I grew up not too far away from here in the wonderful city of Alleyne though I’m
the wonderful city of Alleyne though I’m
the wonderful city of Alleyne though I’m originally from Bangladesh so a
originally from Bangladesh so a
originally from Bangladesh so a conflicted third culture kid when I was
conflicted third culture kid when I was
conflicted third culture kid when I was growing up I remember how expensive it
growing up I remember how expensive it
growing up I remember how expensive it was for my parents to call their family
was for my parents to call their family
was for my parents to call their family back home in fact it was so expensive
back home in fact it was so expensive
back home in fact it was so expensive that at times they would actually record
that at times they would actually record
that at times they would actually record their updates and stories and into audio
their updates and stories and into audio
their updates and stories and into audio cassettes and snail mail them back to
cassettes and snail mail them back to
cassettes and snail mail them back to family and I’m not talking about the
family and I’m not talking about the
family and I’m not talking about the Neolithic period here this was the
Neolithic period here this was the
Neolithic period here this was the archaic millennium of 2001 the priests
archaic millennium of 2001 the priests
archaic millennium of 2001 the priests Skype days dial-up was already available
Skype days dial-up was already available
Skype days dial-up was already available at home do you guys remember where you
at home do you guys remember where you
at home do you guys remember where you couldn’t connect the telephone when you
couldn’t connect the telephone when you
couldn’t connect the telephone when you were using the internet or perhaps the
were using the internet or perhaps the
were using the internet or perhaps the dial tone that you have to dial up to
dial tone that you have to dial up to
dial tone that you have to dial up to the Internet it was a very different
the Internet it was a very different
the Internet it was a very different world out there kids out today so and
world out there kids out today so and
world out there kids out today so and with her dial-up internet we were
with her dial-up internet we were
with her dial-up internet we were already streaming music so when I looked
already streaming music so when I looked
already streaming music so when I looked at the problem that my parents were
at the problem that my parents were
at the problem that my parents were facing so I knew the pieces were out
facing so I knew the pieces were out
facing so I knew the pieces were out there but a solution was just not put
there but a solution was just not put
there but a solution was just not put together and the existing way of calling
together and the existing way of calling
together and the existing way of calling using your Rory telephone network was
using your Rory telephone network was
using your Rory telephone network was expensive so I set out seeing this
expensive so I set out seeing this
expensive so I set out seeing this problem and I was confident that I could
problem and I was confident that I could
problem and I was confident that I could find the solution around it and that’s
find the solution around it and that’s
find the solution around it and that’s what I did at around age 13 I had
what I did at around age 13 I had
what I did at around age 13 I had founded a voice over the internet
founded a voice over the internet
founded a voice over the internet product that allow my parents to call
product that allow my parents to call
product that allow my parents to call family back home over the Internet
family back home over the Internet
family back home over the Internet and the way I did that was I had cold
and the way I did that was I had cold
and the way I did that was I had cold called lots of Technology companies that
called lots of Technology companies that
called lots of Technology companies that would sell big boxes like these and I
would sell big boxes like these and I
would sell big boxes like these and I would spend hours with them on the
would spend hours with them on the
would spend hours with them on the telephone and eventually had asked them
telephone and eventually had asked them
telephone and eventually had asked them to email me their documentation on my
to email me their documentation on my
to email me their documentation on my fancy hotmail address which I would pour
fancy hotmail address which I would pour
fancy hotmail address which I would pour hours on and then that’s how I learned
hours on and then that’s how I learned
hours on and then that’s how I learned about the technology eventually I have
about the technology eventually I have
about the technology eventually I have the solution where my parents could talk
the solution where my parents could talk
the solution where my parents could talk over the Internet to their family and
over the Internet to their family and
over the Internet to their family and they were quite happy about it and the
they were quite happy about it and the
they were quite happy about it and the companies on the other end
companies on the other end
companies on the other end the line actually had no idea that a
the line actually had no idea that a
the line actually had no idea that a thirteen-year-old was speaking to them
thirteen-year-old was speaking to them
thirteen-year-old was speaking to them and buying their systems so with a
and buying their systems so with a
and buying their systems so with a successful pilot I was eventually able
successful pilot I was eventually able
successful pilot I was eventually able to provide the solution to people who
to provide the solution to people who
to provide the solution to people who needed it the most
needed it the most
needed it the most the workers that you see here who didn’t
the workers that you see here who didn’t
the workers that you see here who didn’t have access to technology were usually
have access to technology were usually
have access to technology were usually much further away from home from family
much further away from home from family
much further away from home from family and didn’t have the means to call so I
and didn’t have the means to call so I
and didn’t have the means to call so I gave him a solution where they would
gave him a solution where they would
gave him a solution where they would pick up a telephone just like a normal
pick up a telephone just like a normal
pick up a telephone just like a normal piece of telephone and then the calls
piece of telephone and then the calls
piece of telephone and then the calls would go over the Internet so by age 16
would go over the Internet so by age 16
would go over the Internet so by age 16 my business had made enough money that I
my business had made enough money that I
my business had made enough money that I was able to cover all my tuition fee as
was able to cover all my tuition fee as
was able to cover all my tuition fee as an international student to any college
an international student to any college
an international student to any college I wanted and that was quite a lot for a
I wanted and that was quite a lot for a
I wanted and that was quite a lot for a 16 year old and none of my friends knew
16 year old and none of my friends knew
16 year old and none of my friends knew that I actually used to take business
that I actually used to take business
that I actually used to take business calls in school washrooms during the
calls in school washrooms during the
calls in school washrooms during the school hours and I actually you know
school hours and I actually you know
school hours and I actually you know didn’t like sharing that because all I
didn’t like sharing that because all I
didn’t like sharing that because all I saw was a problem and I wanted to help
saw was a problem and I wanted to help
saw was a problem and I wanted to help people so I built a solution around it
people so I built a solution around it
people so I built a solution around it but eventually actually had to wrap up
but eventually actually had to wrap up
but eventually actually had to wrap up the business because I couldn’t convince
the business because I couldn’t convince
the business because I couldn’t convince my Asian parents to let me drop out of
my Asian parents to let me drop out of
my Asian parents to let me drop out of university to focus on the business so
university to focus on the business so
university to focus on the business so juggling a growing business while being
juggling a growing business while being
juggling a growing business while being in college was just a no-go I ended up
in college was just a no-go I ended up
in college was just a no-go I ended up in a small college out in Canada at a
in a small college out in Canada at a
in a small college out in Canada at a university called the University of
university called the University of
university called the University of Waterloo and if any of you have heard
Waterloo and if any of you have heard
Waterloo and if any of you have heard about Waterloo in the last few years you
about Waterloo in the last few years you
about Waterloo in the last few years you probably know Waterloo as the feeder
probably know Waterloo as the feeder
probably know Waterloo as the feeder University to Silicon Valley and being
University to Silicon Valley and being
University to Silicon Valley and being in Waterloo I really felt like I found
in Waterloo I really felt like I found
in Waterloo I really felt like I found my tribe of eccentric and weird people
my tribe of eccentric and weird people
my tribe of eccentric and weird people who also wanted to change the world to
who also wanted to change the world to
who also wanted to change the world to the point that first week of college I
the point that first week of college I
the point that first week of college I remember meeting a guy who had sold his
remember meeting a guy who had sold his
remember meeting a guy who had sold his company to Yahoo for a couple million
company to Yahoo for a couple million
company to Yahoo for a couple million dollars wow that’s amazing and for a
dollars wow that’s amazing and for a
dollars wow that’s amazing and for a small kid who grew up in the Middle East
small kid who grew up in the Middle East
small kid who grew up in the Middle East in a small city suddenly the world felt
in a small city suddenly the world felt
in a small city suddenly the world felt like it was full of opportunities to the
like it was full of opportunities to the
like it was full of opportunities to the point when it was 2007
point when it was 2007
point when it was 2007 2008 the whole app craze had spread
2008 the whole app craze had spread
2008 the whole app craze had spread across campus all of us were trying to
across campus all of us were trying to
across campus all of us were trying to build the next photo sharing app and
build the next photo sharing app and
build the next photo sharing app and some of my friends were out in Silicon
some of my friends were out in Silicon
some of my friends were out in Silicon Valley trying to build technology to
Valley trying to build technology to
Valley trying to build technology to trick people into clicking the next ads
trick people into clicking the next ads
trick people into clicking the next ads oh the bubble we were living in we were
oh the bubble we were living in we were
oh the bubble we were living in we were trying to build technology for a small
trying to build technology for a small
trying to build technology for a small set up subset of people right at the top
set up subset of people right at the top
set up subset of people right at the top while I felt really at home in Waterloo
while I felt really at home in Waterloo
while I felt really at home in Waterloo with all these weird tribe members I
with all these weird tribe members I
with all these weird tribe members I felt a little bit conflicted I’m really
felt a little bit conflicted I’m really
felt a little bit conflicted I’m really passionate about technology and really
passionate about technology and really
passionate about technology and really believe in the power that it has in
believe in the power that it has in
believe in the power that it has in changing lives and improving the world
changing lives and improving the world
changing lives and improving the world for better so one summer I actually took
for better so one summer I actually took
for better so one summer I actually took a trip to Bangladesh where I worked for
a trip to Bangladesh where I worked for
a trip to Bangladesh where I worked for the Nobel Peace Prize winning Grameen
the Nobel Peace Prize winning Grameen
the Nobel Peace Prize winning Grameen Bank under the leadership of Muhammad
Bank under the leadership of Muhammad
Bank under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus who was the pioneer of
Yunus who was the pioneer of
Yunus who was the pioneer of microfinance now Grameen Bank was
microfinance now Grameen Bank was
microfinance now Grameen Bank was actually looking at technologies that
actually looking at technologies that
actually looking at technologies that was affecting socio-economic development
was affecting socio-economic development
was affecting socio-economic development because they’d found a great benefit in
because they’d found a great benefit in
because they’d found a great benefit in what cell phones had done in these
what cell phones had done in these
what cell phones had done in these communities so I ended up working on
communities so I ended up working on
communities so I ended up working on this project where we were building
this project where we were building
this project where we were building telemedicine kiosks for rural
telemedicine kiosks for rural
telemedicine kiosks for rural communities that didn’t have access to
communities that didn’t have access to
communities that didn’t have access to care
care
care but one thing we actually realized was
but one thing we actually realized was
but one thing we actually realized was even though we were providing access to
even though we were providing access to
even though we were providing access to care a lot of the complex cases weren’t
care a lot of the complex cases weren’t
care a lot of the complex cases weren’t actually being solved because the
actually being solved because the
actually being solved because the doctors on the other side were actually
doctors on the other side were actually
doctors on the other side were actually quite young so that actually opened my
quite young so that actually opened my
quite young so that actually opened my eyes to a whole new set of problems
eyes to a whole new set of problems
eyes to a whole new set of problems that I thought technology could solve
that I thought technology could solve
that I thought technology could solve and it’s interesting to actually pause
and it’s interesting to actually pause
and it’s interesting to actually pause here and reflect on the irony here I was
here and reflect on the irony here I was
here and reflect on the irony here I was in rural Bangladesh over 5,000 miles
in rural Bangladesh over 5,000 miles
in rural Bangladesh over 5,000 miles away from Canada where my friends were
away from Canada where my friends were
away from Canada where my friends were trying to build the next big app and I
trying to build the next big app and I
trying to build the next big app and I was pondering the impact technology
was pondering the impact technology
was pondering the impact technology could have on changing lives I kind of
could have on changing lives I kind of
could have on changing lives I kind of felt like my life was shifting there a
felt like my life was shifting there a
felt like my life was shifting there a little bit to give you some perspective
little bit to give you some perspective
little bit to give you some perspective in Bangladesh about 70% of the
in Bangladesh about 70% of the
in Bangladesh about 70% of the population live in rural areas 70%
population live in rural areas 70%
population live in rural areas 70% so an average healthcare facility is
so an average healthcare facility is
so an average healthcare facility is approximately 13 kilometers to an
approximately 13 kilometers to an
approximately 13 kilometers to an average citizen now 13 kilometers for us
average citizen now 13 kilometers for us
average citizen now 13 kilometers for us here in Dubai may not sound like a bad
here in Dubai may not sound like a bad
here in Dubai may not sound like a bad deal you hop into your fast car drive
deal you hop into your fast car drive
deal you hop into your fast car drive down the highway and it’s a 15 minute
down the highway and it’s a 15 minute
down the highway and it’s a 15 minute ride to max not a big deal but for
ride to max not a big deal but for
ride to max not a big deal but for communities that don’t have access to
communities that don’t have access to
communities that don’t have access to cars with no roads water clogged
cars with no roads water clogged
cars with no roads water clogged environments while they’re sick this
environments while they’re sick this
environments while they’re sick this ordeal can take up to three hours if not
ordeal can take up to three hours if not
ordeal can take up to three hours if not longer and imagine a scenario where you
longer and imagine a scenario where you
longer and imagine a scenario where you end up at the hospital and the doctor
end up at the hospital and the doctor
end up at the hospital and the doctor didn’t show up that day or maybe you
didn’t show up that day or maybe you
didn’t show up that day or maybe you borrowed some money from family and took
borrowed some money from family and took
borrowed some money from family and took an even longer trip or maybe abroad to
an even longer trip or maybe abroad to
an even longer trip or maybe abroad to find out that a doctor told you that
find out that a doctor told you that
find out that a doctor told you that your diagnostic results have come out
your diagnostic results have come out
your diagnostic results have come out negative so you just go back home but
negative so you just go back home but
negative so you just go back home but now you have death so it was very
now you have death so it was very
now you have death so it was very interesting to work in Bangladesh and
interesting to work in Bangladesh and
interesting to work in Bangladesh and this is where we understood the impact
this is where we understood the impact
this is where we understood the impact of what technology could do in
of what technology could do in
of what technology could do in developing countries so I went back to
developing countries so I went back to
developing countries so I went back to Canada being really passionate on the
Canada being really passionate on the
Canada being really passionate on the kind of technologies I could build that
kind of technologies I could build that
kind of technologies I could build that really mattered and would change lives
really mattered and would change lives
really mattered and would change lives now in North America it was very
now in North America it was very
now in North America it was very difficult to work on healthcare
difficult to work on healthcare
difficult to work on healthcare technologies because of regulation
technologies because of regulation
technologies because of regulation issues and some of the ideas that I was
issues and some of the ideas that I was
issues and some of the ideas that I was pondering actually felt fit for
pondering actually felt fit for
pondering actually felt fit for developing countries so that’s where we
developing countries so that’s where we
developing countries so that’s where we got started i co-founded a healthcare
got started i co-founded a healthcare
got started i co-founded a healthcare startup that provided world-class
startup that provided world-class
startup that provided world-class healthcare to underserved communities
healthcare to underserved communities
healthcare to underserved communities that didn’t have access to medical care
that didn’t have access to medical care
that didn’t have access to medical care and just like my early rendition of
and just like my early rendition of
and just like my early rendition of Skype days I knew the pieces were
Skype days I knew the pieces were
Skype days I knew the pieces were already there
already there
already there I’m just amazed at how cell phone
I’m just amazed at how cell phone
I’m just amazed at how cell phone connectivity had spread all across the
connectivity had spread all across the
connectivity had spread all across the world and increasingly 3G was there so
world and increasingly 3G was there so
world and increasingly 3G was there so at our startup we use 3G connectivity to
at our startup we use 3G connectivity to
at our startup we use 3G connectivity to provide healthcare access to underserved
provide healthcare access to underserved
provide healthcare access to underserved areas
areas
areas and this is how we do it we provide a
and this is how we do it we provide a
and this is how we do it we provide a piece of hardware to these facilities
piece of hardware to these facilities
piece of hardware to these facilities our hardware consists of a simple mobile
our hardware consists of a simple mobile
our hardware consists of a simple mobile processor we’ve put some battery backup
processor we’ve put some battery backup
processor we’ve put some battery backup we’ve connected multiple 3G internet
we’ve connected multiple 3G internet
we’ve connected multiple 3G internet connections to increase the speed and we
connections to increase the speed and we
connections to increase the speed and we give this hardware out for free it just
give this hardware out for free it just
give this hardware out for free it just cost us a couple of hundred dollars and
cost us a couple of hundred dollars and
cost us a couple of hundred dollars and a hospital in Afghanistan for example
a hospital in Afghanistan for example
a hospital in Afghanistan for example would partner with us and we put down
would partner with us and we put down
would partner with us and we put down our hardware and then afterwards a
our hardware and then afterwards a
our hardware and then afterwards a patient would walk into a facility work
patient would walk into a facility work
patient would walk into a facility work with their local GP and their local GP
with their local GP and their local GP
with their local GP and their local GP would most likely prescribe a battery of
would most likely prescribe a battery of
would most likely prescribe a battery of diagnostic tests so at CT x-ray MRI
diagnostic tests so at CT x-ray MRI
diagnostic tests so at CT x-ray MRI depending on the condition or some lab
depending on the condition or some lab
depending on the condition or some lab results and then our hardware would
results and then our hardware would
results and then our hardware would callate all that information out and we
callate all that information out and we
callate all that information out and we would transmit it over to our global
would transmit it over to our global
would transmit it over to our global network of doctors that would provide a
network of doctors that would provide a
network of doctors that would provide a speedy diagnosis to rent return it back
speedy diagnosis to rent return it back
speedy diagnosis to rent return it back to that local doctor who now was better
to that local doctor who now was better
to that local doctor who now was better equipped and more informed to provide
equipped and more informed to provide
equipped and more informed to provide better treatment to their patient so far
better treatment to their patient so far
better treatment to their patient so far in our 18 months of operation we’ve
in our 18 months of operation we’ve
in our 18 months of operation we’ve actually treated over 6000 patients
we’ve been able to save lives literally
we’ve been able to save lives literally I’ll give you the example of a guy named
I’ll give you the example of a guy named
I’ll give you the example of a guy named Abdullah Abdullah is the sole
Abdullah Abdullah is the sole
Abdullah Abdullah is the sole breadwinner of his family of seven in
breadwinner of his family of seven in
breadwinner of his family of seven in Kabul Afghanistan he walked into one of
Kabul Afghanistan he walked into one of
Kabul Afghanistan he walked into one of her facilities and very soon we found
her facilities and very soon we found
her facilities and very soon we found out that he had a perforated colon
out that he had a perforated colon
out that he had a perforated colon because of her consultation doctors were
because of her consultation doctors were
because of her consultation doctors were able to operate on him immediately and
able to operate on him immediately and
able to operate on him immediately and his life was saved if he did not get
his life was saved if he did not get
his life was saved if he did not get that procedure right then he would not
that procedure right then he would not
that procedure right then he would not have made it if he didn’t make it the
have made it if he didn’t make it the
have made it if he didn’t make it the lives of his family of seven and their
lives of his family of seven and their
lives of his family of seven and their fate would have been unknown today
fate would have been unknown today
fate would have been unknown today similarly we’ve actually been treating
similarly we’ve actually been treating
similarly we’ve actually been treating young mothers cancer patients tumor
young mothers cancer patients tumor
young mothers cancer patients tumor cases and a lot more and in developing
cases and a lot more and in developing
cases and a lot more and in developing countries these solutions are more
countries these solutions are more
countries these solutions are more needed because patients wouldn’t
needed because patients wouldn’t
needed because patients wouldn’t actually visit a healthcare facility
actually visit a healthcare facility
actually visit a healthcare facility until the very last moment when it’s way
until the very last moment when it’s way
until the very last moment when it’s way too late
too late
too late so what we’re actually also doing is
so what we’re actually also doing is
so what we’re actually also doing is reducing the cost of providing care by
reducing the cost of providing care by
reducing the cost of providing care by building up a very large repository of
building up a very large repository of
building up a very large repository of medical data and applying machine
medical data and applying machine
medical data and applying machine learning on it so we can apply
learning on it so we can apply
learning on it so we can apply pre-diagnosis to it before a specialist
pre-diagnosis to it before a specialist
pre-diagnosis to it before a specialist has even looked at it so as a result we
has even looked at it so as a result we
has even looked at it so as a result we can provide healthcare cheaply faster
can provide healthcare cheaply faster
can provide healthcare cheaply faster and reliably so people can stay healthy
and reliably so people can stay healthy
and reliably so people can stay healthy for longer so so far we’ve been able to
for longer so so far we’ve been able to
for longer so so far we’ve been able to provide our solutions successfully in
provide our solutions successfully in
provide our solutions successfully in Nigeria Sudan and Afghanistan and we’re
Nigeria Sudan and Afghanistan and we’re
Nigeria Sudan and Afghanistan and we’re hoping to grow this and now I think
hoping to grow this and now I think
hoping to grow this and now I think fondly to my days when I was running my
fondly to my days when I was running my
fondly to my days when I was running my business from the high school and I look
business from the high school and I look
business from the high school and I look back and on one side I see people
back and on one side I see people
back and on one side I see people competing over the next text bubble to
competing over the next text bubble to
competing over the next text bubble to build the next folder sharing app but I
build the next folder sharing app but I
build the next folder sharing app but I still feel like there are lots of
still feel like there are lots of
still feel like there are lots of important technologies in the world that
important technologies in the world that
important technologies in the world that can be implemented to change lives and
can be implemented to change lives and
can be implemented to change lives and if we look at these problems with the
if we look at these problems with the
if we look at these problems with the same tenacity drive and passion that we
same tenacity drive and passion that we
same tenacity drive and passion that we do with the next Silicon Valley unicorn
do with the next Silicon Valley unicorn
do with the next Silicon Valley unicorn startup we would be able to build a much
startup we would be able to build a much
startup we would be able to build a much better world and some of these pieces
better world and some of these pieces
better world and some of these pieces are already available in front of you
are already available in front of you
are already available in front of you you don’t need anything magical to
you don’t need anything magical to
you don’t need anything magical to happen for them to come to place you
happen for them to come to place you
happen for them to come to place you just need to look around see what’s
just need to look around see what’s
just need to look around see what’s available for you join the dots to come
available for you join the dots to come
available for you join the dots to come up with a solution to change the face of
up with a solution to change the face of
up with a solution to change the face of healthcare or maybe other aspects
healthcare or maybe other aspects
healthcare or maybe other aspects I hope this was an idea worth spreading
I hope this was an idea worth spreading
I hope this was an idea worth spreading and has shifted your perspective on the
and has shifted your perspective on the
and has shifted your perspective on the change that we can provide in providing
change that we can provide in providing
change that we can provide in providing access to basic health care and the
access to basic health care and the
access to basic health care and the impact technology has on it thank you
”
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