Building trust in the digital world, the end of scarcity, the latest efforts to transform
finance, supply chain challenges and Wyoming’s leadership in digital innovation will
be discussed by education, technology, business and government leaders during the
2023 Wyoming Blockchain Stampede and Wyobuildathon Sept. 11-15 at the University of
Wyoming.
Presented by the UW Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation (CBDI), the Wyoming
Blockchain Stampede is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.
To preregister and view the agenda, visit www.uwyo.edu/stampede.
Featured speakers include Charles Hoskinson, founder and CEO of Input Output Global;
Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce; Allan Day, retired U.S. Air Force
major general and vice president of logistics and sustainment of global public sector
at Salesforce; Kristen Ragusin, author of “The End of Scarcity: The Dawn of the New
Abundant World”; Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Cheyenne’s Custodia Bank; Gov. Mark
Gordon; UW President Ed Seidel; Lauren Schoenfield, executive director of the Wyoming
Innovation Partnership; Robin Sessions Cooley, director of Wyoming’s Department of
Workforce Services; Penelope Shihab, director of UW’s Center for Entrepreneurship
and Innovation; Julie Hill, a University of Alabama College of Law professor; and
CBDI Director Steve Lupien.
Other speakers and panelists include David Pope, a member of the Wyoming Stable Token
Commission; Wyoming Banking Commissioner Jeremiah Bishop; attorney Matt Kaufman, a
member of the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation
Technology; Tyler Lindholm, state director of Americans for Prosperity; Rocky Case,
director of Wyoming Manufacturing Works; Zachary Weiner, founder, and Justin Pauly,
co-founder and president, VX Technologies; Christian Goodell, founder and CEO of Valeo
Labs; and Derek LaSalle, founder and inventor of the Blockchain Operating Sub-System
Powered Content Assurance and Provenance Protocol (CAPPStone) licensing ZeroTrust
DApp technology.
Also on the agenda are Reed Scull, a UW associate professor in the School of Counseling,
Leadership Advocacy and Design; Marko Ruble, co-founder and CEO of Yerguides.io; Sean
Stein Smith, a Lehman College assistant professor of business and economics; Anthony
Apollo, founder and CEO of Rensa; Bradley Rotter, chairman of the IPwe Board of Directors;
Tony Saliba, CEO of Matrix Holding Group; and Matt Field, CEO of VMAccel.
The Wyoming Blockchain Stampede starts with a Sept. 11-12 meeting of the Wyoming Legislature’s
Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology
in Room 506 of Coe Library. The agenda and associated documents can be viewed at https://wyoleg.gov/Committees/2023/S19.
The remaining events will be held in the Wyoming Union.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, the UW School of Computing’s first Wyoming Computing Symposium
— “Emerging Computing Approaches, Technologies and Applications” — starts with registration
and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Keynote speakers are Mary Hall, director of the Kahlert
School of Computing at the University of Utah; and Rabia Yazicigil, an assistant professor
of electrical and computer engineering and faculty affiliate of the Center for Information
and Systems Engineering at Boston University.
The afternoon includes a panel discussion, “Advancing the Wyoming Economy Through
Computing: Vision, Opportunities and Challenges.” Diksha Shukla, an assistant professor
in UW’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will moderate the
panel. Panelists include Laurel Ballard, Wyoming Department of Education innovation
officer; Kristen Pudenz, director of Advanced Research Programs at Atom Computing;
Gil Speyer, of the RTO Computational Research Accelerator at Arizona State University;
and Gregory White, an associate professor of computer science at the University of
Texas-San Antonio.
The 307 Startup Challenge is the second event Wednesday and will start at 4 p.m. Challenge
participants each will make a pitch and face a review by a panel of judges in competing
for prize money and mentoring to assist in their efforts.
The Wyoming Blockchain Stampede continues Thursday, Sept. 14, starting at 8 a.m. Lunch
will feature the governor, who will be introduced by Seidel. Thursday afternoon features
two tracks. Track 1 will examine Wyoming digital asset education, blockchain applications
and entrepreneurship opportunities. Track 2 features presentations on digital asset
entrepreneurs to enhance cybersecurity and trust, DeFi and artificial intelligence.
Events Friday, Sept. 15, start at 8 a.m. Keynote speakers include Hill, Long, Lupien,
state Sen. Chris Rothfuss and Hoskinson. Following lunch, UW students are invited
to an esports celebration in the Wyoming Union game room. Prizes and snacks will be
available. An esports competition will be held Saturday, Sept. 16, with teams from
UW, University of Colorado, Colorado State University and the Air Force Academy competing.
Country star Travis Denning will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Indoor Practice
Facility in a free concert for UW students, faculty and staff, and those who registered
for the Wyoming Blockchain Stampede.
Input Output Global is the title sponsor for the Wyoming Blockchain Stampede. Event
sponsors are Microsoft, Custodia Bank, Crypto.com, Ava Labs and Americans for Prosperity/Wyoming.
UW partners are the School of Computing; Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation;
School of Energy Resources; the colleges of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Business,
and Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources; the Associated Students of UW;
and IMPACT 307.
