Age: 38
Birthplace: Qom, Iran
Company: Giatec offers Internet of Things solutions to the concrete industry.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)
Best Places to Work: Giatec breaks down barriers in the concrete industry
When Giatec founders Pouria Ghods and Aali Alizadeh came to Canada from Iran in 2005 to pursue PhDs in science and engineering, they could never have imagined running a 150-person
Emerging details on plans for The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus
As the 100th anniversary of the Civic Campus inches closer — marking a century of care and medical breakthroughs — plans continue for the next 100 years of healthcare in
Education: PhD in civil engineering, University of Ottawa (2009)
Charitable involvement: American Concrete Institute
Biggest biz achievement: Selling Giatec’s first product and exporting it to the U.S.
Biggest obstacle: Being afraid of failure!
Biggest influence: My professor and mentor, the late Dr. Mehdi Ghalibafian. He was the most ethical, conscientious and hard-working person I have ever met. As a professional civil engineer, he was truly dedicated to improving people’s lives and was a role model for not letting his personal interests get in the way of this.
Biggest lesson learned: It is only “sales” that matter! Startups can grow and develop products in their early days by relying on government grants or raising investment. But the business does not grow unless the founders shift their focus to generating revenue from scaleable sales to customers.
First job: Selling candies.
Advice I’d give the younger me: Take one thing at a time and don’t worry about the future!
Favourite pastime: Photography
I’m currently reading: How Google Works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg
Favourite movie: Inception
Favourite song: Persian songs by Mohammad-Reza Shajarian
Favourite local pro sports team: Ottawa Senators
Favourite local summer event: Canada Day
Preferred social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
Twitter handle: @_Aali
