At the intersection of science, soul, and society, Minhaaj is an unorthodox teacher, one that translates complexity into clarity, data into wisdom, and innovation into deeper human meaning.

At Psyda, the AI-powered research agency he founded, he leads a global mission to decode the human mind through psychographic profiling, machine learning, and deep neural networks—crafting data-driven stories that empower executives to make decisions not just with confidence, but with clarity.

What Psyda offers is more than insights. It’s foresight. Leveraging behavioral data and cognitive science, Psyda transforms raw information into stunning story dashboards, executive-ready whitepapers, captivating infographics, and strategic blueprints. Their work doesn't just inform decisions—it elevates them. As official partners of Microsoft, Adobe, and IBM, Psyda is helping future-ready organizations outpace their competition in both intelligence and imagination.

Minhaaj’s journey is anything but ordinary. Born in a modest town in rural Pakistan, with limited access to resources, he paid ten cents an hour at internet cafés in 90s when they started mushrooming, just to explore the world beyond his immediate reach.

It was there, through MIRC chatrooms, that his imagination and universal horizon expanded. Sparked by a deeply intellectual and nurturing mother ,who held a Ph.D in Chemistry and lived her life as a trailblazer, radio host, drama writer and published author and chemistry professor, his love for learning became insatiable.

What began as simple curiosity about the world beyond his small town, soon evolved into a lifelong pursuit of knowledge across borders, cultures, and disciplines which took him to remotest corners of the world in an illuminating odyssey.

At one point, during his years in Europe, he experienced homelessness and sold newspapers on the streets of Stockholm—an experience that deepened his empathy and strengthened his sense of purpose. These early hardships shaped not only his resolve but also his quiet reverence for the human condition.

His long conversations with gypsyies in Romania, Dumpster divers in Berlin and Shiatsu practitioners in Slovenia gave him different colored lens to see the same view in nuanced manner. Over the years, he has come to embrace Sufism and the spiritual traditions of the East, grounding his intellectual pursuits in compassion, silence, and introspective wisdom.

He has delivered memorable lectures at top institutions like the University of Wollongong (Dubai) and MBUZAI Abu Dhabi, and holds guest professor roles at universities across the globe. His teaching is unorthodox, deeply human, and profoundly transformative—earning him not just praise, but lasting bonds and fond memories with students who often describe his classes as life-changing.

His storytelling, lived experience, structural logic and profound empathy has won him numerous accolades from thought-leaders around the world. Whether in a lecture hall or an informal gathering, he builds meaningful connections that leave a deep imprint on those he mentors.

His academic grounding includes an MBA, a year of undergraduate Computational Physics, doctoral research in business psychology, and intensive training at Georgia State University’s Research Data Services program.

Minhaaj’s influence doesn’t stop in the classroom only. He’s a global thought leader, an advisory council member at Harvard Business Review, a certified trainer for RStudio and MAXQDA, and a professional reviewer of best-selling books published by O’Reilly, Wiley, and Packt.

He has over 34,000 LinkedIn followers, consistently ranks in the top 1% of influencers in Research Services, and is part of the prestigious International High IQ Society. His lasting contribution, translated version of the NEO IPIP-300 personality test in Urdu, is widely being used by clinical psychologists, academic researchers, and policy think-tanks—making personality science more accessible across linguistic and cultural barriers. He also consults for top knowledge management companies in the world like Alphasights and Guidepoint.

As host of the globally acclaimed Minhaaj Podcast—ranked among the world’s top 36 podcasts in AI & Data Science by Graphext in 2022—he’s held long-form conversations with intellectual and innovative leaders: from Twitter’s Director of Data Science Lisa Cohen to neuroscientist Boris Konrad and AGI experts from Google, Facebook, Amazon, and beyond. His show is a gold mine for the curious—illuminating ideas across quantum computing, deep learning, brain-computer interfaces, and collective intelligence.

He’s been a guest on celebrated platforms like Leaders of Analytics, Data Nerd Herd, and Data Professor—sharing insight on data ethics, AI, and the human side of technology. Through these conversations, he continues to engage diverse audiences with thought-provoking ideas at the intersection of science, society, and innovation.

Diagnosed with autism later in life, Minhaaj has become a passionate advocate for neurodiversity. His own isolation, alienation and voicelessness in early years leading to self-doubt, guilt and shame lead to self-discovery and regaining the faith in his novelty. His advocacy includes public speaking, mentorship, and community education—aimed at destigmatizing the autistic experience and celebrating cognitive difference. He is also a certified CBT therapist and personality assessor of tools like NEO-IPIP and other similar tools based on Big Five Model.

For his work, he was invited to speak on a high-profile autism awareness panel hosted by Dr. Charlotte Valeur for International Autism Awareness Day—an event featured on the official YouTube channel of the United Nations. In 2025, he was invited to join a distinguished panel on autism at the World Economic Forum in Davos, alongside leading neurodiversity advocate Dr. Maureen Dunne—further cementing his status as a voice in global conversations around inclusion, identity, and human potential. Topmate put his picture up on NY Timessquare as elite advisor in AI and Data Science on the platform in May 2025.

A pioneer in Pakistan’s Wikipedia movement and an early board member of WikiEducator, Minhaaj was shortlisted and interviewed for the TED Talk India Fellowship for his efforts in democratizing knowledge and empowering learners in the Global South. His views on Copyleft, FOSS movement and Open Source have been published in various publications. His philanthropic work spans Asia and Africa, where he supports schools, provides mentorship and internships, funds education, and uplifts the next generation of creators and changemakers.

He is a peer reviewer for respected academic journals such as Current Psychology and IRRODL, consistently encouraging young researchers to explore new frontiers and interdisciplinary thinking. His book Psychometrics in Human Resource Management is a bold exploration of how personality data can reduce human suffering and help predict behavioral outcomes at scale. He analyzes how these tests have been used for thousands of years in recruitment and skill development in ancient China, India and across the globe.

Minhaaj has globe-trotted most of his life, extensively across the continents—from the northern landscapes of Sweden to the misty mountains of Rwanda, from sacred Middle Eastern deserts to the vibrant archipelagos of Southeast Asia—gathering the wisdom of the world through stories, cultures, and human connection.

On his voyages, he loves to meet intellectuals, artists, performers, creators, politicians and religious leaders to gain inspiration for his work and to learn from them. He speaks eight languages and has documented his journey in the travelogue Param Yok. His second book, Rekindling from the Forgotten, is a powerful collection of op-eds published in leading newspapers, addressing themes ranging from education and ethics to technology and geopolitics.

When he's not building the future of ethical AI or reshaping education, you might find him meditating and healing in the Himalayas or elsewhere, conversing with shepherds by alpine lakes, or quietly reflecting on life, love, and the cosmos. He lives between Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Indonesia, and the Middle East—and remains open to meaningful conversations with anyone striving to grow, create, or contribute in their own unique way. Over the years he has developed a framework based on his learnings from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Depth Psychology, Psychometrics, Astrology, Spirituality, Numerology and lived experiences that he loves to share with people in the hope that they can find meaning in life like has.

If his journey resonates with you, feel free to reach out. He’s always open to listening, sharing, and supporting others on their own path forward.