Viaka Newsletter: A founder using AI-powered software to improve the quality of prenatal care!
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Hi everyone! This week, we’re continuing our new series of interviews and network highlights. We’re now featuring members of the Viaka community who are active in the MENA ecosystem.
Our next feature is Robhy Bustami. Robhy is the CEO and co-founder of Biotics AI, an intelligence platform for prenatal healthcare. Robhy has amazing experiences and is a great Network member. Read more about Robhy below!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhybustami
What do you currently do?
I’m the CEO and Co-Founder of BioticsAI. I lead our team’s mission in reducing the 1 out of 2 fetal malformation misdiagnosis rate through our AI powered software. Our tool processes prenatal ultrasound screenings to identify abnormalities, provide automated quality assurance, and streamline Obstetrics workflows. As a technical founder, my job involves managing our medical research efforts where we work with OB/GYNs to build our computer vision algorithms, working directly with our engineers in the implementation of our product, and overseeing our business and regulatory efforts where I work directly with our early adopters and clinical study sites both here in the United States and in Egypt.
What prompted you to go down this career path and how did you get into this field?
My background is in Data Engineering and Solutions Architecture over at IBM Watson where I designed and developed new proprietary technologies that still support millions of user engagements to this day. As an engineer working in Silicon Valley, I spent my weekends and nights at hackathons, working on side projects, and building and exploring solutions for problems I was passionate about. It wasn’t until I witnessed a near-tragic occurrence when my family member was misdiagnosed during a second-trimester ultrasound, that I knew what I was going to dedicate my livelihood too. I’m happy to say that everyone is alive and healthy today but during that time, as a result of the medical errors made, my baby cousin was admitted to the NICU and an alarming fact about the current state of prenatal care was brought to light. One out of two pregnant patients with a fetal malformation are misdiagnosed. I understood two things: First, transforming the Obstetrics care ecosystem using computer vision was both necessary and possible. Second, I had the skill, experience, and team to make that happen.
What originally got you interested in connecting with the MENA startup ecosystem and other like-minded folks here in North America?
Being of Palestinian, Syrian, and Yemeni descent and having spent a significant part of my childhood living in the UAE, while also being born and raised in San Francisco, the tech capital of the world, I’ve always dreamt of building solutions that could significantly benefit and bridge both communities together. I first learned to code when I was 10 years old when my father’s best friend, a Software Engineer at Oracle, taught me my first bit of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. My first “startup” was a gaming webapp I built when I was 12. In my first year of college, I started “Khan Academy for the Arab World” an educational site that taught math courses in Arabic.
Fast forward to 2022, with a computer science degree and years of building and launching production-grade solutions under my belt, I’ve teamed up with one the most influential Obstetrics physicians in the MENA region, Dr. Hisham Elgammal. We’ve built a solution that is adopted and tested by women’s healthcare facilities in Egypt and the United States and we’re only just starting. We’ve seen how Silicon Valley/MENA collaborations can create state-of-the-art technologies while providing new opportunities to researchers and developers. Furthermore, we’ve seen how launching digital healthcare technologies in the Middle East can transform patient and physician experiences. The MENA region is filled with exceptionally talented individuals, immensely passionate about transforming the world they live in through technology. Being a part of that world while directly seeing the results continues to be the most fulfilling experience of my life.
What types of connections are you looking to make through Viaka? This can be from the MENA side, as well as with other MENA-connected folks in the Viaka Network
Investors, fellow founders, and healthcare institutions! We’re looking for partners to work with us in our mission to improve the quality of prenatal care globally with an initial emphasis on the MENA and the United States.
Where will that take you?
We’re looking for investors to help us in accelerating product sales and adoption across a multitude of healthcare providers. We’re starting in two locations: The UAE and the San Francisco Bay Area with a plan to scale across the GCC and the larger United States.
Bonus: favorite dish from the MENA world?
Koosa Mahshi in tomato sauce! - When I was a child, on every trip to Damascus my Grandfather Allah Yerhamo, a.k.a. the original Robhy Bustami, would invite the whole family and make a huge pot of Koosa Mahshi. It takes me back every time I have it.
Promising Opportunities from Our MENA Partners
Below are a list of opportunities curated from the Viaka’s MENA partners.
For Founders
Plus.vc invests in early-stage founders (up to Series A) that have a MENA background or connection, but are founding their companies outside of MENA.
*I’m interested*
For Investors
Agel is closing a seed round of $1m to provide Islamic financing options to Egyptian MSMEs in industries previously overlooked by traditional financial institutions.
*I’m interested*
For Advisors
Desert Farms is also looking for a senior advisor with D2C startup experience, preferably in the food & beverage space, and with knowledge of the FDA approval process.
*I’m interested*
If you would like to get involved with any of the opportunities above, please fill out the form below and indicate what opportunity you are interested in in the “Which of Viaka's startup and venture opportunities are you interested in?” section.
Exciting Announcements From Our Network
Below is a list of updates, wins, and asks emanating from members of the Viaka Network in the “West.”
Great hiring opportunity from a Network member! Stephani Moukhaiber’s Al-Rawiya is looking for a marketing manager. See the posting here!
UNRWA USA and TechWadi have partnered together to host “Silicon Coast: Expanding Tech Ecosystems in Gaza to Support Economic Growth”, which will be held in-person in San Francisco on September 29th. The panel discussion will include the CIO of UNRWA, the executive director of UNRWA, and other founders/tech investors. Check out the Event page for more information!
Network member Cecelia McLearney is hosting a fundraiser for UNRWA USA’s upcoming 5K event! The page has the goal to “make access to mental health care a reality for all Palestine refugee children in the Gaza Strip”. This page raises money to “help raise awareness about mental health and provide counseling through UNRWA to traumatized Palestine refugee children living under blockade in the Gaza Strip.” Consider donating and learning more here!
If you’re a member of our Network and would like to share your own update next week, email info.viaka@gmail.com or submit an update via this form.
That’s it for this week. Thank you!
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