Lighting the Entrepreneurial Spark
When Ben Lukszys arrived at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he already knew the path he hoped to take. His entrepreneurial spark began early, shaped by a family environment that made business feel meaningful rather than transactional. “My dad is a Distinguished Lecturer at the Wisconsin School of Business,” he recalled. “I grew up with this lens from my father, that business was something that could do good in the world. It wasn’t just some dude with a suit carrying a briefcase. It was something where you actually create an organization that could make a positive change beyond yourself.”
That early exposure was paired with inspiration from the podcast How I Built This, which he credits for deepening his interest. “I loved this idea of being obsessed with one thing and pouring all I had into something. And then that thing, which embodied me, I could put out in the world, and it could do good.”
Growing up in the small town of New Glarus, Wisconsin, Ben found entrepreneurial outlets wherever he could. He started a business club at his high school and reimagined volunteer opportunities for the National Honor Society by creating a community request form that is still in use today. Those early initiatives set the stage for what he would later build on the UW campus.
Growing the Entrepreneurship Community at UW-Madison
Once at UW–Madison, he threw himself into the startup ecosystem. As a sophomore, he co-led Transcend UW and helped raise the $42,500 they awarded to student founders in prize money. During the same year, he was invited by Professor Jon Eckhardt to help run a startup accelerator program for UW student startups that went on to raise money from people like Mark Cuban and the founder of LinkedIn. “[Jon] was one of the first people to say, Ben, I believe in you. Come work with me,” Ben said. “That was a big influence for me.”
Ben’s reputation as a connector grew quickly. Students who wanted to get involved in entrepreneurship often found their way to him. He leaned into that role by transforming his accelerator experience into a broader student community called ramp100, which grew to roughly 150 total members in Fall of 2024. By this time, local Madison founders soon began taking notice and expressing interest in hiring students from the community he was building.
Bridging the Startup Talent Gap in Madison
That interest ultimately sparked Ben’s current venture, Breakout, a recruiting service that matches founders with early-career talent (students and recent graduates) for full-time or part-time work in their startups. Since launching this past June, him and his co-founder have already helped 14 students and recent graduates land roles in startups. “I literally have started 14 careers in entrepreneurship and startups,” he said. “It’s very tangible, and I really like that.”
Balancing a growing business with academics has not always been simple. “The main challenge is time,” he admitted. “I have clients who expect something from me, and meanwhile, I have to decide whether I want to improve the service for my clients or get a better grade in a class.” But the tradeoffs have been worth it, especially when students he has helped reach back out expressing their gratitude. “Some friends have said, ‘Every job I have gotten is because of you. Thank you.’ It is very rewarding.”
Ben is triple-majoring in Entrepreneurship, Data Science, and Philosophy. Among his favorite classes has been Advanced Entrepreneurship (MHR 422). “It’s very discussion-based,” he said. “We watch a lot of Y Combinator videos, read case studies, and talk about entrepreneurship. Our big project was analyzing an early-stage venture, which was a great experience.”
Giving Relentlessly – Ben’s Guiding Principle
Reflecting on what has shaped his journey, Ben emphasized the importance of community. “The whole reason I do what I do is to figure out who my people are and how I can provide as much value as I can to them,” he said. “I found this group of entrepreneurs that I really enjoyed being around and decided I am just going to give relentlessly.”
For students considering a venture of their own, his advice is simple. “Surround yourself with people who have the same goal as you,” he said. “And just start. It is a lot easier to just start when you are around other people who want to do the same thing.”
Today, Ben continues to build Breakout while staying deeply connected to the entrepreneurial community that inspired him. His story reflects what can happen when passion, persistence, and a commitment to others intersect during the college years.
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