Learn to Think, Build, and Win in the AI Era
The next generation of software engineers won't just codeβthey'll understand minds, systems, and intelligence.
π Evergreen Courses
The Nathan-Core Curriculum: A complete CS foundation rebuilt with cognitive science, psychology, and AI-native workflows.
EC000: How Humans Think
Foundation β’ Understand cognition as a computational system
Direct link: Open EC000 β
EC101: Programming as Thinking
Core β’ Python, logic, and human reasoning unified
Direct link: Open EC101 β
EC201: Algorithms & Problem Decomposition
Advanced β’ Design solutions from first principles
Direct link: Open EC201 β
EC402: Applied AI Agents
Mastery β’ Build autonomous systems with intention
Direct link: Open EC402 β
π Hackathon Lab
Weekly live-fire training: Real hackathons, strategic breakdowns, AI-powered workflows, and portfolio-worthy projects.
This Week: Week 1 - [Current Hackathon]
Every week we:
- Analyze a real hackathon and sponsor incentives
- Design winning project ideas with system thinking
- Build using templates, AI agents, and proven patterns
- Showcase portfolio-grade work
π οΈ Autonate Starters
Template library for rapid hackathon deployment. One-click starters with best practices baked in.
- Flask API Heroku - Backend API ready for deployment
- RAG Starter - AI-powered retrieval system
- Streamlit Dashboard - Interactive data apps in minutes
π Tutorials
Project-based learning that connects back to Evergreen concepts.
- Build a Trading Agent - Apply EC402 concepts
- Vector Database from Scratch - Deep dive into EC302
- File Tree Visualizer - Recursion in action (EC201)
π‘ The Autonate Philosophy
Traditional CS education wasn't designed for the AI era. We teach:
- How humans think before how computers work
- Systems architecture before syntax
- AI collaboration as a core skill
- Real-world building through hackathons
You don't just learn to code. You learn to design intelligenceβhuman and machine.
π― Who This Is For
β
You're learning to code and want foundations that last
β
You're a mid-level dev bridging the gap to senior/AI-native work
β
You're hackathon-curious but don't know where to start
β
You want to build portfolio work that actually matters
π What Makes This Different
| Traditional CS | Autonate AI |
|---|---|
| "Here's syntax" | "Here's how thinking works" |
| Disconnected courses | Unified system across cognition β code β AI |
| Toy projects | Real hackathons, real portfolios |
| Learn alone | Weekly community builds |
| Hope AI doesn't replace you | Use AI as your engineering partner |
π¨βπ» About Nathan Baker
UMich CS grad, AI R&D engineer, critical thinking educator, and hackathon systems thinker.
I've taught autonomy, built AI agents, and helped students go from "I can follow tutorials" to "I can architect systems."
Autonate AI is how I'd redesign CS education if I could start from scratch.
π Get Started
Ready to build? courses-index and start learning the way software engineers actually think.