# Ishaaq Karim

Full-Stack Developer & Founder. Business student at the University of Toronto. Based in Mississauga, ON, Canada.

Last updated: 2026-10-26

## About

I build production software as a founder and freelance developer: AI-ready web platforms, real-time commerce, payments, and billing systems that real businesses run on. Alongside that I study Business Management at U of T (after two years in Computer Science), work with the International Education Centre on global learning programs, and coordinate lifeguard and swim-instructor training across five Ontario municipalities. Bilingual in English and French.

## Contact

- email: [Ishaaqk227@gmail.com](mailto:Ishaaqk227@gmail.com)
- github: [github.com/Halomaster0](https://github.com/Halomaster0)
- linkedin: [linkedin.com/in/ishaaq-karim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishaaq-karim-ba285122a/)
- resume: [resume.pdf](https://ishaaqkarim.dev/Ishaaq-Karim-Resume.pdf)

## Currently working on

### Zemi (in development)

Oct 2026 – present · A desktop study app that teaches from your whole courseload: lectures, slides, textbooks, syllabus, and Canvas.

- Answers with citations to the exact lecture or page, and pairs every explanation with a visual.
- Teaches with proven methods: retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and Socratic tutoring.
- Private by default: your files are processed on your laptop and never uploaded.
- Stack: Tauri, React, TypeScript, Python, Supabase

## Work

### Global Learning Assistant, International Education Centre, UTM

Aug 2026 – present

- Plan and coordinate UTM Abroad itineraries for outbound student mobility programs; communicate with global vendors and partner institutions on logistics.
- Process funding applications for study-abroad students; table and lead on-campus events promoting global learning opportunities.

### Founder & Full-Stack Developer, Misu

Jan 2026 – present · https://misu-v2.vercel.app

- Grew Misu into a 3-suite B2B agency (AI website optimization, restaurant commerce, ad management) serving 30+ active clients across web design, animated experiences, and onboarding workflows.
- Shipped an AI Website Platform — marketing site, authenticated dashboard, LLM SEO scoring, JSON-LD, security header scanning, and Stripe billing — on Next.js, Clerk, Drizzle, Supabase, and OpenRouter.
- Continue operating the multi-tenant restaurant suite (real-time Supabase ordering, 6-agent AI pricing, Stripe across 40+ routes) alongside a companion ad management app.

### Full-Stack Developer, GALA Care

May 2026 – Aug 2026 · https://www.galacares.com

- Built an automated monthly invoicing engine (Next.js, Stripe Connect, Vercel Cron) with split payouts, a 17% platform fee, and province-specific Canadian tax logic (HST/GST/PST/QST).
- Shipped SetupIntent-based month-end billing, a shift-verification reconciliation flow, and a location-first caregiver matching algorithm with Calendly intake and admin PDF exports.

### Full-Stack Developer, Freelance & Riipen

Jan 2026 – present

- Back Rack Exclusive: full Shopify storefront with app integrations, international shipping, custom invoicing/labels, and a client CMS — live with 300+ orders processed.
- One More Cocoa: custom Liquid theme sections (Gift Box Creator, Workshop) and real-time booking-to-availability sync via Shopify CLI.
- ColdBloodedHeartBeats: headless WordPress/WooCommerce storefront with custom JS/CSS and PHP SMTP; client sales +60%, visibility +84%.
- Migrated 306 BoxHero products into Shopify via a custom Python conversion script (variants, inventory, status).

### Master Instructor & Leadership Coordinator, City of Mississauga, Town of Oakville, University of Toronto, City of Vaughan, Town of Caledon

Dec 2023 – present

- Design and deliver National Lifeguard and Swim Instructor programs for 150+ staff across 5 organizations: 95% pass rate, 100% provincial compliance.
- Run quarterly refresher trainings; assist with WHMIS/AODA compliance modules and First Aid instructor courses.
- Screen and hire lifeguard and swim-instructor candidates, matching certifications to role requirements across a multi-site staff base.
- Improved emergency response efficiency by 15% through data-driven feedback from large-scale performance audits.

## Leadership

### Program Director, QAIFS (Quant, AI & Financial Society), U of T

Sep 2026 – present

- Build sponsor and conference relationships; support marketing and club direction.
- Organized a Quant Training conference with a Hong Kong university masterclass — MC'd the event, coordinated the visiting team, and sourced vendors for catering, photography, and on-site IT.

### Student Leader, UTM Abroad Japan Program

Feb 2026 – Feb 2026

- Stepped into leadership at the Assistant Dean's request when two students fell ill mid-trip; led the group from Tokyo to Okinawa across a split-flight transition and public transit.
- Kept faculty and the International Education Centre informed throughout; formally recognized in a March 2026 letter that led directly to the Global Learning Assistant role.

## Projects

### Triway

Drive vs. PRESTO cost on Google Maps, for the GTA.

- Stack: TypeScript, React, Manifest V3, Vitest, Playwright
- Problem: Maps shows travel time, not whether driving or transit is cheaper for your car, age, and discounts.
- Build: Open-source Chrome/Edge/Brave/Firefox extension that compares fuel cost (route × L/100 km × GTA gas price) with PRESTO fares across 7 agencies, modelling Ontario One Fare transfer rules.
- Result: Published v0.2.0 (MIT): 113 automated tests, weekly fuel and NRCan vehicle pipelines, privacy-first (no user data leaves the browser).
- Links: [github](https://github.com/Halomaster0/Triway), [release](https://github.com/Halomaster0/Triway/releases/tag/v0.2.0)

### Misu

AI website platform and restaurant commerce for small businesses.

- Stack: Next.js, Clerk, Supabase, Stripe, OpenRouter
- Problem: Small businesses need AI-search-ready sites, real-time ordering, and campaign tools without stitching five vendors together.
- Build: 3-suite agency platform: embeddable AI Website Platform (SEO scoring, JSON-LD, header scanning, Stripe tiers), multi-tenant restaurant SaaS, and ad management.
- Result: 30+ active clients; restaurant suite and billing live in production.
- Links: [live](https://misu-v2.vercel.app)

### GTA Housing Pipeline

Open-data warehouse and RAG layer for GTA housing applications.

- Stack: Python, DuckDB, Microsoft Fabric, FastAPI, RAG
- Problem: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, and Peel each publish housing data in different formats and definitions.
- Build: DuckDB star schema fed by four live municipal sources plus StatCan; multi-agent RAG (planner → executor → critic) with cited SQL; CI data-quality and eval harness; public Next.js + FastAPI app.
- Result: Public MIT repo with weekly refresh, spend ceilings, and rate-limited /ask.
- Links: [github](https://github.com/Halomaster0/GTA-Housing-pipeline)

### Zabita

Halal discovery for the GTA — map, certify, and scan labels.

- Stack: React, TypeScript, Capacitor, Supabase, Leaflet
- Problem: Finding honestly certified halal food in the GTA means trusting inconsistent listings and packaging claims.
- Build: Cross-platform app mapping 2,000+ restaurants with barcode/label scanning against an ingredient table; Postgres schema that blocks false “certified” claims plus AI vision on top of deterministic rules.
- Result: Live on web with iOS/Android via Capacitor.
- Links: [live](https://zabita-xi.vercel.app/), [github](https://github.com/Halomaster0)

## Advanced qualifications

Aquatics, lifesaving, and first aid awards.

### Trainer & examiner

- Instructor Trainer – Lifesaving
- Instructor Trainer – Swim
- Examiner Mentor
- Examiner – National Lifeguard
- Examiner – Bronze
- Examiner – Standard First Aid

### Instructor

- National Lifeguard Instructor
- Lifesaving Instructor
- Swim Instructor
- Standard First Aid Instructor
- Emergency First Aid Instructor

### Certified

- National Lifeguard – Pool
- Standard First Aid with CPR-C
- Aquatic Supervisor

### Clinics & courses

- Trainer Course
- Examiner Course
- 2026 First Aid Update

## Education

- University of Toronto Mississauga: Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Management Specialist (Year 3 · transferred from Computer Science), 2024–present
- University of Toronto Mississauga: Computer Science, Math & Statistics (two years before transferring into Management), 2024–2026

### Courses

#### Computer science

- CSC108: Introduction to Computer Programming
- CSC148: Introduction to Computer Science
- CSC207: Software Design
- PHL245: Modern Symbolic Logic

#### Math & statistics

- MAT102: Introduction to Mathematical Proofs
- MAT135: Differential Calculus
- MAT136: Integral Calculus
- MAT223: Linear Algebra I
- STA256: Probability and Statistics I

#### Economics & data

- ECO101: Principles of Microeconomics
- ECO102: Principles of Macroeconomics
- ECO200: Microeconomic Theory
- ECO220: Introduction to Data Analysis and Applied Econometrics

#### Management

- MGM101: Introduction to Management Functions
- MGM102: Management in a Changing Environment
- MGT120: Introduction to Financial Accounting

#### In progress · fall 2026

- MGT223: Managerial Accounting I
- MGT231: Business Finance I
- MGT260: Managing Human Potential
- MGT262: Psychology at Work
- MGT363: Designing Effective Organizations

#### Next · winter 2027

- MGM320: Financial Statement Analysis and Interpretation
- MGT232: Business Finance II
- MGT252: Principles of Marketing
- MGT270: Data Analytics for Management
- MGT300: Presentation Skills and Workplace Preparation

## Skills

- Languages: TypeScript/JavaScript, Python, Java, PHP, SQL, C++
- Frameworks: Next.js, React, Supabase, Stripe, Shopify Liquid, Manifest V3 WebExtensions, Unity (C#)
- Data & ai: DuckDB, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, HuggingFace, Anthropic API, Vercel AI SDK, OpenRouter
- Tools: Vercel, PostgreSQL, OAuth 2.0, Git/GitHub Actions, Vitest, Playwright, esbuild, Shopify CLI, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite
- Certifications: Google Data Analytics · DELF B2 French · National Lifeguard Instructor · First Aid Instructor

## Outside work

- Bouldering: Road to V10. ([instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ishaaq_mp4/reels))
- Photography: Light and subjects. ([instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ishaaq_mp4/))
- Swimming: The hobby that turned into instructing, examining, and training the people who teach it.
- Game dev: Small Unity (C#) projects like a Flappy Bird clone. Games are a fast way to practice state, input, and feel.