Team

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER - STARTUPS

Ryan Burns is a community builder, strategist, and operator whose work bridges hospitality, venture capital, and startups. As Head of VC Community at Innovation Bay, he unites Australia and New Zealand’s leading investors, fostering collaboration, insight-sharing, and meaningful connections across the region’s innovation ecosystem. 

Ryan’s career has spanned continents and industries. He led operations for luxury hotels and resorts across the U.S., where he developed a deep commitment to service, leadership, and relationship-building. He later worked at tier-one venture firms First Round Capital and Generate Capital in the U.S., supporting founders through tailored programs and events, and helping scale internal operations during periods of rapid growth.

After relocating to Australia, he helped grow The Startup Network into one of the country’s largest founder communities, leading strategy, programming, and hundreds of events ranging from intimate roundtables to large-scale conferences. Even had a chance to host CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman in June of 2023 in Melbourne. Over the years, Ryan has built a trusted global network that includes many of the world’s most innovative and successful founders in technology and innovation.

Ryan’s alignment with Ditox stems from a shared belief: that technology can profoundly improve human wellbeing when guided thoughtfully. He sees Ditox as helping shape the conditions for technology to serve society, maximising its benefits while placing guardrails around its risks. His cross-sector experience in community building, innovation ecosystems, and strategic operations will support Ditox’s mission to advance digital wellness and positive impact at global scale.