EngiForge

Build real-world computer engineering projects that bridge uni theory to industry reality.

Score: 7.6/10GhanaMedium BuildReady to Spawn
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

University Computer Engineering curricula deliver abstract, disconnected courses lacking practical real-world context, frustrating students expecting hands-on learning like their prior industry-connected experiences.

Solution

EngiForge provides curriculum-aligned project templates with step-by-step guides, auto-feedback checkers, and portfolio builders. Students tackle hands-on challenges like embedded systems or IoT prototypes without needing physical hardware. It turns abstract courses into practical portfolios employers love.

Target Audience

19-20 year-old computer engineering students in state universities with prior hands-on work experience in programming or hardware (e.g., from Brazil)

Differentiator

Tailored for state uni CE students with prior experience—projects mimic Brazilian tech firm workflows, with peer reviews from similar backgrounds.

Brand Voice

supportive

Features

Project Library

must-have20h

Browse 50+ guided projects matched to common CE courses.

Auto-Grader

must-have25h

Instant code/hardware sim feedback on submissions.

Portfolio Builder

must-have15h

One-click export of completed projects to GitHub/LinkedIn.

Progress Tracker

must-have10h

Dashboard showing course-aligned completion and skill gaps.

Peer Review

must-have18h

Anonymous feedback from other students on projects.

Video Walkthroughs

nice-to-have12h

Short explainer videos for each project step.

Challenge Mode

nice-to-have15h

Timed contests with leaderboards.

Custom Project Creator

nice-to-have20h

Upload your own project specs for grading.

Total Build Time: 135 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
unitextYes
course_yearintYes
created_attimestampNo

projects

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
titletextNo
course_matchtextNo
difficultyintNo

Relationships:

  • user_progress.project_id -> projects.id

submissions

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
project_iduuidNo
scoreintYes
feedbacktextYes

Relationships:

  • user_id -> users.id
  • project_id -> projects.id

reviews

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
submission_iduuidNo
reviewer_iduuidNo
commenttextNo

Relationships:

  • submission_id -> submissions.id
  • reviewer_id -> users.id

API Endpoints

GET
/api/projects

List projects by course

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/projects/:id

Get project details

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/submissions

Submit project for grading

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/submissions/:id/grade

Run auto-grader

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/reviews

Submit peer review

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/user/progress

Get user dashboard

🔒 Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
Backend
Next.js API routes + Supabase Edge Functions
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
Supabase Storage for project files

Build Timeline

Week 1: Core setup & auth

30h
  • Project lib MVP
  • User auth & onboarding

Week 2: Project features

35h
  • Submission & auto-grader

Week 3: Feedback loops

30h
  • Peer review
  • Progress tracker

Week 4: Polish & payments

25h
  • Portfolio export
  • Pricing tiers
  • Landing page

Week 5: Testing & launch

20h
  • Bug fixes
  • SEO
  • PH prep
Total Timeline: 5 weeks • 140 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No peer review

  • 5 projects/mo
  • Basic grader
  • Portfolio export

Pro

$35/mo
  • Unlimited projects
  • Peer review
  • Advanced grader
  • Priority support

Team

$99/mo

Up to 5 users

  • All Pro + group projects
  • Admin dashboard
  • Custom projects

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 12002%$140$1,680
Month 61,2005%$2,100$25,200

Unit Economics

$8
CAC
$420
LTV
5%
Churn
92%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 52.5xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Turn Uni Theory into Industry-Ready Projects

Hands-on CE challenges that match your courses—build, grade, showcase in hours, not weeks.

Feature Highlights

Auto-feedback on code & sims
Portfolio-ready exports
Peer reviews from peers
Course-specific templates
Proven by 1000+ Brazilian CE students

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Finally, projects that feel real!' - João, USP"
"'Grader saved my deadline' - Maria, Unicamp"

First Three Customers

Post in Brazilian CE Reddit/Discord groups (r/brasilCE, uni Discords) with free project access; DM 50 students from target unis via LinkedIn; offer beta discounts to first responders.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/compsciIndie HackersBrazilian uni forums

SEO Keywords

computer engineering projectshands-on CE labs onlineembedded systems projects students

Competitive Analysis

Hackster.io

hackster.io
Free
Strength

Large hardware project library

Weakness

No course alignment or grading

Our Advantage

Uni-specific + auto-feedback

Coursera Projects

coursera.org
$49/mo
Strength

Certificates

Weakness

Generic, not CE-focused

Our Advantage

Practical, portfolio-first

🏰 Moat Strategy

User-generated project data + peer network effects for better reviews.

⏰ Why Now?

Rising remote learning post-COVID + Brazil tech boom needs skilled grads fast.

Risks & Mitigation

marketmedium severity

Low adoption in free tier

Mitigation

Aggressive free project hooks

technicalhigh severity

Grader accuracy issues

Mitigation

Start with simple checks, iterate

executionmedium severity

Content creation bottleneck

Mitigation

Seed with 20 projects, crowdsource

Validation Roadmap

pre-build7 days

Survey 50 students on Discord

Success: 70% interested in $35/mo

mvp14 days

Launch 5 projects to 100 users

Success: 20% completion rate

launch30 days

PH launch

Success: 500 signups

Pivot Options

  • Focus on EE only
  • B2B for unis
  • General CS projects

Quick Stats

Build Time
140h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$2,000
Market Size
$50.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
4
API Endpoints
6