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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

Feb 14 · twitter

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.

Dec 23 · twitter

figma should have a simple bookmarking tool, so i can easily access all the links of my mood board at one place. cc @zoink

Apr 27 · Tubefilter
MKBHD sneaks in a shoe collab with Atoms - Tubefilter
MKBHD sneaks in a shoe collab with Atoms - Tubefilter
Apr 25 · Fast Company
YouTuber Marques Brownlee designed high tops for shoe brand ... - Fast Company

Related Questions

What inspired Waqas Ali to co-found Atoms?
How did Waqas Ali's experience at Y Combinator impact his career?
What are some of the key products Waqas Ali has developed at Atoms?
How did Waqas Ali and Sidra Qasim meet and start their companies together?
What challenges did Waqas Ali face while growing Atoms?
Waqas Ali
Waqas Ali, photo 1
Waqas Ali, photo 2
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Experience

Co-founder / President at Atoms
Co-Founder & CEO at Atoms, Co-Founder at Markhor

Education

Startup program at Y Combinator, BS from Forman Christian College, Lahore, FSc from Govt College, Okara

Location

Greater New York City Area