Northumbria graduate entrepreneur takes the AI industry by storm

A Northumbria University graduate-turned-entrepreneur launches AI-based company and goes global in under twelve months.

Originally from Bahrain, Husain Ayoob graduated from Northumbria in 2024 with a degree in Computer Science with AI.

He immediately launched Ayoob AI, an AI solutions company that delivers fully tailored, full-code solutions, empowering businesses to operate with enhanced precision and efficiency. It is a unique service, building solutions from scratch to put businesses at an advantage in their markets.

In less than one year, his Newcastle-based business has skyrocketed and is now operating worldwide, from Europe to Asia, with clients in Paris, Dubai, and Singapore, to name a few.

With an impressive list of partners, including the Department for Business and Trade, and Scotland’s largest independent accountancy and business advisory firm, Johnston Carmichael, Ayoob AI delivers personalised AI solutions to major organisations across the world culminating clients such as one of Dubai’s largest catering companies and a leading UK financial investment firm.

During his final year at University, Husain took part in a six-month live project with Lockheed Martin alongside two of his classmates from Northumbria’s Cybersecurity and Computer Science undergraduate programmes.

Using advanced software, they scanned computer networks for security weaknesses. The group of students designed a piece of software using AI to detect cyberattacks and, through the use of Chat GPT, created a professional report similar to those used in real-world cybersecurity testing.

Husain’s experience as a consultant and working on a live industry brief gave him the confidence to launch Ayoob AI, with support from Northumbria’s student and graduate enterprise team.

“I’m so proud of everything I have achieved so far with Ayoob AI, and the advice and guidance from the team at Northumbria’s Incubator Hub cannot go unnoticed,” Husain said. “They gave me the roadmap I needed to follow from a professional, governmental, and personal standpoint, showing me how to juggle daily life whilst building a global company from the bottom up. They helped me see the potential of Ayoob AI and believed in me to grow it at scale.

“It is an incredibly exciting time for us, and I look forward to continuing to work with major brands and organisations around the world.”

In December, Ayoob AI was one of few businesses that were accepted onto a programme to pitch their digital business services to luxury brand group, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). Husain showcased his innovative solutions company to senior leaders from global manufacturers, to open up doors to potential collaboration opportunities.

Husain also recently attended the Universities UK Chancellors Reception hosted by Lord David Willetts at the House of Lords. The event focused on the impact universities are having on entrepreneurship and economic growth, and he had the opportunity to discuss how technology and AI are shaping the future of business, with education, government, and business leaders.

Graham Baty, Head of Enterprise Development at Northumbria, said: “Husain immediately impressed us with his knowledge and expertise in AI, and the plans he had to utilise that to not only start a business, but to create something at scale. In less than 12 months, the development, both for Husain personally, and that of the business, is fantastic to see, and a testimony to Husain’s vision”.

Northumbria University is dedicated to supporting current student and graduate start-ups. It has been ranked in the top 10 in the UK for the last 16 years for graduate start-ups based on aggregate turnover, according to the Higher Education Business Community Interaction Survey (2023/24), and has been placed in the top five for 13 of those years.