Empowering BusinessesTo Grow

Ryan Baird is a 3rd-generation Silicon Valley native, who began his career at the prestigious Morgan Stanley office on Sand Hill Road after graduating from San Jose State University. After joining Maverick, a leading Chicago-based hedge fund, he quickly rose to become the #1 derivative trader. In 2010, Ryan launched his own venture, Flotilla Asset Management, where he has since managed billions in trading volume and raised hundreds of millions for a diverse portfolio of private companies, funds, and scale-ups. His extensive network includes investors with billions in dry powder and trillions in assets under management.

Since 2009, Ryan has hosted hundreds of institutional investor events across 19 countries, bringing together leaders from Fortune 500 companies, unicorn founders, high-ranking elected officials, and key institutional investors, showcasing their breakout portfolio companies. Under his leadership, G-Startup Worldwide not only launched Didi Global (DIDIY, $67B IPO) but also invested in XPeng Inc (XPEV, $11B IPO). Most recently, Ryan successfully raised $35M for his startup LYKA, which he later sold to focus on his new venture, Baird Augustine.

Will Schulz is a seasoned technologist, engineer, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience building secure, scalable software platforms at the intersection of finance, data, and automation. He earned a B.A. in Computer Science and Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and began his career as a Silicon Valley software engineer and business intelligence consultant, working across data systems, analytics, and product architecture.

As CTO of Direct Credit, Will leads platform engineering, infrastructure, and security, overseeing the development of a modern business lending platform designed for reliability, speed, and compliance at scale. He brings deep expertise in fintech systems, data pipelines, and risk-sensitive applications, with a strong emphasis on code quality, system integrity, and long-term technical resilience. In parallel with his role at Direct Credit, Will is the founder of AW3 Technology, a venture studio focused on building and advising early-stage software companies across fintech, AI, and Web3.