Akki Shafiqullah

Hi, my name is Akki. Below is my professional journey through time

Interest in 0-1 product and business development.
Engineer turned to strategy consultant to now a founder building ColumnsRows.

Akki Shafiqullah

CV

2024

Founder

Columnsrows

San Francisco, London

Building an AI platform that makes PowerPoint presentations searchable and intelligent. It's been a journey of learning everything from technical architecture to enterprise sales.

As a solo founder, I've worn many hats and discovered I enjoy the challenge of solving complex problems across different domains.

What I've Learned
  • How to build and sell B2B software to enterprise clients
  • The art of pitching complex technical solutions to non-technical executives
  • Building scalable backend systems with modern AI technologies
  • Leading small, focused technical teams
Website
columnsrows.com

Columnsrows

AI-powered slide intelligence platform

Visit Columnsrows.com
Technology Stack
Python AI Agents AWS SaaS PowerPoint API
2022

Senior Associate Consultant (Innovation)

Bain & Company

Copenhagen, Dubai, London

Joined the Innovation and Design team at Bain, where I helped companies build new businesses and products from scratch.

It was fascinating to work across different industries and learn how established companies think about innovation and growth.

What I've Learned
  • How to take products from idea to market, working with fast-growing companies
  • Strategic thinking for large-scale infrastructure and R&D projects
  • Early exploration of Web 3.0 technologies and their business applications
  • Leading AI initiatives and building practical applications for consulting work
Skills & Focus Areas
Product Management Strategy Generative AI Web 3.0 Financial Modeling
2021

Technical Product Manager

Atom Learning

London

Joined an AI-driven education startup where I focused on making data more accessible and actionable for the team. It was my first deep dive into the world of product analytics and business intelligence.

What I've Learned
  • How to transform messy data into clear insights that teams can actually use
  • Building data pipelines and making them reliable and efficient
  • The power of good visualization tools in democratizing data access
  • How A/B testing and personalization can meaningfully improve user engagement
Technology Stack
SQL Python Tableau Talend A/B Testing
1st Class BSc Economics @ Queen Mary University
2020

SWE Intern

Symphony Technologies IoT

Shenzhen

Joined a small IoT startup in Shenzhen focused on predictive maintenance. It was my first taste of working with hardware and sensors, and being part of startup accelerator programs.

What I've Learned
  • How machine learning can be applied to real-world hardware problems
  • Building robust backend systems for IoT devices
  • The challenges and excitement of working in a small, focused team
  • What it's like to be part of a startup accelerator program
2019

Intern, Corporate Strategy

Cogobuy Group

Shenzhen

Started as an intern at a large electronics distribution company in Shenzhen, where I got to work on developing a new AI/IoT product concept from scratch.

What I've Learned
  • How to turn an idea into a structured business case and technical plan
  • Building proof-of-concept prototypes that demonstrate real value
  • The journey from corporate project to independent startup
  • Working in China's fast-paced technology ecosystem

Portfolio

Startup

ColumnsRows

AI-powered slide intelligence platform transforming static PowerPoint into searchable knowledge bases

Additional Projects