A Conversation with Class of 2025 Alum Khaled Mohsen

What career opportunity are you pursuing after graduating from Minerva?

I’ll be working as a co-founder and CTO of a startup I’m building with two friends. We're developing cutting-edge AI wearables designed to help athletes predict injuries and optimize their performance in real-time.

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What led you to this opportunity? What help did you receive from your peers, alumni, or the Coaching and Talent Development team (CTD) in your journey to this position?

My co-founder, Sadri—also a Minervan—and I met our third teammate in San Francisco (arguably the best place to be for anyone passionate about tech and startups). Our vision aligned quickly, and we started building right away. Minerva’s resources, especially those from the CTD and the networking opportunities we had throughout our semesters, played a major role. They helped us develop the mindset, tools, and connections we needed to confidently pursue this path.

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What skills have you acquired during your studies at Minerva that you believe made you stand out?

Minerva taught me how to think critically across disciplines, solve problems under constraints, and lead with empathy. Beyond technical skills, I developed strong communication and collaboration abilities—essential for working in fast-moving startup environments. The global exposure and the rotation cities also shaped my adaptability and made me comfortable navigating diverse teams and challenges.

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What experiences—academic, professional, or personal—during your global rotation had the biggest impact on your growth?

Two things stand out: my first-year civic project, where we worked on redesigning recruitment practices in Korea to reduce bias in tech hiring, and the Minerva courses that challenged how I think and solve problems. 

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Can you share a project or internship you’re especially proud of from your time at Minerva?

One project I’m especially proud of from my time at Minerva is my work at the AI Lab. We focused on tackling overfishing by building a real-time monitoring and recommendation system. My role involved designing an AI model that could predict where certain fish species were most likely to be found, based on environmental data like water temperature and past fishing patterns. I also helped develop a mobile app that allowed local fishers to log their catches and get suggestions for nearby sustainable fishing spots. It felt really meaningful to use data and technology to support ocean conservation and help communities fish more responsibly. 

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How has Minerva’s global and interdisciplinary approach shaped the way you think about your career or long-term goals?

Minerva made me comfortable with complexity. I now look at challenges from multiple perspectives—technical, social, and ethical—which helps me design better systems and think long-term.

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What’s something unexpected you’ve learned about yourself during your time at Minerva?

That I thrive in ambiguity. Whether it’s moving cities or building a startup, I realized I love navigating uncertainty and turning it into something real.

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What advice would you give to peers or younger students regarding finding and leveraging professional opportunities in your industry?

Start early, build often, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people whose work inspires you. Leverage the Minerva network—it’s full of talented and generous individuals. Take advantage of the Coaching and Talent Development team and city resources in each rotation city to explore different roles and industries. Most importantly, follow your curiosity and don’t wait for permission to build something meaningful. The best opportunities often come when you create them yourself. And also constantly remind yourself: if someone else has done it, so can I.

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‍If you were inspired by Khaled's story and are seeking a college experience that will teach you valuable pragmatic skills that will enable you to change the world, consider applying to Minerva.

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