Hadi Barkat is always ready to play a new hand

It’s no coincidence that chess is one of Barkat’s favorite games – it requires focus, concentration and above all strategic thinking. That’s the same approach he’s taken to his career: carefully planning out his next move by looking for opportunities and adding a touch of creativity. His finely honed skillset is what enabled him to switch careers and turn his love of games into a full-time job. Sometimes, “you’ve got to create your own destiny,” he says. We sat down for an interview with Barkat, a computer engineer who thrives on thinking outside the box.

Why did you initially decide to study engineering?

I grew up in Algeria where the only career options people really respected were in either medicine or the public sector. There are actually quite a few doctors in my family. But I decided neither option was for me and instead went to a technical high school in Algiers because I liked math. To me, solving math problems is similar to finding the answer to an escape game.

What brought you to EPFL?

I first learned about EPFL when I was 14, during a summer trip to Switzerland with my uncle. I still remember visiting the CM (Centre Midi building) and walking through its large empty hallways. Looking back, it seems strange that I found that appealing! But I liked the building’s atmosphere and all the posters for student events. Then I read through a brochure about EPFL and was intrigued by the combination of rigorous theory and project-based learning. The technical high school I went to was the hardest in Algiers at the time, but I worked hard and did well. The prospect of attending EPFL was a big driver for me.

Did other people in your family go to university?

I’m the youngest of three siblings. My sister studied medicine, and my brother has an engineering degree. However, my parents had a tough life owing to the war. They managed to study while holding down jobs. My father lost both parents when he was just 14 yet still made a good life for himself. That really inspired and influenced me.

Besides that, is there anything else – a book or a role model, for example – that has inspired you?

One particularly motivating book I’ve read is mindset by Carol Dweck. She deconstructs the idea that talent and success are innate characteristics we’re born with. Like her, I don’t think achievement is about being gifted, but rather about continuously seeking to improve. My classes at EPFL were pretty easy for me because I had worked hard to learn math well in high school. Some people even asked me how I was able to grasp the material so quickly. I wasn’t particularly smart. It’s just that I had good study habits and a strong work ethic that I stuck to.

A lot of people think you have to strive for perfection if you want to reach your goals. But it isn’t perfection that matters. The students who get the best grades aren’t necessarily those who go on to have the most rewarding careers.

Every time I have a new idea, I start by imagining what it would look like in practice and then try to implement it as soon as possible. I try not to get stuck in the perfectionist trap, although I do aim to be thorough. Attention to detail lets you turn a creative idea into reality and ensures you know where you’re going every step of the way.

Did you ever have any doubts along the way or run into any particular challenges?

I’ve never had any doubts, but I do put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed. That’s both a strength and a weakness. Over time, I’ve come to realize that it means I sometimes didn’t leave enough space for other people.

You’re the winner of the 2024 EPFL Alumni Award. What memories do you have of your time at EPFL?

I’m naturally curious and like to get involved in a lot of things. When I was at EPFL, I joined several student clubs. For instance, I served on the organizing committee for the EPFL-ETH Zurich Challenge and took part in the EPFL Junior Entreprise, where I was put in charge of organizing a telecoms conference. That was a huge project – it ate up my whole summer. I was only 19 at the time and found it hard to handle all the pressure and supervise students who were older than me. But it was a great learning experience.

I also created a startup, Cod-it with some of my classmates and we won the swiss competition >>venture>>. That was amazing! We developed a fingerprint biometric system for logging into online banking platforms. That was 20 years ago, yet our technology was more secure than the systems used by banks today! However, it was also quite complicated and the other team members weren’t as involved as I was, so I decided not to continue with the project.. After graduating, I spent five years as an investment manager for a venture capital firm called Logispring. I liked this job because it tapped into my analytical way of thinking.

What prompted you to create Helvetiq?

When I took my Swiss citizenship test, I was super well-prepared, but like most people who go through the process, I found that studying for it was a grueling experience. That gave me the idea of creating a game people could use to learn the material while having fun. I was convinced I was on the right track. I came up with a narrative for the game, called Helvetiq, and I think that’s part of why it caught on. A few Swiss cities ordered it, and then it got picked up by the press and became very popular. Since then, Helvetiq has morphed into an international publishing house for books and games. I especially like the international aspect – my goal is to get people everywhere to play games, and to create universal experiences.

Did you enjoy playing board games as a child?

Board games aren’t really part of the culture in Algeria. I remember just one card game, similar to Belote. I was drawn to games much later in life, when I had to organize a teambuilding event. Even though I worked in a venture capital firm, people often asked me to pitch in on those kinds of things because I enjoyed it.

Right now I’m hooked on Odin, a game we developed that won the As d’Or [“Golden Ace”] award at the 2025 Cannes International Games Festival. I also like party games, which I play at home with my two teenage daughters.

What’s your definition of success?

First of all, you have to know yourself and identify what you’ll find fulfilling and will motivate you to keep moving forward. The 2025 As d’Or award for Odin provided great recognition, but it was the result of a lot of hard work and a whole series of decisions we had made. I think you have to trust yourself, take calculated risks and stick to the decisions you’ve made. I quit my well-paying job at a venture capital firm – a job many people dream of – to embark on a venture that began with a hobby. And the hobby turned into a business. It’s incredible! But I was also able to make well-informed decisions thanks to all the experience and know-how I’d acquired. Success always involves taking risks.

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about a career change?

Most people think in terms of drastic changes, but it’s also important to have a medium-term plan – that is, to do something new on the side for a while until things fall into place. Personally, I've been used to wearing several hats ever since my university days, so it wasn't a stretch for me to develop the Helvetiq game alongside my regular job. Every time I have a new idea, I start by imagining what it would look like in practice and then try to implement it as soon as possible. I try not to get stuck in the perfectionist trap, although I do aim to be thorough. Attention to detail lets you turn a creative idea into reality and ensures you know where you’re going every step of the way.