Founder of HiStreets and Zen-X Technology. MSc in Data Science, Software Engineer in AI and Machine Learning, and a member of the Royal Statistical Society.
Ahtashamul has spent his career working with data, AI and machine learning. Along the way he noticed something that stayed with him. The same technology that helps huge companies grow was almost never reaching the people who needed it most: the local shop owner, the young person looking for a first job, the small charity doing quiet good.
He had seen the gap up close. On one side, big brands with clever tools and endless reach. On the other, a wonderful family business with nothing but a paper note in the window. The difference was never the quality of the food, the haircut or the care. It was simply who had the technology.
"The best technology should not belong only to the biggest companies. It should help the shop on the corner just as much as the giant across the country."
So he built HiStreets, and brought it all together in one place: the map, the offers, the local jobs, the services and community help. He added a friendly assistant so residents can simply say what they need, and a helper so any owner can post an offer, even with no marketing experience. Every part was designed to work for the community, not to profit from it.
Away from HiStreets, he gives his time freely, helping early-stage startups and charities use AI and technology to do more with less. He has also written a book, now available on Amazon, to share what he has learned and help the wider community. HiStreets grew from that same belief, and it is free to post on and open source on purpose, built for local businesses, youth support and community help.
He built it for one more reason too: a deep belief in places like Newham, one of London's most diverse and enterprising boroughs, and in the idea that a strong high street makes a stronger community. Developers, designers, shop owners, community groups, councils and researchers are all warmly welcome to help shape where it goes next.