# Dirk Buikema

> Dirk Buikema is the founder and CEO of Hyperwear, an Austin-based functional fitness company he started in 2011. A former corporate attorney and semiconductor strategist turned inventor, he holds multiple US patents for training gear including the SandBell sandbag, the Hyper Vest adjustable weighted vest, and the SteelBell. Under his lean, research-driven, direct-to-consumer approach, Hyperwear grew 85% from 2022 to 2024 and landed on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Hyperwear
- **Organizations:** Hyperwear (Hyper Wear Inc.), CATZ Sports Training & Physical Therapy, Freescale Semiconductor, Motorola, Codex
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, JD, Law, Suffolk University Law School, Montclair Academy
- **Known for:** Founded and grew Hyperwear into an Inc. 5000 company (No. 4,567 in 2025), Holds multiple US patents for fitness training equipment including the SandBell sandbag and soft kettlebells, Invented the SandBell, Hyper Vest series, SteelBell, and the Hybrid Race sandbag system

## Career timeline

- **1979** — Investigator, Ward Commission
- **1986** — Technology Attorney at Codex
- **1993** — Corporate Attorney and Director of Strategy, Worldwide Manufacturing at Motorola
- **2002** — Director of Strategy and Business Development at Freescale Semiconductor
- **2005** — Founded CATZ Sports Training & Physical Therapy
- **2007** — Became CEO of Hyper Wear Inc.
- **2011** — Founded Hyperwear in Austin, Texas
- **2025** — Hyperwear named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies
- **2026** — Used ChatGPT to model pricing strategy against tariff scenarios

## Achievements

- Founded and grew Hyperwear into an Inc. 5000 company (No. 4,567 in 2025)
- Holds multiple US patents for fitness training equipment including the SandBell sandbag and soft kettlebells
- Invented the SandBell, Hyper Vest series, SteelBell, and the Hybrid Race sandbag system
- Grew Hyperwear revenue 85% between 2022 and 2024
- Built a lean direct-to-consumer brand on Shopify and Amazon

## Latest updates

- **2025-08** — Hyperwear named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 list on its first appearance, citing 85% revenue growth from 2022 to 2024.
- **2026-02** — Implemented new price increases informed by AI-modeled tariff scenarios.

## Links

- Website: https://hyperwear.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkbuikema
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/hyperwear
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirk_buikema/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/hyperwear

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dirk-buikema
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-24