Wright Brothers Institute

The Wright Brothers Institute (WBI) was a nonprofit organization based in Dayton, Ohio, that served as an innovation hub and partnership intermediary for the United States Air Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Founded in 2002 to connect the Air Force with nontraditional technology partners, WBI provided services including problem exploration, technology transition, and commercialization. The organization utilized specialized processes, such as its patented Divergent Collaboration model and a rapid prototyping Skunk Works, to bridge the gap between small businesses, academia, and government needs. By facilitating these connections, WBI aimed to accelerate the delivery of new capabilities to the warfighter and foster regional economic development.

In October 2025, the organization suspended its operations after announcing that it had successfully fulfilled its founding mission. Over its more than two decades of existence, WBI completed over 1,000 projects to solve critical Air Force challenges. While active, WBI supported small businesses through programs like its SBIR Ventures team, offering education and guidance on government contracting, technology transfer, and investor readiness. Following the suspension, the institute's board planned to retain the corporation in reserve to potentially revisit its future in 2026, while transitioning remaining active projects to other community organizations.