Ryan Isham
Lecturer of Innovation
Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality & Tourism
Email Address: r_isham@uncg.edu
Phone: 336.256.8507
Biography
Ryan Isham is Founder and CEO of i2 Operators, a firm that partners with universities and early-stage ventures to commercialize innovations, develop startups, and secure funding. He has scaled companies across biotech, SaaS, and consulting, including a company he grew into the largest donated human tissue provider to the Federal Government and served as COO and co-owner before a successful exit.
At i2 Operators, Isham launched a statewide University Innovation Commercialization Program with 16 North Carolina universities. He has also advised startups in medtech, digital infrastructure, consumer goods, and professional services, and many more, blending real-world execution with teaching and mentoring.
Isham holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a BS in Biological Engineering from the University of Florida. A U.S. Air Force veteran and certified SCORE mentor, he is committed to making entrepreneurship accessible to diverse and nontraditional founders. At UNCG, he teaches innovation with a focus on helping students translate creativity into execution.
Education
- 2023 – Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business; Master of Business Administration
- 2011 – University of Florida, The Herbert Wertheim School of Engineering; Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering