Skip to content
Join
Podcast
Login
Email
(859) 225-0006
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube

Local to Global an Interview with Entrepreneur Ricky Mason

awtcky_administration@wtcky.org


Episode 23:  Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Ricky Mason, an entrepreneur who is earning a lot of visibility these days.  From a stint with the CIA, to working on actual rockets to launching a new company, Ricky is making an impact on many in his orbit.

Dr. Omar Ayyash CEO & President of the World Trade Center Kentucky and Ricky Mason, Founder of BrainSTEM University

Meet Ricky Mason

Omar and Ricky met at an International Trade Certification course, sponsored by the WTCKY.  Ricky later participated in the 2024 Trade Mission to Dubai.

Ricky grew up in Louisville.  He attended the University of Kentucky.  He earned his Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins.  Ricky spend time working for the Department of Defense as a weapons test engineer.  He transitioned to a role at Cape Canaveral and helped to launch rockets.  After a period of time, he took a role as a computer engineer for the CIA.

Ricky eventually returned to the University of Kentucky and after speaking with the dean, he was able to leverage his experiences in a role that involved developing agriculture-related tech, including drone technology, applications involving the Internet-of-Things (IOT) and more.  One of his projects benefits soybean producers.

Recently, he returned to Louisville to develop and launch a new company, BrainSTEM University.  This concept is meant to create a pipeline for students interested in pursuing STEM-careers.

Ricky shares that while growing up, he didn’t have a mentor to encourage him to focus his abilities on STEM.  BrainSTEM University provides schools and non-profits with a high-quality curriculum to help get students on a track toward a STEM-related career.

Ricky’s Entrepreneurial Journey

Omar asks about how Ricky’s journey began, beginning with his childhood.  Ricky credits his mother will instilling core life-skills in him, at a young age.  She had very high expectations of him when it came to hard work and academics.  She also provided him with the freedom to explore a variety of interests, rather than pushing him into a specific field.

Ricky looked up to some big names such as Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Steve Jobs.  As a self-professed innovator, he studied how people like these developed concepts and founded companies and brands based on those ideas.

Louisville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem was a welcomed surprise for Ricky.  He notes how this really seemed to have taken off around 2018, for him.  There’s a strong funding network in place for entrepreneurs in this market.  Ricky and his team were very successful in a number of pitch-competitions throughout Kentucky.  He hopes there will be more corporate support to help cultivate and help entrepreneurs to launch new businesses and product/service concepts as we continue to grow.

Winning Key Awards Positioned BrainSTEM for Growth

Ricky admits it’s a tie between the Vote Award ($25,000) and the Render Capital Award ($100,000).  The coaching and mentorship opportunities associated with the Vote award were extremely beneficial.  The 2020 Render Capital award provided funds to hire a team to help launch the BrainSTEM metaverse.  They were in 20 Jefferson County public schools by the end of 2021.

How Does BrainSTEM University Work?

Initially founded as a STEM education company, once the pandemic hit, it became obvious that “Zoom School” was a viable option, but it was boring for the students.  The metaverse environment of BrainSTEM connected with students in a gamified, educational and experiential scenario.

Schools can use this tool regardless of whether the students are in class or at home.  Ricky states this tool can accelerate the learning process by 50+%.  It’s a full-immersion experience that is much different that a classroom lecture.

Omar comments about an award panel he was involved with and the Dubai police.  They developed a series of video games that taught teenagers about road safety and policing.  It’s a concept that makes sense, especially when you consider the audience.

BrainSTEM Gets Help from the WTCKY to Go Global

Monique Kuykendoll from KY Innovation helped to set up a meeting with representatives from the Dutch government.  Afterwards, they wanted to bring Ricky and BrainSTEM to the Netherlands.  This was an eye-opening experience for Ricky in terms of the international opportunity for BrainSTEM.

Mary NeCamp, Director of the Kentucky STEP Program was able to help Ricky to think through the initial plan to prepare for global expansion.  This led to Ricky’s decision to participate in the WTCKY International Trade Certification course.  It was an amazing, week-long experience.  The presenters were also able to coach him on specific steps, after the course had concluded.  Like many of the WTCKY events, the networking opportunities are a fantastic resource.

In 2024, Ricky participated in the Dubai Trade Mission.  The experience blew him away.  It was full of interesting meetings, food and a truly incredible cultural experience.  GITEX and NorthStar were a very interesting part of the Trade Mission.  There are so many opportunities to make international connections and business relationships.  Ricky met the US Ambassador to the UAE, the President of the EXIM Bank and may other well-positioned, influential individuals.

While there, Ricky was able to present on the topic of block chain at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Dubai campus.

Editor’s Note:  See below for information on the 2025 Dubai Trade Mission.

BrainSTEM Plans to Return to the Middle East this Summer

As a direct result of having made some crucial contacts during the Trade Mission, Ricky and BrainSTEM are going back to the Middle East.  BrainSTEM has a summer camp experience.  They will hold a camp in Jordan, focusing on robotics, drones and VR programming.

Is My Company Big Enough to be Part of the World Trade Center Kentucky?

Omar explains that the WTCKY caters to small, medium and large businesses.  It’s not a question or scope or scale.  If you want to explore the international marketplace, the World Trade Center Kentucky is a valuable resource.

Ricky comments about being a small startup business with global aspirations.  He strongly recommends getting your International Trade Certification, through the WTCKY’s program.  It’s also important that you travel.  You have to experience global markets firsthand.  It’s a terrific way to gauge whether this is the right step for your business.  It’s work, but it’s easier than you might think, especially when you take advantage of the STEP program’s $10,000 grant and other resources the WTCKY can help to coordinate.

Trade.gov has a list of countries that may be interested in a product or service you can offer.

The Power of American Brands in the Global Market

Ricky admits he didn’t fully appreciate the power of American brands, until he started focusing on international growth opportunities.  This is one of the key reasons he encourages others to go abroad and start conversations about your respective brands.  You might be surprised at the reactions you get.

Other companies, not located in the US, often struggle gaining inherent trust.  People understand how we do business and that in most cases, we honor our contracts and terms.  For instance, the EXIM bank offers various insurance and helps to make sure the financial transaction is secure.

Editor’s Note:  Check out Episode 6:  How the EXIM Bank Partners with Kentucky Businesses.

Kentucky offers the State Trade Expansion Program grant (“STEP”).  There are some stipulations about what type of products/services you want to offer internationally.  If you qualify, the $10,000 grant can be used to offset the cost of travel, participating in trade shows and conferences, etc.  You can also use these funds to take the WTCKY International Trade Certification Program.

Ricky’s Perspective on AI and Block Chain for Kentucky Businesses

Omar asks Ricky to discuss his perspectives on AI and block chain.  It’s interesting to compare our systems with others, such as the Dubai government’s embracing of block chain, already.  Drivers licenses, land and real estate and many other records are taking advantage of this digital environment.

We are at the very beginning of seeing the value of data.  AI and block chain offer advantages in terms of efficiency and privacy, that we are only beginning to realize.  As citizens, we need to begin to learn more about these tools.  Ricky predicts that our younger generation is going to better understand how best to use and protect data.  They will also promote the adoption of cyber tools, such as AI and block chain in more areas of everyday life.

 

To Learn More: 

Website:         http://www.brainstemu.com/

 

Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

 

The next episode of our podcast will launch on 05/12/25.  Thank you for listening.  Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

We hope you enjoyed this episode.  Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

Please consider sharing this with your colleagues.  Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.