DAYTON — The Wright Brothers Institute (WBI) has suspended its operations after more than 20 years of fostering innovation and collaboration for the U.S. Air Force and the Dayton region.
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In a release sent out on Friday, officials said WBI “successfully fulfilled its founding mission.”
Founded in 2002, WBI was established through a partnership involving the Dayton Development Coalition, the University of Dayton, and Wright State University in response to a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Scientific Advisory Board report.
“WBI was established to help the Air Force Research Laboratory connect with innovators outside its traditional contractor base and to strengthen the region’s reputation for being an innovation powerhouse,” said John Leland, WBI board chair.
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WBI completed over a thousand projects, solving critical challenges for the USAF using its collaborative innovation process.
The institute developed a rapid prototyping ‘Skunk Works’ that delivered timely capabilities to the USAF.
WBI’s patented ‘Divergent Collaboration’ process has been recognized by the Harvard Business Review and is now used by various government agencies and academic institutions.
The institute’s board has engaged with the USAF and community stakeholders over the past year to “chart the organization’s next chapter.” The WBI board made the decision to revisit the institute’s future in early 2026, keeping the corporation in reserve for potential future opportunities.
A small number of active WBI projects will be transitioned to community organizations, and remaining employees will receive assistance in finding new opportunities.
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