Malik Harouna presents at Fremont Tech Week 2026
Malik Harouna came to San Francisco Bay University from Maryland as part of the first College Track cohort. As a member of SFBU's Startup Scholars program, he's building ALINE NETWORK, a proximity-based professional networking app that has reached about 2,000 users since launching in late May.
We talked with Malik about finding his way to California, the mentor who taught him to ask the right questions, and why he thinks there's never been a better time to start building.
Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, and what's your major?
I'm from Maryland. I majored in computer science my first year, and this year I switched to business. I am a sophomore.
What brought you to SFBU?
I was part of the first College Track cohort after College Track partnered with SFBU. When I was a freshman in high school, I told my advisor I wanted to explore California. I'd forgotten all about it, but my advisor hadn't, and encouraged me to apply. I ended up here on a full ride as part of the Startup Scholars program.
What has surprised you most about college life?
The diversity here is great, and I've made a lot of great friends. Some of them are from countries I might never have had the chance to connect with anywhere else
What has your experience with Startup Scholars been like? What's the most valuable thing you've learned so far?
How to think through an idea, and the motivation to actually start building. Technology has advanced so much. If you can talk about an idea in any meaningful way, AI can help you make real progress on it. It's possible
Who have you met through the program who has made a difference?
I met Rohan Brown (Founder and Managing Director of Innovate Bay) in my first semester last year. I've gone to him for advice a lot. He gives me the honest truth about my ideas, and we've worked through several of them together. If he hadn't been there, I wouldn't have known the right questions to ask, or how to see the reality in an idea.
Tell us about your business.
ALINE NETWORK is a proximity-based professional networking app. I developed the concept with a family friend. We incorporated in April, launched at the end of May, and now have about 2,000 users. Most of the team is in Philadelphia, and I'm the only one here in California.
What are you hoping to do after graduation?
Plan A has always been the startup, and I'd prefer to stay here in the Bay Area to continue to build it.
What kind of impact do you want to have on your community or field?
I want to show people that it's possible to start building today. If you have an idea, you can work to progress it quickly using the tools that we have available to us.
About Startup Scholars: Startup Scholars is a cohort-based program at SFBU for first-generation students with an idea they want to build, whether it's a business, a community initiative or a new technology. Scholars receive up to $10,000 in project funding that doesn't need to be repaid, full tuition for four years, housing and meal support, a laptop, and one-on-one mentorship. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more and apply.
