Our Story
EngiMentor began with a simple observation: too many students, especially in underserved communities, lack access to the mentorship, tools, and opportunities needed to explore engineering. While talent and curiosity were everywhere, guidance was not, and the digital divide only widened this gap. Vishal Manikanden saw the potential to bridge this divide by creating a space where students could receive strong engineering mentorship, engage in real-world projects, and build skills that would last a lifetime.​
Vishal has been able to witness the importance of engineering through his engineering exposure from a young age, and realized that this was not the case for everyone. This led him to establish EngiMentor. At the time, he hoped he would be able to inspire and impact a handful of students. He began by holding weekly workshops at his local library, attracting a small group of around 5 students. Although his initial attempts were small, he realized the potential in his idea and the impact he could have in the very near future.
​What started as a small group of students meeting weekly has grown into a thriving group of students, with EngiMentor reaching local robotics teams, schools, libraries, and eventually growing this network around the United States. Every program, workshop, and project is offered completely free of charge, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to opportunity.
​Over time, EngiMentor has expanded its reach through school partnerships, community workshops, and online mentoring. This growth has allowed us to connect students from rural towns, urban centers, and everywhere in between, showing that engineering is a universal language of creativity and problem-solving.
​​Today, EngiMentor stands as proof of the importance of engineering exposure. What can start as a simple connection can grow into a network of innovation, with every individual working towards a common goal. With this realization, EngiMentor is in its very early stages, and Vishal is dedicated to continuing to grow the organization.