VirtuaCircuit

Browser-based hardware labs for CE students—no kits, instant real-world sims.

Score: 7.6/10GhanaHard 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

VirtuaCircuit offers interactive simulators for circuits, micros, FPGA with uni course presets. Run experiments, debug, export results—all in-browser with step-by-step challenges. Perfect for hands-on practice without lab access or costs.

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

Pre-loaded labs matching Brazilian state uni syllabi, with collaborative multiplayer mode for group work.

Brand Voice

edgy

Features

Circuit Simulator

must-have30h

Drag-drop breadboard with real components.

Code Runner

must-have25h

Embedded C/Verilog IDE with live hardware link.

Lab Challenges

must-have20h

Guided experiments with checkpoints.

Export Reports

must-have10h

PDF/screenshots of sim results.

Multiplayer Labs

must-have22h

Share sim sessions real-time.

Waveform Viewer

nice-to-have15h

Oscilloscope/logic analyzer.

Custom Components

nice-to-have18h

User-defined parts.

AI Debugger

nice-to-have20h

Hint suggestions on errors.

Total Build Time: 160 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
unitextYes

labs

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
titletextNo
coursetextNo
sim_configtextNo

Relationships:

  • sessions.lab_id -> labs.id

sessions

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
lab_iduuidNo
statetextYes
is_sharedboolNo

Relationships:

  • user_id -> users.id
  • lab_id -> labs.id

API Endpoints

GET
/api/labs

List labs by course

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/sessions

Create new session

🔒 Auth Required
PUT
/api/sessions/:id/state

Save session state

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/sessions/:id/share

Generate share link

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/reports/:sessionId

Generate export

🔒 Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui + Fabric.js for canvas
Backend
Next.js API + Supabase
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
WebSockets via Supabase Realtime

Build Timeline

Week 1: Sim core

35h
  • Basic circuit sim
  • Auth

Week 2: Labs & code

40h
  • Challenges
  • IDE runner

Week 3: Collaboration

35h
  • Multiplayer
  • Exports

Week 4: UI/Polish

25h
  • Dashboard
  • Landing

Week 5: Advanced & test

20h
  • Waveforms
  • Beta

Week 6: Launch

15h
  • Content seed
  • SEO

Week 7: Iterate

10h
  • Fixes
Total Timeline: 7 weeks • 180 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No multiplayer

  • 10 labs/mo
  • Basic sims

Pro

$35/mo
  • Unlimited labs
  • Multiplayer
  • Exports

Lab Pro

$69/mo
  • All Pro + custom labs
  • AI hints
  • Priority sims

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 12502.5%$219$2,628
Month 61,5004.5%$2,363$28,350

Unit Economics

$9
CAC
$450
LTV
4%
Churn
94%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 50.0xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Hack Hardware Labs in Your Browser—No Gear Needed

Sim circuits, code micros, collab live—matched to your CE syllabus.

Feature Highlights

Real-time multiplayer
Course presets
Debug like pros
Export-ready reports
Zero setup

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Replaced my broken kit' - Lucas, UFMG"
"'Group labs finally work remotely' - Sofia, Unesp"

First Three Customers

Demo in Brazilian EE/CE Facebook groups; free access to 100 via uni email lists; partner with 1 prof for class trial.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/electronicsHacker NewsBrazil tech Twitter

SEO Keywords

online circuit simulator studentsvirtual hardware lab CEFPGA simulator free

Competitive Analysis

Tinkercad

tinkercad.com
Free
Strength

Easy sims

Weakness

Basic, no courses

Our Advantage

Advanced CE + collab

Free
Strength

Fast circuits

Weakness

No code/hardware integration

Our Advantage

Full CE stack

🏰 Moat Strategy

Lab presets data moat + shared session network.

⏰ Why Now?

Lab shortages in state unis + WebGPU for better sims.

Risks & Mitigation

technicalhigh severity

Sim performance

Mitigation

Start 2D, add WebGL

marketmedium severity

Free sim competition

Mitigation

Course collab focus

Validation Roadmap

pre-build5 days

Prototype 1 lab, test with 30 students

Success: 90% prefer over paper

mvp21 days

10 labs live

Success: 50 DAU

Pivot Options

  • Mobile-first sims
  • B2B uni labs
  • Pure software sims

Quick Stats

Build Time
180h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$2,200
Market Size
$40.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
3
API Endpoints
5