Primary Job Title Founder Primary Organization Gradient Noise
Location Austin, Texas, United States Regions Southern US Gender Male Also Known As Merket
Investor Type Investor Stage Number of Exits
Website www.ryanmerket.com Facebook View on Facebook LinkedIn View on LinkedIn X (Twitter) View on X
I currently focus on building Gradient Noise, an AI product studio and venture platform focused on helping exceptional founders turn ambitious ideas into scalable products and companies. My work sits at the intersection of AI, product, engineering, growth, and startup strategy, with a particular focus on leveraging small, highly capable teams to
build faster than traditional organizations.
Previously, I worked with high-potential startups at Microsoft, where I partnered with top AI startups and founders to help them scale products, infrastructure, and go-to-market strategy. Across my career, I have built products, led teams, advised founders, and invested in startups spanning AI, SaaS, marketplaces, and consumer platforms.
I was an early product leader at Reddit and Facebook during periods of hypergrowth, experiences that shaped my approach to product velocity, internet-scale systems, and startup execution.
I am also an active angel investor with investments in more than 130 startups, including companies such as Teachable, Apostrophe, and Yumi. In addition to investing, I continue to launch and operate AI-first products across verticals including real estate, recruiting, education, creative tooling, and workflow automation.
Based in Austin, I spend most of my time building, advising founders, experimenting with AI-native products, and exploring how small teams can create outsized impact during the current platform shift in software.
