StartUp launches to support Wyoming entrepreneurs
By Blossom Ko Lumley
A decade ago my family moved to Wyoming in search of wind.
We had developed and patented a crazy wind system design while living in California and came out to visit with folks in Laramie, who suggested perhaps our idea wasn’t so crazy after all. Move to Wyoming, they said. No income tax, no corporate tax, business-friendly policies and, best of all, more wind than we could imagine, powering our dream for something that could be different, could be better.
We started off with a tiny office at what was then the Wyoming Technology Business Center incubator headed by Jonathan Benson and received invaluable guidance from Dr. Jonathan Naughton, head of the University of Wyoming’s Wind Energy Research Center. With that business and tech advisement, along with a $1,000 grant from the Small Business Development Center, our company Airloom Energy was able to secure $1 million from the National Science Foundation, which led to more than $18 million in venture capital and non-dilutive seed funding from leading clean-tech investors and the State of Wyoming.
I won’t lie. It was a long, difficult and at times soul-crushing journey. Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart and will draw upon reserves (both emotional and financial) that you never knew existed. But we were able to see our idea come to life, provide support for its next stage of success and hire a world-class team to take our crazy idea and run with it.
In this next stage of life’s journey, I’ve been so extremely fortunate to be welcomed into the Silicon Couloir fold as director of StartUp Wyoming. It feels like the opportunity of a lifetime to apply all those hard-learned lessons in support of others’ dreams — much like how we have been supported by the Wyoming startup ecosystem on our own venture.
StartUp Wyoming is a collaborative initiative between the Wyoming Business Council and Silicon Couloir designed to enhance entrepreneurial services and support for communities statewide. In its initial phase we’re conducting a comprehensive assessment of Wyoming’s entrepreneurial landscape through a statewide listening tour. The goal is to evaluate opportunities for strengthening startup programs and identify the resources necessary to foster innovation, drive startup growth and support economic development throughout Wyoming.
Joining me in these efforts is Zack Huberty, a Douglas resident who has an extensive background in startups. Zack founded several small businesses during his career, including his most recent venture, Miikana Woodworking, and has a strong track record in team building and networking across diverse sectors.
Our goals are to:
(1) Gather and analyze data from key stakeholders for needs assessment, including:
a. Startups of every stage/sector.
b. Startup funders, including VCs, angel investors, grantors.
c. Organizations supporting startups, including economic development organizations, educational institutions, municipalities, rural accelerators/incubators and community service providers.
(2) Design a comprehensive, multi-year plan to support high-growth potential startups from ideation stage to exit to:
a. Coordinate and amplify existing effective programs and systems.
b. Roll out statewide implementation of new educational/support initiatives to fill identified gaps, with the goal of creating a continual pipeline of support throughout the startup life cycle.
Since September we’ve met with a wide range of stakeholders from Casper, Gillette, Sheridan, Cody, Jackson, Riverton, Evanston, Green River, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Laramie, Cheyenne, Torrington and Wheatland, as well as incubators in Montana, Colorado, North Dakota and Iowa. We soon will meet with ecosystem partners in Lander, Dubois and the Wind River Reservation and, shortly after, start the data analysis process to prepare for focus group feedback across the state.
We welcome every opportunity to listen to and learn from the many voices and organizations dedicated to Wyoming’s growth. We’re thrilled to be a part of launching this statewide effort and believe that through education, mentoring, peer networks and funding, we can work collaboratively to accelerate and amplify startup success at every stage.
For more information please visit StartUpWY.com and fill out the linked contact form. We’re looking forward to connecting with you.
Blossom Ko Lumley is director of StartUp Wyoming, an initiative between the Wyoming Business Council and Silicon Couloir. Visionary Ventures is a monthly column submitted by the staff of Silicon Couloir.