The a16z speedrun founder community is amazing!

Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech highlights new technology breakthroughs that will help define the future of the industries they serve. They’re looking for products, services, features, research, and other technological efforts that will have a positive impact for consumers, businesses, or society at large in the next five years.

In the game and making moves…

Spoiler: absolutely crushing it.

We recently had the chance (and the thrill) to pitch STIK to some of the top execs from the world’s biggest consumer product companies — at Trend Builders 2025.

Yep, the ones who move hundreds of millions of units a year…
and now they know: their products can become social networks too.

We talked about talking objects, fans with superpowers, new realities
— and how a book, a bottle, or a sneaker can turn into a global social platform.

And yes, it was a hit —
surprised faces, smart questions, even a few raised eyebrows (the good kind).

But for now…
they’ll have to wait.

We’re starting with the fans. With the creators.
With you.

Because STIK is built from the bottom up.
Object by object. Community by community.

Thanks to everyone backing this wild ride.
See you at the next pitch — or inside your Funko Pop.

Spoiler: Pitching STIK and blowing everyone’s minds.

The other day, we dropped a power pitch in front of a select group of influencer agency directors —
people with their radar set to “what’s next” before the rest of the world even sees it coming.

And yep, we pitched STIK:
👉 How everyday objects can become brand-new communication channels.
👉 How creators and influencers can turn physical products into living, breathing social networks.
👉 How a book, a sneaker, or a collectible can become creative, interactive, and totally real social spaces.

They were floored. For real.
They saw something you don’t see every day:
a new way to connect brands, creators, and communities —
without relying on algorithms or rented platforms.

Oh, and yes — Mike was capless.
He lost a bet with Cris (our CIO) and had to go two whole days without his signature headgear.
“I feel naked,” he kept saying.

Thanks to everyone who’s riding with us on this wild journey.
We’re reinventing the way the world interacts with what it loves.

This is about giving voice to the objects.
And you decide which ones go social.

P.S. The bet Mike lost? It was about FC Barcelona making it further than Real Madrid in the Champions League.
(We all know how that ended… and let’s just say Cris is still celebrating.)

(a.k.a. the code we live by while building the future)

We’re not just building tech.
We’re building the STIK Reality — a new way to connect people through the things they love.
And to do that, we need a culture that’s just as bold, sharp, and alive as the world we’re creating.

So here it is:
The way we think.
The way we work.
The way we drop.

01 – Default to Wild

Safe is boring.
We chase ideas that scare us a little — or a lot.
If it’s never been done before, we probably want to do it.

02 – Build Fast. Drop Hard.

We move. Fast.
Launch it, test it, break it, rebuild it better.
Speed isn’t everything, but it makes everything possible.

03 – No Bullshit. No Politics. Just Work.

Zero drama. Zero ego.
We say what we think. We debate with respect.
And then we get back to building. Simple.

04 – Users First. Fans Always.

We don’t build for “users.”
We build for fans, creators, weirdos, superfans, and people who give a damn.
Their joy is our KPI.

05 – Make It Real

Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything.
We don’t just imagine the future—we prototype it, test it, and drop it.
Over and over again.

06 – Launch Loud, Iterate Quiet

We launch like it’s a world tour.
Then we listen, tweak, and upgrade nonstop behind the scenes.
Hype + craft = magic.

07 – Own It or Drop It

If you touch it, you own it.
We don’t wait for someone else to fix it.
We lead from wherever we are.

08 – Talent > Titles

We don’t care where you come from or what your resume says.
Great ideas win. Period.
We hire people, not pedigrees.

09 – Protect the Vibe

We work hard, but we laugh harder.
We take the mission seriously — but never ourselves.
Kind people only. High vibes only. No assholes, ever.

10 – Future Over Everything

We’re not here to optimize yesterday.
We’re here to invent what comes next.
And we won’t stop until STIK is everywhere.

That’s our culture.
Messy. Brave. Fast. Obsessive. Human.
If this feels like your kind of tribe — come build it with us.

Welcome to STIK.
Welcome to STIK Reality.

Yes, that Mark. And yes—we said no.

It really happened.
Mark Zuckerberg called us.
Not a bot. Not a prank. The real deal.

He’d heard about STIK Reality.
Social Networks. Miniapps. Products as interactive platforms.
He got it.
He saw the vision.
He liked what we’re building.

And we listened.
We smiled.
And we said:
No.

No, we’re not interested in wrapping STIK Reality inside another social network.
No, we’re not turning this into just another engagement layer.
No, we’re not here to boost retention rates for anyone else’s platform.

Because STIK Reality isn’t made to fit in.
It’s made to break out.

We’re not building inside Meta.
We’re building in the real world.
On bottles, sneakers, books, toys, cosmetics.
Where people actually live, connect, and feel.

STIK Reality isn’t a feature.
It’s not a filter.
It’s not a story you can swipe past.

It’s the next internet layer.
It lives in the physical world.
And it belongs to the people who create it, scan it, love it.

So yes—Mark called.
And yes—it was tempting.
But the future we’re building doesn’t need a gatekeeper.

It needs believers.

Thanks for the call, Mark.
But we’re already home.

Coffee in hand, ideas flying, and keyboards on fire. That’s how a regular day kicks off at the STIK office.

Mike’s the first one in.
Except he already sent 3 voice notes, dropped 4 ideas, and shipped a miniapp demo before walking through the door.

Quote of the day?
“We’re gonna blow this up — lovingly.”
And yeah, he’s right. He’s always right.

Mon walks in like a rockstar with her eyes locked on the Slack board.
She picks the music. No one asked, but today it’s Ben Böhmer live concert because “it boosts creativity.”
(Spoiler: it does.)
Then she sits down and starts writing lines that sound like headlines from the future. Literally.

Cris shows up like a lightning bolt.
By now, he’s already climbed four walls before breakfast.
Today’s mission: crush concepts, organize chaos, and say “I’m not feeling this” with a smile that somehow motivates everyone.
When he talks community, we listen. Hard.

Jose? He’s the balance guy.
The one who pulls ideas from the clouds to the ground — and somehow also aligns timelines.
Today he says we need to rethink how a Social Network is activated.
And yes, Jose, it’s gonna be epic.

Between mockups, calls, coffees, stickers, and random quotes like “What if a bottle was a social network?”, the day flies.
But the energy doesn’t.

Because when you’re building something that could change the physical world…
there’s no clock.
Just moments.
And this team?
They turn them into magic.

Welcome to our day.
Welcome to STIK Reality.

Roger Enrico inspired us with this quote:

“Beware of the tyranny of making small changes to small things. Rather, make big changes to big things.”

So, here’s the thing: we’re going to change EVERYTHING.

Her name is Maggie. Rescued from an animal shelter. Mike is in love.