Former Apple designer Abidur Chowdhury has joined the artificial intelligence startup Hark as its new head of design.
The appointment comes as the company expands its engineering team with former employees from major technology firms. This hiring strategy aligns with the company’s goals to build its technical workforce.
Background of the New Design Lead
Chowdhury started his career at Apple in 2019 and remained with the company until November 2025. During his tenure, he introduced the slim iPhone 17 Air during an Apple product event in September 2025.
Consequently, his transition to the startup marks a shift from consumer devices to artificial intelligence development. His experience with consumer hardware is expected to influence the design of the startup’s upcoming software products.
Furthermore, his departure from Apple occurred just months after the public introduction of the slim phone model.
Recruitment Drive at Hark
In addition to hiring Abidur Chowdhury, the startup has recruited 30 engineers from companies such as Google, Meta Platforms, and Amazon. The company aims to increase its total engineering staff to 100 people by the middle of 2026.
Meanwhile, these new hires will support the development of the company’s upcoming technology products. This rapid expansion represents a significant hiring push in the competitive technology sector.
Specifically, the recruitment of talent from established platforms indicates the startup’s focus on building a highly experienced engineering team.
Financial Backing and Leadership
Hark founder and chief executive officer Brett Adcock invested 100 million dollars into the company in December 2025. Notably, Adcock also serves as the chief executive officer of Figure AI, a humanoid robotics startup backed by Nvidia.
This financial support allows the company to aggressively recruit talent like Abidur Chowdhury from established tech giants. The investment from the founder provides the necessary capital to fund these extensive hiring operations.
As a result, the company has the resources to compete with larger technology firms for specialized engineering talent.
Future Outlook for Abidur Chowdhury and Hark
The startup is currently developing new artificial intelligence models to expand its product portfolio. Specifically, the company plans to release its first model in mid-2026.
As a result, the design team under Chowdhury will focus on shaping how users interact with these upcoming systems. The mid-2026 release timeline sets a clear target for the newly assembled engineering and design teams.
Consequently, the coming months will involve intense development as the company prepares its first product for the market.
