About Okudu
Welcome, bookworm!
Can personalization make reading more fun? How does creativity evolve in the age of AI? Can a story written by a machine truly move us?
At Okudu, we’re building the answers.
Company Info
Okudu is a technology company founded in Singapore with a vision to make education and self-expression more fun through personalization. Our flagship Okudu AI app sits at the intersection of creativity and technology, designed as a platform for you to create, share, and discover stories that matter: for learning, for fun, or for finding your voice.
Fun fact: Okudu name combines “Oku,” the Turkish word for “read,” with “du” (读), the Chinese word for “read.” Our message to the world? Read, read :)
Team info
Reha Hoshanli
Founder
Reha has been a bookworm for as long as he can remember — in high school he was convinced that if he could just stay in a room and read all day, he wouldn’t need anything else. (He came to his senses just in time for university exams.) He grew up on choose-your-own-adventure books, which might explain why he ended up building an app where you create your own stories. A fantasy reader at heart, he keeps the Drizzt Do’Urden saga from the Forgotten Realms on his all-time-favorites shelf, right next to Les Misérables — Sefiller, as he first read it in Turkish. These days he’s on bedtime-story duty for Okudu’s youngest future reader: his baby.
The professional version of this story lives on LinkedIn.
Samson Ong
Lead Software Engineer
A product engineer with ~10 years of experience building and scaling 0→1 products, Samson leads end-to-end product engineering at Okudu. With a strong belief in empathy and self-expression through storytelling and conversation, he strives to empower people with tools to express themselves and connect with others through stories. Outside of work, he enjoys reading with a cup of single-origin coffee.
Find Samson on LinkedIn.
Lena Zhang
Senior Growth Marketer
Lena is a tech marketer with over 10 years of experience in global marketing, spanning early-stage startups to scaled businesses. She has built brands from the ground up and driven growth through integrated, data-informed marketing and media strategies. Lena brings a balanced perspective across creativity, consumer insight, analytics, and commercial impact. Her expertise includes go-to-market strategy, advertising, branding, and product marketing.
Find Lena on LinkedIn.
Yigit Yucel
Advisor
A senior marketing leader with over 15 years of experience leading growth and brand initiatives for global companies including Google, YouTube, and Philips. He brings deep expertise in digital marketing, audience strategy, and go-to-market execution across both corporate and startup environments. Yigit has advised leadership teams on scaling user acquisition, optimizing positioning, and driving long-term brand value. He is known for his strategic clarity and results-driven approach. As an advisor, he supports Okudu’s marketing strategy.
Find Yigit on LinkedIn.
Harun Mlivo
Advisor
Harun leads Sarajevo Slush’D, Techstars Sarajevo, and has launched 38x Ventures, all driven by his belief in the power of entrepreneurship for societal advancement. Previously he had 12 years of impactful work at Google, spanning three countries and five roles in business development and partner management.
Find Harun on LinkedIn.
Imagine, Create, Read,
Until next tale!