The Wright Brothers Institute is shutting down after more than two decades of work with the U.S. Air Force and entrepreneurs in the Dayton region.
It's mission had been to help the Air Force Research Laboratory connect with the community and "strengthen the region’s reputation" for being an "innovation powerhouse."
The institute was established in 2002 as part of a partnership between the Dayton Development Coalition, the University of Dayton and Wright State University.
This group came together to respond to a U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Report, calling for new approaches to global technological competition, rapid innovation, workforce development and engagement with nontraditional technology partners.
Over the course of more than two decades of operation, the institute said it completed over 1,000 projects, solving Air Force challenges and created and managed a rapid prototyping method called “Skunk Works.”
The institute's board plans to revisit the corporation's future in early 2026.
“While we no longer see a need for a separate organization to carry out these initiatives, we may keep the WBI corporation in reserve for future opportunities—the name carries respect and power," stated Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition.
Other organizations will take over some of the activities it was working on.
