Omar Malik

Self-taught from a Commodore 64; built Mathletics' core real-time features and led 3P Learning's international expansion.

A self-taught coder from age 12, I started with a Commodore 64 and eventually got removed from my school's computer room for extracurricular experimentation. At 3P Learning I built core functionality for Mathletics, helped the real-time platform scale globally and led international expansion—before “startup” was a familiar label in Australia.

Turned a single-discipline technical department into an engineering capability shipping for Honda, ESPN and BBC Radio.

Long before “full-stack” became a buzzword, I transformed a single-discipline technical department into a technology-agnostic engineering capability. The team delivered high-profile digital products and campaigns for Honda, ESPN, BBC Radio and others.

Built an award-winning creative technology studio—founding client Sony Music—for work other agencies couldn't handle.

With Sony Music as our founding client, I built an award-winning creative technology studio for work other agencies were not equipped to handle. It proved that world-class engineering and world-class storytelling need not be mutually exclusive.

Founded and ran London Tech Founders Anonymous (2011–13)—a Chatham House Rule peer group trading “We're killing it!” for the truth.

While running Half Cyborg, I founded London Tech Founders Anonymous and ran it from 2011 to 2013: regular sessions under the Chatham House Rule where founders could set aside the ubiquitous “We're killing it!” in favour of actual truth and deeper bonding. No stage, no pitching—just honest peers, years before founder mental health was something the industry said out loud. That same care for the people doing the building still shapes how I work with founders today.

Founded Mercurial Phoenix to build alongside entrepreneurs as a quasi-founder team, deepened by an in-residence role at Method.

I founded Mercurial Phoenix to work alongside entrepreneurs as a quasi-founder team, rather than simply taking briefs. An in-residence role at Method deepened that focus: building companies with clients, testing ideas of our own and developing a leaner model for venture creation.

Moved to New York to co-found MediQuire, pivoting it into hospital EHR analytics—through to a $5m+ Series A.

I moved to New York to co-found MediQuire, pivoting the business into an analytics layer for hospital EHR systems. We raised pre-seed funding, joined Blueprint Health and went on to raise a $5m+ Series A.

Founded basket.ai back in London—conversational commerce, years before talking to software became the obvious interface.

Back in London, I founded basket.ai, a conversational commerce startup—putting shopping inside a chat interface years before AI assistants made that feel inevitable. The timing was early; the instinct for where the puck was heading has aged rather well.

Embedded as in-residence CTO inside two globally recognised venture studios, shaping new companies from day one.

Having gone from zero to one as a founder more than once, I embedded as an in-residence CTO inside two globally recognised venture studios. There I shaped the technical foundations of a new wave of companies from day one.

Co-founded Gameplan, a venture-backed workplace management startup—it lives on today as Ryde.

After shaping other people's companies inside the studios, I co-founded another of my own: Gameplan, a venture-backed workplace management startup. It lives on today as Ryde—proof, if any were needed, that the founding itch doesn't fade.