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Waqas Ali
Co-founder, Atoms
Waqas Ali is the co-founder of Atoms, a New York-based sneaker startup. Here are some key details about him:
Professional Background
Waqas Ali co-founded Atoms with his wife Sidra Qasim in 2018.13 He initially served as the CEO of the company from February 2018 to August 2022.1 In September 2022, he transitioned to the role of President while Sidra Qasim took over as CEO.23
Career History
- Co-Founder / President at Atoms (September 2022 - Present)1
- Co-Founder & CEO at Atoms (February 2018 - August 2022)1
- Co-Founder at Markhor (June 2012 - Present)1
Education
- Attended Y Combinator's startup program in 20151
- Studied at Forman Christian College, Lahore (BS, 2006-2010)1
- Attended Govt College, Okara (FSc, 2003-2006)1
Entrepreneurial Journey
Waqas and Sidra have started three companies together.3 They moved from Pakistan to New York to launch Atoms, which has gained significant traction in the sneaker market. The company has raised over $12 million in venture funding from investors including Initialized Capital and Kleiner Perkins.3
Company Growth
Under Waqas's leadership, Atoms experienced substantial growth:
- Revenue increased from about $6 million in 2020 to $12 million in 20213
- The company has sold over 100,000 shoes3
Personal
Waqas is originally from Pakistan and is now based in New York.1 He is known for his focus on design, creative strategy, marketing, and customer experience within Atoms.3
Highlights
last few weeks of winter hit different the trees so big so tall growing again in small ways with small baby leaves humble and full of pride spring is here! https://t.co/k4c9rPurbE

Apple Intelligence is so bad because no one’s running it like a startup.
hire a @nikitabier-level product person who’ll torch the current roadmap, rethink everything from scratch, and actually ship something people actually want to use every day.


