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FoundersForge AI Academy

Our
Mission

Training people for the AI future. Helping businesses grow through innovation. Championing the underdog entrepreneur — in Appalachia and beyond.

Built for the
AI Future

FoundersForge AI Academy exists to prepare people for the world that AI is building right now. We train individuals to harness AI tools, help businesses grow through innovation, and champion underdog entrepreneurs who deserve a seat at the table.

We envision an economically thriving Appalachia — and beyond — powered by innovation and entrepreneurship. The next great wave of builders shouldn't be limited by geography or background. We're here to change that.

98%
Efficiency Increase
12k+
Builders Trained
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10x Engineering

Elite
Instructors

Learn from those who are actively building the future.

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Jason A. Oglesby

Jason A. Oglesby

Founder, Ergon Insights

Jason A. Oglesby is a technology leader and AI transformation strategist with 30+ years of software development experience. As the former CTO of Rev.i…

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02
David Nelson

David Nelson

Executive Director, FoundersForge

David Nelson is the Executive Director of FoundersForge, a nonprofit entrepreneur center located in Johnson City, East Tennessee State University Facu…

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Our Next Instructor

Our Next Instructor

AI Expert

We're looking to expand our instructor team. If you have interest in shaping the future generation of AI Experts, we should connect! Please contact us…

Traditional
vs. AI-First

Universities and bootcamps are still teaching methods from 2019. We teach the workflows of 2025.

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The Old Way

Months spent on manual boilerplate, manual debugging, and rigid development cycles that stifle innovation.

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The Forge Way

AI-orchestrated code generation, real-time debugging agents, and shipping production features in hours, not weeks.

Static Curriculum? Never.

Our content updates weekly as new LLMs and dev tools are released. You are always at the bleeding edge.

The Network Effect

Join an elite alumni network of founders and builders who are actively shipping the next wave of AI apps.

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Corporate Excellence

Enterprise
Consulting

We partner with engineering organizations to modernize their tech stacks and integrate AI-native workflows into their existing teams.

Inquire for Teams
Custom Syllabi Available

Frequently Asked Questions

Join the Next
cohort

Join our next cohort of AI-native developers, founders and individuals. Limited spots available for the Spring session.