Dr. Evan Fakhoury holds a PhD in Human-Robot Interaction and a Master’s in Advanced Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leeds, along with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from LAU. His expertise lies at the intersection of engineering, innovation, and emerging technologies, with a focus on VR/AR applications in education, training, and industry.
Evan currently serves as Assistant Director of the LAU Industrial Hub, Director of LaunchX, and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. His work bridges academia and industry, fostering strategic partnerships and helping startups apply AI, VR, AR, and robotics to real-world challenges.
At the Industrial Hub, he leads collaboration between startups, corporations, faculty, and students, developing innovation-driven projects. He also oversees marketing and branding strategy, expanding the Hub’s visibility. To further connect academia with industry thought leaders, he launched the “Leaders and Learners” podcast, featuring interviews with entrepreneurs, researchers, and executives.
With a strong background in design engineering, robotics, and VR/AR development, Evan has led funded research projects, developed and taught VR/AR-focused university courses, and mentored student teams building market-ready tech solutions.
As Director of LaunchX, he empowers student entrepreneurs by providing the tools, mentorship, and exposure needed to scale AI-powered startups, ensuring AI is integrated from early product development for greater automation and scalability.
Evan’s expertise spans technology strategy, innovation management, and experiential pedagogy. He actively collaborates with investors, industry leaders, and academic institutions to strengthen Lebanon’s deep-tech ecosystem and drive innovation-led growth.