In a powerful demonstration of the global reach and relevance of the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship’s (SSE) programming, we’re thrilled to spotlight recent alumni Murtadha Rafid. Murtadha is co-founder of Nabu Studio, a gamification company located in Baghdad, Iraq, over 13,000 kilometres from Sydney!
Having discovered our new Digital Internship Program: Tech Central on LinkedIn, Murtadha was initially inspired by an alignment between Nabu’s mission – to provide gamified experiences to enhance engagement and drive growth for businesses – with one of the Program’s featured startups, Lockpick Games.
"To me, entrepreneurship is about innovation, value creation, and creating lasting positive impact."
Lockpick Games creates games to tutor students preparing for either national curriculums or competitive selective high school entrance exams, while Nabu creates interactive and immersive gaming experiences (thorough game mechanics, rewards, challenges, and leaderboards) to help businesses attract and retain customers.
An opportunity for personal growth and to create lasting impact
Murtadha But he also saw in the Program an opportunity for personal growth. “I know that personal growth is crucial for long-term success in entrepreneurship, so I also wanted to develop my leadership skills, enhance my confidence, learn from failures, and gain a better understanding of myself as an entrepreneur.”
“With Nabu, I embrace calculated risks, informed decisions, and look for continuous improvement. But my focus is on delivering value to clients, adapting to market changes, and making a lasting difference in people’s businesses and lives.”
While there isn't a formal pitch process incorporated into the Program (which Murtadha had hoped there might be) it did provide valuable assistance in helping him refine – and improve – Nabu’s mission.
“The Digital Internship Program equipped me with new skills and insights to help enhance Nabu's offerings, enabling me to make a bigger positive impact on current and future clients.”
What’s ahead for Nabu?
“Looking ahead,” he said, “we have plans to expand into the education sector and develop gamified systems for schools that promote student engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention.
“So, I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. With our passion for gamification, we are poised to drive growth for businesses and transform education through engaging experiences.”
Murtadha plans to apply the knowledge and skills he has gained from his experience with SSE directly to Nabu, using what he’s learned to develop new strategies and refine his services offering.
Microcredential muscle
That the Program offers a verified microcredential on completion was ‘icing on the cake’ for Murtadha, who expects that the microcredential will enhance his networking opportunities.
“Being part of a recognised Program like this will definitely connect me with a broader global community of like-minded individuals, and potentially even attract the attention of industry professionals, mentors, or potential collaborators.”
Murtadha’s only complaint of the 8–10-hour commitment required of the Program? “I wish I could have continued the internship for longer! If it had gone longer, I’d have gained even more practical experience with other businesses so that I could keep learning along the way.”
