I'm Sabri Monaf, a software & machine learning engineer based in NYC

I've been building software for over a decade, developing applications used by millions across government, enterprise, and startups. I specialize in machine learning and full-stack engineering, architecting scalable platforms and delivering AI systems that solve real problems. Based in NYC, I focus on building technology that creates meaningful impact.

I started my career in Baghdad as a freelance engineer while still an undergrad, building my first Android app (S Converter) which reached 200,000+ downloads on Google Play and was recognized by XDA Developers as one of the best Material Design unit converters. This led to co-founding d3 Studio, a software agency where we built solutions for clients ranging from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to tech companies like Careem and Talabatey.

Beyond building software, I've focused on building tech ecosystems and communities. I've been teaching and mentoring developers since my early career—through Iraq's first hackerspace, Google Developer Groups, and nonprofit coding bootcamps training conflict-affected youth. In 2016, I founded Code Lab, a software development bootcamp that trained over 150 students, most of whom now work as senior engineers or run their own startups. The following year, I started GDG Baghdad, which became the fastest-growing Google Developers Group in MENA with nearly 2,000 members in under a year.

After attending Google I/O and Facebook f8 in 2018, I knew AI was where I needed to focus next. Back in Baghdad, I immediately started applying for opportunities to study abroad. A year later, I was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study at the University of Georgia, where I earned a Master's in Artificial Intelligence with distinction. My thesis on Arabic Image Captioning focused on training transformer models for low-resource languages, achieving state-of-the-art results for the task. That research led to co-founding AI Dojo , Iraq's first AI hub, in partnership with GIZ. We've run multiple intensive ML bootcamps, open-sourced all our training materials on GitHub, and built a community where anyone can learn AI.

Now based in NYC, I work on AI systems for financial inclusion at Kiva while continuing to grow AI Dojo's programs. Everything I do connects back to this: build technology that works, make it accessible, and teach others to do the same.