

What hardware do I need? Is it included?

TBD — confirm with George   Our default plan is to ship every student a kit with the ESP32 dev board, sensors, LCD, mic, speaker, camera module, and a bag of components — included in tuition. You bring a laptop (Mac, Windows, or Linux) and a USB-C cable.

What does "hybrid" actually mean?

2-hour live session online every weekend, recorded so you never miss one. 1–2 office hour sessions mid-week. Weekly project work on your own time. Discord is open 24/7.

Will this help with college applications?

Yes. You finish with 11 portfolio projects and a working AI capstone — photographed, documented, and demo-ready. That's what engineering admissions officers want to see.

What's the time commitment?

8–10 hours per week: 2 hrs live Saturday session, 1–2 hrs office hours, 5–6 hrs on the weekly project. Think of it like a serious AP class.

How big is each cohort?

TBD — confirm cohort cap   Cohorts are intentionally small so George can know every student's project. Once we lock the cap we'll update this page; in the meantime, applying early is the safest way in.

What if I fall behind?

Every session is recorded. Office hours and Discord are there all week. The goal is for every student to ship every project — not to filter anyone out.

Apply to Cohort 01 → Still have questions? Email hello@ignitetech.academy

Skip the theory.
Ship the project.

Cohort 01 · Now enrolling · Apply by [TBD]
Apply to Cohort 01 →