Arushad Ahmed

Arushad Ahmed is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Javaabu Pvt Ltd, and one of the Maldives’ leading technologists and AI researchers. He is widely recognized for his pioneering work in Dhivehi language AI, large-scale software systems, and national AI capacity building.

Arushad holds a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham, where he received the Best Final Year Project Award, and a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of St. Andrews, where he was also awarded the School of Computer Science Award. His academic excellence has been nationally recognized through the President’s Award for Special Achievement, which he has received twice—in 2019 for outstanding undergraduate achievement and again in 2025 for excellence at the postgraduate level. He is also a recipient of the National Youth Award (2021) in the area of Business and Economy.

At Javaabu, Arushad leads the company’s technical vision and innovation strategy, serving as the system architect across multiple large-scale projects. He is responsible for defining and implementing Javaabu’s overall software development strategy, maintaining high standards of software quality, and introducing modern development technologies and best practices. His work spans the design and development of AI and machine learning systems, web-based information systems, mobile applications, and IoT backends.

He plays a hands-on role in requirements gathering and specification formulation for an international clientele, and actively manages project coordination and client engagement. Arushad leads and supervises the day-to-day work of Javaabu’s in-house development team of 10, oversees hiring of developers and designers, and has worked as lead developer on many of Javaabu’s flagship projects.

Arushad led the founding and technical development of DhivehiGPT, where he spearheaded the research, training, and deployment of Dhivehi-focused AI models. He continues to oversee Javaabu’s research efforts in machine learning and has published academic research in AI, contributing to both applied and academic advancements in the field.

Beyond industry, Arushad plays an active role in national AI education and policy development. He is a Technical Panel Member of the ICT Sector Council at the Maldives National Skills Development Authority (MNSDA), where he has been instrumental in formulating the National AI curriculum across multiple qualification levels. He regularly contributes to national AI and digital transformation policy and strategy discussions, and has conducted numerous AI and digital literacy workshops for government, education, and industry stakeholders.

Arushad is a frequent speaker at AI, technology, and digital transformation panels, podcasts, and public events across the Maldives. Through Javaabu Academy, he has also taught courses in web development and graphic design, reflecting his multidisciplinary background.

Highly technical and creatively driven, Arushad brings together expertise in software engineering, artificial intelligence, graphic design, and video production. Outside of work, he is an avid amateur photographer, with a strong interest in visual storytelling and creative expression.

Through deep technical leadership, research, and national engagement, Arushad Ahmed continues to shape Javaabu’s innovation agenda and contribute to the Maldives’ growing AI and digital ecosystem.