The WY Regional Aerospace Nanotechnology and Composites Hub - WY RANCH - is a Sheridan-based Innovation Hub for the Materials, Industrials, and Energy sectors.
Pheneovate Founder Logan Jenkins launched The WY RANCH in August of 2020 to complement the state’s advanced industries ecosystem. In October, The WY RANCH received the EPIC Prize Award from the U.S. DOE to further efforts with the specialized Hub.
He states “The WY RANCH utilizes Wyoming’s concentration of specialized talents and technologies to prompt innovation across multiple industries and sectors. We’re here to guide the efforts of our in-state talent, utilize every business here to its fullest potential, and attract new industry stakeholders to Wyoming.“
The WY RANCH site further describes part of their mission in Wyoming, with an emphasis on the energy sector as a whole.
“Our state has generated unsustainable wealth for over fifty years through taxes and royalties from our abundant fossil fuel resources. Coal production and associated employment have been in a steady free fall in the state in very recent years. With the decline comes the departure of residents from beautiful communities built during the booms.
Young adults that left their hometowns for college in Laramie often don’t come back to the place that raised their parents, grandparents, and multiple generations before them. The opportunities that were once plentiful aren’t there anymore. The industries that built our state continue to contract and emerging ones aren’t replacing them.
We have the room and a friendly business environment to grow. To spur growth, we must enable people to start. The young adult that just finished college; the third-generation coal miner who can’t didn’t weather the latest layoff; the research fellow with a brilliant concept who has never run a company - they all need resources to pursue their dreams. For specific ideas and concepts, we’re a special place for them to begin their journey.
Wyoming has the infrastructure and willing participants to support economic diversification. This is absolutely a team effort and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
Further, Logan will work with existing companies outside of Wyoming as a liaison to economic development entities already established in the state.
Interested parties can submit a short form to learn more about The WY RANCH efforts.