Firas Khalifeh 👽

CEO at Carbon Mobile and award-winning innovator

Firas Khalifeh is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Carbon Mobile, a company he co-founded in 2015. Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, he relocated to Berlin in 2017 to establish the company as a German entity. Khalifeh has a strong background in technology and entrepreneurship, having started programming at the age of 15 and later studying Computer Engineering. His entrepreneurial journey began with the launch of a travel company in 2011, which he had to close due to the war in Syria. He then moved to Dubai, where he worked on innovative technology projects, including a virtual mall initiative that won accolades for its innovation.1 2

At Carbon Mobile, Khalifeh has focused on integrating aesthetics and sustainability into personal electronics. He developed the patented HyRECM technology, which combines carbon fiber with radio-friendly materials to create lightweight and structurally sound devices. Under his leadership, Carbon Mobile launched the Carbon 1 MK II smartphone, notable for its carbon fiber design and commitment to eco-friendly practices. Khalifeh's work has earned him recognition as one of MIT's Top 10 Innovators Under 35 and various design awards.1 2

In addition to his role at Carbon Mobile, Khalifeh serves as a mentor for initiatives related to product design and manufacturing.2

Experience

Chief Executive Officer at Carbon Mobile (January 2023 - Present)

CEO / CTO at Carbon Mobile (January 2019 - January 2023), Mentor at Innovation Drive (September 2021 - Present), Mentor at Humboldt-Tech Bridge (May 2022 - Present)

Education

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Computer Engineering from Arab International University (2006 - 2012); Enterprise Modelling, Computer Science from University of Duisburg-Essen (2011)