Dr.-Ing. Amir Mabhout

Dr.-Ing. Amir Mabhout

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PhD in Mixed Signal Circuit & Chip Design • AI Agent Architect • Bridging Silicon to AI

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Hybrid Hardware-Software Systems Engineer

With a PhD in chip design and thirteen years of engineering research, I bridge the gap between silicon and AI applications. My journey spans the entire technology stack, from microsystems to design and laying out circuits at nanometer technology to architecting AI agent systems. This unique perspective allows me to see technology as interconnected layers, where hardware is goverend by laws of physics and limits of fabiration technology and software is limited by hardware and information system capabilities.

In 2021, I expanded into AI and software development to go up from the substrate layer to application layer and getting a grasp of full stack technology, widening my horizon as a curious engineer to what drives innovation and technology forward in each layer of the tech stack.

Today, I am a full stack engineer, from engineering hardware components bound by physics to designing AI automation and workflows and AI applications. I am an AI native engineer to use this tool in any aspect of my work.

Academic & Technical Journey

Master's Degree

2011-2015

M.Sc. in Microsystems Engineering at IMTEK, University of Freiburg. Multi-disciplinary engineering from micromechanics, microfluidics, process engineering to circuit design.

Doctoral Research

2016-2020

PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Mixed Signal Circuit Design at TU Berlin. Designed and taped out 22nm chips for Ethernet transceivers. Published 8+ IEEE papers.

Hybrid Systems Architect

2021-Present

Bridging hardware and software domains. Applying system design into AI applications and open source frameworks.

AI-Native Development

Current Focus

Expert in ElizaOS framework and agentic AI systems. Leveraging Claude Code in my domain expertise from hardware to AI applications.

Building Journey

2011-2015

Master's in Microsystems Engineering

IMTEK, University of Freiburg - Multi-disciplinary systems engineering spanning mechanical, fluidic, and electrical domains with focus on circuit design.

2016-2020

PhD in Mixed Signal Circuit Design

Technical University of Berlin - Designed and taped out multiple chips in 22nm FDSOI technology for high-speed Ethernet transceivers.

Academic Publications (as Hossein Ghafarian)

First Author Papers
  • A 9-bit, 45 mW, 0.05 mm² Source-Series-Terminated DAC Driver With Echo Canceller in 22-nm CMOS for In-Vehicle Communication
    H. Ghafarian, S. Shivapakash, S. Mortazavi, P. Scholz, N. Lotfi, F. Gerfers
    IEEE Solid-State Circuits Letters, 2021 [Paper]
  • Impedance Calibration Technique Canceling Process and Temperature Variation in Source Terminated DAC Drivers in 22nm FDSOI
    H. Ghafarian, H. Ordouei, F. Gerfers
    IEEE MWSCAS 2019 [Paper]
  • A fully integrated charge pump using parasitics to increase the usable capacitance by 25% and the efficiency by up to 18% with poly-poly capacitors
    H. Ghafarian, C. Moranz, M. Rajabzadeh, J. Leicht, Y. Manoli
    IEEE MWSCAS 2017 [Paper]
  • Analysis and compensation technique canceling non-linear switch and package impedance effects of a 3.2GS/S TX-DAC
    H. Ghafarian, F. Gerfers
    IEEE MWSCAS 2017 [Paper]
  • A digital calibration technique canceling non-linear switch and package impedance effects of a 1.6GS/s TX-DAC in 28 nm CMOS
    H. Ghafarian, F. Gerfers
    IEEE ISCAS 2017 [Paper]
Co-Authored Papers
  • Advanced Mixed Signal Concepts Exploiting the Strong Body-Bias Effect in CMOS 22FDX®
    E. Wittenhagen, M. Runge, N. Lotfi, H. Ghafarian, Y. Tian, F. Gerfers
    IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, 2021 [Paper]
  • Body-Bias Techniques in CMOS 22FDX® for Mixed-Signal Circuits and Systems
    F. Gerfers, N. Lotfi, E. Wittenhagen, H. Ghafarian, Y. Tian, M. Runge
    IEEE ICECS 2019 [Paper]
  • Analysis of Package Impedance Effects on the Linearity of Source Series Terminated DACs
    H. Ordouei, H. Ghafarian, F. Gerfers
    IEEE MWSCAS 2018 [Paper]
2021-2022

Academic & Entrepreneurial Transition

Lecturer - Electromagnetism

Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin - Delivered comprehensive electromagnetism lectures, bridging theoretical physics with practical engineering applications.

Datalatte - A data monetization app

500+ Netflix & Spotify data uploads, partnered with Ocean Protocol. My first passionate idea, but realized users care to use apps to solve their problems not for idealistic view of data ownership.

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2022-2023

Datalatte Survey Platform

10 surveys, 500 respondents, $500 bounties distributed. It made sense but realized I want build applications that empower user with their own data, not a business asking for surveys.

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2023-2024

Hackathon Era

ZamaFHE at ETHCC

Privacy-preserving Targeting - My first hackathon ever.

View Submission

ETHMunich

2nd Place AI Track - ZKAI Ads: Targeting Ads via ZK - My second hachathon and our team won a price. Partied hard that day with team and jumped in the Munich's river at night in the rain. I felt alive.

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ETHRome

Won 5 Bounties - Sharknado: ZK Survey respondance - Most money we made in a hackathon. Big party with team afterward.

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ETHLisbon

Won 2 Bounties - TallyRally: Mixing lottery with AD - Was fun but i guess I got tired of survey idea.

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OpenDataHack

Won 2 Bounties - Lilylatte: Conversational interview for data collection

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ETHGlobal Istanbul

Won 3 Bounties - Grayskull Guardians: DeFi Solo Staking Stuff

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BasedBerlin

Creative Prize Winner - Castlatte: Feed summerization of other users

View on Warpcast

ETHBerlin

Ranked 5th Favorite among hackers - DeadCaster: A deadman switch frame as Farcaster frame

View Submission Warpcast Post

ETHGlobal Bangkok

Circles 1st Bounty Winner: Grassroot DataDAOs - A DataDAO framework to back personal currencies with user-owned data.

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SAFE Agentathon

DataBarista: A matchmaking agent built on ElizaOS and OriginTrail's DKG

View on Devfolio
2025

My Current Hobby Projects

Memoir Protocol

Grassroot DataDAO framework for AI and humanity alignment.

Visit Website

WithParen

Matchmaking agent expanding circles trust network - A Circles group and a grassroot DataDAO live.

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WithSeren

Interpersonal AI deepening existing connections - Built it to deepen connection with my girlfriend, It worked very well and taking private beta users.

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Cassandra

Twitter sentiment analyzer for ElizaOS community - Building for community

View on GitHub

Core Expertise

AI Native Products

I bring value in building AI native products and agents, especially on open-source frameworks like ElizaOS. I've designed dozens of agents and plugins and I'm fluent in agentic framework.

Developer Relations

I am technical and I teached before in university, I like to make complex topics sound simple and I like to support builders and developers leveraging technology to shape the world.

Product & UX Focus

I'm obsessed with product and user experience. I'm the first user of my own products. I think outside the box to find the most user-friendly way to integrate technology without compromising UX.

Simulation & CAD Tools

Expert in industry-standard EDA tools including Cadence Virtuoso for analog/mixed-signal design, Layout XL for physical implementation, MATLAB and Python for modeling and analysis.

Laboratory & Hardware Expertise

Hands-on experience in PCB design and fabrication, circuit testing and characterization, and silicon tape-out processes. From breadboard prototypes to chips in 22nm FDSOI technology.

Teaching & Academic Experience

Lecturer at Beuth University Berlin (Electromagnetism) and Advanced Analog Circuit Design Lab tutor at TU Berlin MSC. Developed lecture notes, taught numerous sessions, and mentored students through complex hardware concepts. Passionate about making intricate technical topics accessible and engaging.

Let's Build Something Amazing

I excel in being independent and get tunnel focoused to get the job done. I like to spend enough time at the beginning to define a task well by talking with stakeholders, then lock myself in to get to the first MVP in hours.

[email protected]