Dr. Ishha Farha Quraishy: Redefining Innovation with Purpose

In a rapidly digitizing world, few leaders have blended technology and empathy as seamlessly as Dr. Ishha Farha Quraishy. As the founder of IFQ EVO TECH, she is on a mission to reshape the future, where artificial intelligence, the Metaverse, and human-centered design converge not just to innovate, but to create impact.

Dr. Quraishy doesn’t just lead a tech company; she leads a movement. Inspired by the graceful transformation of a butterfly, she envisions businesses as evolving ecosystems, capable of becoming more agile, intelligent, and inclusive. Under her leadership, IFQ EVO TECH has developed a robust portfolio of solutions, from intelligent automation and predictive analytics to cybersecurity and robotics, all designed to integrate seamlessly into both modern and legacy systems.

One of her most groundbreaking achievements includes orchestrating a landmark partnership with Dubai Customs, enabling them to host their annual board meeting in the Metaverse, a bold step toward government digital transformation that captured international attention.

But Dr. Quraishy’s work extends far beyond corporate boardrooms. Deeply aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, she champions global initiatives around education and inclusivity. Her vision: a world where digital progress uplifts every community, not just the privileged few.

With operations in over 80 regions and more than 180 real-world AI use cases to her credit, Dr. Ishha Farha Quraishy is not just a tech visionary, she’s a changemaker. By placing people at the center of innovation, she is ensuring that the future we build is not only intelligent but also equitable, sustainable, and deeply human.

Pioneering AI Solutions for Empowering Differently-Abled Children

Dr. Ishha’s innovative spirit led to the creation of an AI-driven platform tailored for the health and education sectors. This platform captures neural signals, translating them into predictive insights displayed on an intuitive dashboard. Such technology enables caregivers and educators to anticipate and respond to the unique needs of children with determination, fostering a more inclusive environment.​

In collaboration with her Innovation Head, Mr. Ali Hajji, Dr. Ishha spearheaded the integration of sign language into humanoid robots. These robots, equipped with advanced facial recognition capabilities, interpret hand and facial gestures, converting them into sign language, speech, and written text. This breakthrough has significantly bridged communication gaps for children with hearing impairments, enhancing their interaction with the world around them.​

Recognitions and Accolades

Dr. Ishha’s contributions have garnered international acclaim. Forbes honored her as a “Crowned Technopreneur – Where Tech Brilliance Meets Beauty Grace,” acknowledging her dual prowess in technology and leadership. The World Leadership Federation recognized her as the “Youngest Crowned Techno Genius Entrepreneur,” celebrating her groundbreaking work in AI and her role as a global ambassador for technological advancement.

Her accolades extend beyond the tech realm. Dr. Ishha holds titles such as Mrs. Universe 2019 Solidarity and Mrs. UAE United Nations, reflecting her commitment to humanitarian causes and global diplomacy. These honors underscore her multifaceted impact, blending technological innovation with a deep sense of social responsibility.

Navigating and Challenging Gender Norms in Technology

In an industry where women represent only 26.7% of tech-related jobs and a mere 14% in leadership roles, Dr. Ishha has emerged as a beacon of change. She has confronted and overcome challenges such as gender biases and the scarcity of female mentorship. Through her “Women in Tech” initiative, she provides resources, mentorship, and opportunities, aiming to cultivate a more inclusive tech environment.

Dr. Ishha emphasizes the importance of early leadership education, advocating for parental encouragement, especially from mothers, to inspire young girls to pursue STEM fields. She believes that women’s unique strengths, empathy, collaboration, and creativity—are vital for driving innovation and transformation in technology.​

Championing Ethical AI and Addressing Digital Transformation Challenges

As a former Global Ambassador for Microsoft Hevolus Innovation and CEO of tech startups like IFQ Technologies, Dr. Ishha has been instrumental in promoting AI adoption and digital transformation. She identifies critical challenges organizations face, such as the rapid pace of technological change, the need for continuous learning, and the importance of ethical AI practices.​

Dr. Ishha advocates for fostering a culture of upskilling through training programs and certifications. She emphasizes the necessity of investing in advanced AI infrastructure and bridging the skill gap through industry-academia collaborations. Moreover, she stresses the implementation of transparent, fair, and accountable AI systems that prioritize data privacy and security, guiding organizations toward seamless AI integration and long-term success.​

From Corporate Foundations to Entrepreneurial Ventures

Dr. Ishha’s professional journey includes impactful roles at industry giants like HP, VMware, EMC, and Wipro, where she honed her technical expertise. Her tenure at Finesse, a leading systems integrator, under the mentorship of CEO Sunil, enriched her understanding of sales and revenue generation. At GEMS Education, she discovered her passion for EdTech, recognizing technology’s transformative potential in education.​

These experiences laid the groundwork for her entrepreneurial ventures, including the establishment of IFQ Technologies. Currently, she continues to drive innovation and growth in a Tier 1 company, leveraging her diverse background to shape the future of technology.​

Democratizing Education Through Ed-Tech Initiatives

Dr. Ishha is deeply committed to making education accessible to all. Her BeyondDetermined Project aims to create a Center for Excellence, empowering differently-abled individuals with job-ready skills. Simultaneously, her HOPE Africa Initiative focuses on providing education and employment opportunities to underserved communities in Africa.

She underscores the importance of investing in digital infrastructure, making devices and internet connectivity affordable, and securing support from governments and NGOs. By promoting personalized learning, digital literacy, ethical AI use, and continuous innovation, Dr. Ishha strives to democratize education and prepare students for the future.​

Strategic Frameworks for Navigating Digital Disruption

To assist enterprises in harnessing digital disruption, Dr. Ishha emphasizes a comprehensive framework encompassing four tiers: operational efficiency, customer experience, business model innovation, and digital ecosystems. She highlights the strategic importance of early-stage Intellectual Property (IP) positioning to enhance product development and market competitiveness.​

Her approach integrates a holistic policy framework that considers both supply and demand dynamics, ensuring regulatory policies evolve alongside disruptive technologies. Through digital factories and transformation workshops, Dr. Ishha equips enterprises with actionable strategies to navigate digital disruption, drive sustainable growth, and maintain a competitive edge.​

Awards and Global Recognition

Dr. Ishha’s journey is adorned with numerous prestigious accolades. The Global Women Icon Award (2020), previously awarded to Ivanka Trump, holds special significance for her. Her honorary doctorate symbolizes her unwavering dedication to advancing educational technology for people of determination.​

Her work with United Nations entities has been transformative, enabling her to contribute to global initiatives. Winning the Mrs. Universe Solidarity title provided her with a global platform to advocate for humanity. Being recognized by Forbes as a Crowned Technopreneur validated her relentless pursuit of innovation. Looking ahead, she aspires to take the TED stage, building on her series of TEDx talks, to introduce groundbreaking advancements in technology.​

Advocating for Women in Technology

Dr. Ishha is a staunch advocate for increasing female representation in the tech industry. Through her Women in Tech initiative, she works to create a more inclusive environment by providing resources, mentorship, and opportunities for women to excel in technology.​

She believes that leadership education starts at home, with parents—especially mothers—playing a crucial role in shaping their daughters’ aspirations and confidence. Encouraging young girls to explore STEM fields and instilling resilience, hard work, and self-belief from an early age is essential in fostering future female leaders. Dr. Ishha emphasizes that women bring unique strengths to the industry, such as empathy, collaboration, and creativity, which can drive innovation and transformation.​

Envisioning the Future

Dr. Ishha envisions a future where AI and the Metaverse reshape the world, blending physical and virtual realities seamlessly. She anticipates groundbreaking advancements, particularly in Edge AI and the Industrial Metaverse, which will revolutionize industries by enabling real-time data processing, efficiency, and innovation.​

However, she acknowledges the ethical concerns surrounding AI, especially the concept of AI singularity, where AI surpasses human intelligence. She believes that ethical development and responsible governance are crucial to ensuring AI enhances humanity rather than threatens it. Dr. Ishha also highlights the political and social implications of AI, stressing the need for ethical policies to guide its deployment. She even considers the possibility of extraterrestrial interactions influencing AI development, urging a cautious and ethical approach.​

Harnessing Spatial AI and Phygital Experiences

Dr. Ishha’s collaboration with Microsoft Hevolus Innovation has significantly shaped her contributions to AI and Spatial AI. Hevolus Innovation, a pioneering HoloLens technology in partnership with Microsoft, introduced phygital experiences long before Meta’s advancements. Although no longer an ambassador, she remains optimistic about the transformative impact this technology will have in the future.​

One of the most notable applications of HoloLens technology has been in the retail sector, where Hevolus developed the “Augmented Store” for Natuzzi. This mixed-reality experience allows customers to visualize furniture in their homes, enhancing the shopping experience, improving sales conversion rates, and reducing lead times.​

Dr. Ishha also highlights the potential of Spatial AI, an emerging field that combines AI with spatial data analysis and visualization. By leveraging computer vision, machine learning, and deep learning, Spatial AI enables machines to understand and interact with the physical world in a more intuitive way. In practice, Spatial AI allows the integration of multiple cockpits and monitors into a single interface, facilitating real-time data visualization and interaction. This advancement is particularly valuable in fields such as autonomous vehicles, urban planning, and precision farming, where real-time decision-making is critical.