I'm a “deep tech” engineer and leader whose career spans SpaceX, NASA JPL, and pioneering neurotechnology at Neuralink. I've walked the tower where astronauts embark, presented live to hundreds of thousands, and been awarded a patent for novel micro neurosurgical implantation technology. After studying engineering at Princeton and Oxford and contributing to the world-first orbital rocket landing at SpaceX, I joined Neuralink early on and later became a member of the leadership team. At Neuralink I led Surgery Engineering, designing and guiding systems from concept through FDA-approved human trials, which are empowering paralyzed individuals to control computers and robotics by thought alone. I've always enjoyed helping others succeed, including mentoring new hires, FIRST Robotics high schoolers, and Hyperloop competition teams. 

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We generally live in this cultural paradigm of coddling kids and telling them that doing real things is reserved for when they grow up. Like, “Hey kid, why don't you finish your twelve years of mandatory basic schooling, and then, by the way, please spend at least four more years in more school – and oh, after that, don’t forget on-the-job experience – and then you will hopefully be qualified to do something professional!” For people who want to do something useful in this life, this is a long time delay! And it feels like wasted utility. Time is one of the most valuable resources that we have.

I want to help folks “build things that work”. Not like a contrived student project, but something real. And not coercing everyone, but launching the ones who are motivated and have the vision. 

It was fun to discover in the first cohort that this program isn't just productive for young people, but for adults as well! So, we've opened up the audience scope beyond teens.

As a kid, I was motivated, I was focused, and I think I could have done a lot more with the right ingredients: coaching, funding, a team or at least a similarly motivated co-working group, all imbued with the attitude that there's no need to wait to make a real useful contribution. This is what I hope Build Guild can help provide.

AI-generated image; can you spot the giveaways?

Maybe  – what you gain from this program is really up to you. You might walk away with a strong addition to your portfolio or college application, or a clearer sense of what you want to study after hearing from guest speakers. The real value is realizing you can already build things that matter. You'll come away with a real project and industry connections. College certainly has value, but in a world where AI is reshaping almost everything, the ability to learn fast and "build things that work" is what sets you apart.

A private group invites more flexibility in schedule, location, and curriculum. Reach out to hello@goodquestsonly.com to see if we can create a program that fits your needs.

Earmarking a budget for your project will help unlock a more successful outcome, so you don't stress over expenditure micro-decisions or paralyze project progress by cost concerns. Our general recommendation is to earmark $250 and commit to yourself that any not spent on your project must be donated to a charity of your choice. Of course, adapt this to your project! A software subscription may be much cheaper than ordering a production run of a physical item, for example.

Being present and contributing matters – but life happens. If you need to miss a day or two for a good reason, that’s okay. As long as you coordinate well and catch up on anything you missed, it won’t be a blocker.

We'll work with you to scope your project's "done definition" to fit within the program time frame! The likelihood a project gets finished is inversely proportional to its ambitiousness. A very common lesson is that the last 20% of a project often takes 80% of the time. This is the polishing, the integration, the quality improvements, the unknown unknowns... it's everything needed to put a bow on it and get to "done" in the enterprise sense. So, project completion can't be guaranteed, but we will certainly aim for it and help you chose a "done definition" that best meets your goals. 

For remote sessions, yes. For in-person sessions, you should at least have a laptop (or equivalent). Other than that, you are welcome to use your own tools and supplies, and Build Guild can help you find access to other common items you may need.