Find out how Fazri turned self-taught coding skills into a career leading technology companies without a bachelor's degree.
From teaching himself QBasic on an old computer to leading cutting-edge technology companies, Fazri has built a career fueled by curiosity, persistence, and a passion for creating. Today, he serves as CEO of LuqEE, CTO and Co-Founder of Play Cubed, and a software engineer who has helped develop products across mobile, gaming, virtual reality, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. But his path to leadership was anything but traditional. After beginning college in computer science, he changed direction and built a successful career in banking before realizing that software engineering was where he truly belonged. When smartphones opened a new world of possibilities, Fazri spent nights and weekends teaching himself mobile development, eventually publishing his own apps and using that portfolio to earn his first engineering role.
Without a bachelor's degree, breaking into technology wasn't easy. Despite building real software and developing his skills independently, Fazri spent nearly a year and a half applying to around 80 software engineering positions before one company, Collision Studios, gave him a chance. That opportunity changed everything. Drawing on the leadership, communication, and business experience he gained in banking, he quickly advanced from junior developer into leadership, later co-founding multiple technology companies and collaborating on groundbreaking projects—including Major League Baseball NFT experiences with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Star Trek digital collectibles with Paramount. Throughout his career, he has continued to embrace new technologies, proving that adaptability and continuous learning can open doors that credentials alone cannot.
As an immigrant whose family came to the United States in search of opportunity, Fazri sees his success as something bigger than personal achievement. He hopes to build companies that create jobs, mentor future innovators, and help others who have taken nontraditional paths find opportunities of their own. His advice to fellow STARs is simple: keep building, keep learning, and don't let the paper ceiling define your potential. Every project, every setback, and every new skill is proof of what you're capable of. As Fazri's journey shows, when employers recognize talent instead of credentials alone, they unlock leaders who can shape the future.
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