Ryan Austin
About Ryan Austin
Ryan Austin is the Founder and CEO of Cognota, a company dedicated to improving learning operations for enterprises. He has a strong entrepreneurial background, having co-founded GoFish Cam and currently serves as an investor and advisor in various organizations.
Work at Cognota
Ryan Austin serves as the Founder and CEO of Cognota, a company established in 2019. Cognota focuses on enhancing learning operations for enterprises, addressing inefficiencies in training services. Under his leadership, the company secured its first customer prior to the product's completion. Austin has dedicated over 10 years to improving learning and development processes, positioning Cognota as a key player in the technology sector.
Current Roles and Investments
In addition to his role at Cognota, Ryan Austin is actively involved as an Investor at multiple organizations, including Goodkind, Stack & Sprout, and Lendtable, all since 2021. He also serves as a GTM Advisor and Mentor at Elevate since 2022. Furthermore, he contributes as a Contributing Writer for Forbes Business Council, sharing insights on business and technology since 2024.
Education and Expertise
Ryan Austin has a diverse educational background. He studied Sociology at York University from 2003 to 2005 and Business/Corporate Communications at Western University from 2006 to 2007. He also participated in various entrepreneurial programs, including Entrepreneur In Residence positions at Capital Factory, Surge Ventures, and The DMZ Accelerator. His educational journey began at Country Day School and continued at St. Andrew's College, where he completed high school.
Previous Experience
Before founding Cognota, Ryan Austin co-founded GoFish Cam, where he worked from 2014 to 2019 in the Austin, Texas area. He also held the position of Senior Vice President, Training Americas at WTG Events from 2009 to 2012 in Toronto, Ontario. His experience includes running a training services business prior to establishing Cognota, which laid the foundation for his focus on learning and development.
Achievements in Technology and Business
Ryan Austin has been recognized for his contributions to the technology sector, particularly in leadership, management, and customer engagement. He received media coverage in Austin, Texas, for his software development plan and has participated in multiple accelerator programs that enhance his entrepreneurial skills. His efforts have been instrumental in driving improvements in learning and development within enterprises.