CMU-Q alumni honored at QSTP Technovate

Founders of startup Metis thank Qatar Foundation for opportunities, support

Three alumni from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar were honored at QSTP Technovate, an event that drew an audience of nearly 300 people.

Sabih Bin Wasi, Rukhsar Neyaz and Jiyda Moussa spoke at a fireside chat that was moderated by Maher Hakim, managing director at Qatar Science and Technology Park. Hakim has mentored the team from the time they were students at CMU-Q.

The event celebrated the Metis team’s recent acceptance into the prestigious Alchemist Accelerator program in Silicon Valley. The team will leave next week for Silicon Valley where they will spend six months developing their business model, networking and pitching to investors.

During the discussion, the Metis team members credited Qatar Foundation for providing opportunities and support throughout their education. “I am an international student, so studying at Carnegie Mellon was only possible because of Qatar Foundation. During the incubation phase of Metis, we have received so much support from Qatar Foundation. We will always want to give back to Qatar in appreciation for all Qatar has done for us.”

Bin Wasi and Moussa were both international students who came to Qatar for their university studies. Neyez, however, was born and raised in Doha. “I am Indian by passport,” she said, “but I am Qatari in my heart.”

The team’s project, Metis, is an app that guides university students to the optimal selection of courses by learning about their personalities, likes and interests. Bin Wasi and Neyez first developed the project as students at CMU-Q, and by the time they graduated, Metis had progressed through to the alpha launch stage. After graduation, Moussa joined the team and the startup was incubated through both Qatar Science and Technology Park and the AlFaisal – Carnegie Mellon Innovation Entrepreneurship Center.