Ry Luikens
Principal, Creative Strategy
Bridging brand, creative, and strategy, Ry Luikens leads as Principal, Creative Strategy at Mach49—an essential venture creator, connector and catalyst. With tours of duty as a photojournalist in the Middle East, expanding access to tech education, and building startups for iconic brands—Ry's insatiable curiosity and enthusiasm brings hands-on, growth-centric energy.
After studying sustainable urban innovation and launching his first startup at Arizona State University, Ry pioneered 3D printing and coding education at MakerBot. Seeing technology’s key role in youth development, he continued this effort by leading STEAM learning initiatives at littleBits. Remaining dedicated to equitable access, Ry went on to assist nonprofits in closing digital divides by providing computer science classes to underserved Los Angeles students.
He then joined Techstars, offering strategic brand guidance to the top pre-seed investor and assisting the startup network expand globally. As Head of Brand Experience, he aligned creative vision and worldwide operations across 65+ accelerators focused on mentorship-driven growth.
Now at Mach49, Ry draws on decades of experience as a customer-centric builder focused on uncovering hidden opportunities and launching new ventures that transform consumer brands.
Outside of work, Ry’s infectious optimism and commitment to public service drive his community-activating political engagement. Converting ideas into action and dreams into reality, Ry builds tangible success by connecting creativity, strategy and social impact.
After studying sustainable urban innovation and launching his first startup at Arizona State University, Ry pioneered 3D printing and coding education at MakerBot. Seeing technology’s key role in youth development, he continued this effort by leading STEAM learning initiatives at littleBits. Remaining dedicated to equitable access, Ry went on to assist nonprofits in closing digital divides by providing computer science classes to underserved Los Angeles students.
He then joined Techstars, offering strategic brand guidance to the top pre-seed investor and assisting the startup network expand globally. As Head of Brand Experience, he aligned creative vision and worldwide operations across 65+ accelerators focused on mentorship-driven growth.
Now at Mach49, Ry draws on decades of experience as a customer-centric builder focused on uncovering hidden opportunities and launching new ventures that transform consumer brands.
Outside of work, Ry’s infectious optimism and commitment to public service drive his community-activating political engagement. Converting ideas into action and dreams into reality, Ry builds tangible success by connecting creativity, strategy and social impact.
Ry Luikens
Principal, Creative Strategy
Bridging brand, creative, and strategy, Ry Luikens leads as Principal, Creative Strategy at Mach49—an essential venture creator, connector and catalyst. With tours of duty as a photojournalist in the Middle East, expanding access to tech education, and building startups for iconic brands—Ry's insatiable curiosity and enthusiasm brings hands-on, growth-centric energy.
After studying sustainable urban innovation and launching his first startup at Arizona State University, Ry pioneered 3D printing and coding education at MakerBot. Seeing technology’s key role in youth development, he continued this effort by leading STEAM learning initiatives at littleBits. Remaining dedicated to equitable access, Ry went on to assist nonprofits in closing digital divides by providing computer science classes to underserved Los Angeles students.
He then joined Techstars, offering strategic brand guidance to the top pre-seed investor and assisting the startup network expand globally. As Head of Brand Experience, he aligned creative vision and worldwide operations across 65+ accelerators focused on mentorship-driven growth.
Now at Mach49, Ry draws on decades of experience as a customer-centric builder focused on uncovering hidden opportunities and launching new ventures that transform consumer brands.
Outside of work, Ry’s infectious optimism and commitment to public service drive his community-activating political engagement. Converting ideas into action and dreams into reality, Ry builds tangible success by connecting creativity, strategy and social impact.
After studying sustainable urban innovation and launching his first startup at Arizona State University, Ry pioneered 3D printing and coding education at MakerBot. Seeing technology’s key role in youth development, he continued this effort by leading STEAM learning initiatives at littleBits. Remaining dedicated to equitable access, Ry went on to assist nonprofits in closing digital divides by providing computer science classes to underserved Los Angeles students.
He then joined Techstars, offering strategic brand guidance to the top pre-seed investor and assisting the startup network expand globally. As Head of Brand Experience, he aligned creative vision and worldwide operations across 65+ accelerators focused on mentorship-driven growth.
Now at Mach49, Ry draws on decades of experience as a customer-centric builder focused on uncovering hidden opportunities and launching new ventures that transform consumer brands.
Outside of work, Ry’s infectious optimism and commitment to public service drive his community-activating political engagement. Converting ideas into action and dreams into reality, Ry builds tangible success by connecting creativity, strategy and social impact.
