Meet The Team
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Founder & CEO
Diana Virgovicova
Diana, the CEO of Xatoms, was born and raised in a small village in Slovakia. At 14, she and her mom backpacked through India, where Diana encountered black rivers and decided to dedicate her life to cleaning polluted water. By 17, using quantum chemistry software, she discovered a new material for water purification. This innovation earned her a Diploma of Excellence from the Swedish Royal Family and a full Lester B Pearson International Scholarship to study computer engineering at the University of Toronto. Diana founded Xatoms based on her initial research, started at 14.
Xatoms uses AI and quantum chemistry to discover new materials that can purify water from bacteria, viruses, and pesticides, providing clean drinking water. The company collaborates with organizations in Nigeria, the Netherlands, and Canada, aiming to reduce the over 2 billion people lacking clean water access. As a participant in the Compute for Climate Fellowship and supported by UNESCO, AWS, and the International Research Center on AI, Xatoms is also part of the 776 Climate Fellowship, backed by Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian. Xatoms' mission is not only to solve global water pollution but also to empower women and girls globally by reducing the time spent fetching water, thereby enabling their education.
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Founder & CTO
Kerem Topal Ismail Oglou
Kerem, the CTO of Xatoms, is computer engineer from the University of Toronto with a specialization in AI and a profound interest in the AI space, has a remarkable background that merges technical expertise with a commitment to social change. Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, Kerem immigrated to Canada, bringing with him a rich cultural heritage as he is half Greek and half Turkish.
His entrepreneurial spirit shone early when, at 15, he founded a 3D printing company that created prosthetics for disabled animals. This venture honed his technical skills and underscored his dedication to helping underserved communities. His impact extended further when he helped Syrian refugee children in Turkey by donating computers and providing Turkish language classes, enabling them to participate in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kerem's achievements include:
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Running a successful e-commerce startup.
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Receiving the RBC Award for Diversity & Innovation in Technology 2023 scholarship.
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Receiving the Young Entrepreneur Scholarship (YES) scholarship.
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Representing Canada in the 2024 Canada-UK AI Mission.
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Representing Canada in the 2023 G20 YEA conference in New Delhi.
His journey also includes an immersive internship in Asia through the Cansbridge Fellowship, enhancing his global perspective.
COO
Shirley Zhong
Shirley is the COO of Xatoms. She came from a software engineering background and studied over 150+ business cases at the Richard Ivey Business School. Her career spans diverse roles in 6 early-stage startups, including positions as an AI developer, digital marketer, and business analyst, showcasing her versatility. Her global work experience covers Canada, China, Japan, and France. At Western University, Shirley is notable for launching the qualifying round of the Hult Prize competition at Ivey Business School, a prestigious global social entrepreneurship competition that serves as a pathway to a million-dollar prize.
Shirley's collaboration with Xatoms co-founders, Diana and Kerem, originated from their connection through the Cansbridge Fellowship program. This prestigious scholarship selects 15 Canadian students annually (with a <3% acceptance rate) for their potential in global leadership innovation. Together, they participated in a week-long entrepreneurial bootcamp in San Francisco and pursued self-directed summer internships in Asia, marking the beginning of their journey with Xatoms.
