As electronic components are getting smaller, more capable and more complex every year, using them in a DIY setting is becoming more difficult. Consequently, Arduino and other development platforms have risen in popularity by packaging all complexity in convenient form factors, saving makers from reading datasheets and fiddling with tiny surface-mounted components. But what if you wanted to do exactly that? Designing a custom printed circuit board with your own free choice of embedded processor may sound like a lot of work, but it can be very rewarding: it gives you the freedom to design for very specific constraints. Perhaps you have weight and size requirements or need a specific processor. Or maybe you just want to broaden your understanding of electronics and improve your employment perspectives? Find out how to get started with embedded development in this talk!