Early Life and Education
Matthew Tompkins grew up in Fells Point, Baltimore, driven by curiosity and ambition. He studied Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Styling at Vogue College in London under Susie Forbes, former editor at British Vogue. He also earned certifications in human capital, accounting, and retail marketing from Wharton, as well as credentials from Parsons, Bocconi in Milan, and the Venture Deals program by Brad Feld and Kauffman Fellows.
Advocacy and Networking
Matthew has served on the board of Stevenson University and advised MICApreneur at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has lectured on creative content and e-commerce styling at American River University, the University of Baltimore, and MICA. He also acts as an ambassador for a global platform connecting entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and angel investors, applying his expertise in networking, investor relations, and strategy to support innovation worldwide.
Professional Experience
He has worked with some of the top fashion editors, including Alex Van der Steen and Damian Foxe, with work appearing in Essential Homme, Vestal Magazine, the Financial Times, and Madame Magazine Paris. As a Senior Photo Stylist, he worked with some of the top modeling agencies, magazines, photographers, and fashion editors, as well as numerous brands, most notably Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, and Peter Millar. His experience has allowed him the opportunities to collaborate with some of the top Fashion Producers, Photographers, Fashion Editors, Product Line Managers, PR Firms, Merchandisers, Creative/Art Directors, Marketing teams, and E-commerce/Content Managers.
Ventures
At the end of 2021, Matthew founded GlobalArtandStyle.com, a social impact platform for home décor, furnishings, and gifts. With every purchase, 2% is donated to a nonprofit chosen by the customer, allowing people to shop stylish products while supporting meaningful causes. In 2023, he started a software company that uses AI and machine learning to personalize online shopping for fashion and apparel. The startup is part of Microsoft for Startups, the Microsoft ISV Program, NVIDIA Inception, and the Stripe Partner Program. He has worked with development teams in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Kenya.
Interests
Alongside building companies, Matthew enjoys spending time outdoors. He finds energy in trying new things, meeting people, exploring how technology is shaping the world, and relaxing by any body of water. He looks forward to life’s adventures, staying curious, learning, and remaining open to new experiences.
