Mehrab Ali

Hey there. I'm Mehrab — a data scientist, researcher, and entrepreneur with 17+ years of experience in ODK, XLSForm programming, and field survey implementation.

I founded ARCED Foundation in 2013 to bridge rigorous research with real-world impact. Through ARCED International and SoTLab, I develop technical solutions that enable global researchers to achieve better measurement and improved data quality.

I built SurveyLoopr to eliminate technical barriers in mobile data collection, and created FolderManifest, a Windows desktop application for file management. My full profile, publications and research IDs are on ARCED International.

Last updated: 2026-10-04

After 17+ years in field surveys, deploying ODK projects across multiple countries, and building research organizations like ARCED Foundation and ARCED International, I saw a recurring problem: researchers struggling with technical barriers.

I founded ARCED Foundation in 2013 to bridge rigorous research with real-world impact. Through ARCED International and SoTLab, we developed technical solutions that enabled better measurement and improved data quality. But I kept seeing researchers — talented, smart people — getting stuck on ODK server setup, XLSForm debugging, and deployment logistics.

SurveyLoopr exists to eliminate these technical barriers. It combines my expertise in ODK programming, data science, and field implementation with a simple vision: researchers should focus on their surveys, not server administration.

Built by ARCED International, SurveyLoopr leverages everything I've learned from deploying mobile data collection projects worldwide. It's professional ODK hosting that works.