Event Chairman Caitlin Long to Launch Wyoming Blockchain Stampede at UW

Event Chairman Caitlin Long is looking forward to showcasing opportunities the digital economy can bring the state during the fourth annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede and WyoHackathon Sept. 21-26 at the University of Wyoming.

Long, CEO of Avanti Bank in Cheyenne, is a UW alumna whose expertise contributed to legislation establishing Wyoming as a leader in blockchain regulation. She will be the keynote speaker at opening ceremonies Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 8 a.m. at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.

She has seen the conference grow from a weekend event to a weeklong global program attracting blockchain developers, entrepreneurs, legal experts, legislators, researchers, and educators and students from junior high to college.

“These efforts not only prepare UW students for jobs in the new digital economy, but also expose Wyoming’s junior high and high school students to these powerful technologies via their participation in WyoHackathon,” Long says. “They do not need to leave home to work in this industry. The partnership between Wyoming and the blockchain industry has been a win-win all around.”

Also at the opening ceremony will be Tyler Lindholm, state policy director for U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and a former state legislator who helped guide blockchain legislation; Rep. Jared Olsen (R-Cheyenne) and Sen. Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie), current co-chairmen of the legislative Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology; and Steven Lupien, director of the UW Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation (CBDI).

Lupien says the Wyoming Blockchain Stampede and WyoHackathon promote UW’s goal of being blockchain inclusive and demonstrating Wyoming’s commitment to be a blockchain pacesetter.

“The stampede’s theme, ‘Future Forward,’ represents our efforts to move ahead in all areas of blockchain, including cryptocurrency, smart contracts and digital assets that will create new entrepreneurial and technological opportunities for Wyoming and the world,” Lupien says.

The stampede is presented by title sponsors IOHK and Blockchain.com; CBDI; the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; the College of Business; the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s Department of Computer Science; and the College of Law.

Listed is the event schedule:

Sept. 21, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., UW Conference Center -- The Startup Stampede will highlight the companies of the future.

Sept. 21-22, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Room 506, Coe Library -- The Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology will hear testimony from the public on opportunities to improve the laws.

Sept. 22, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., UW Conference Center -- Future Forward with UW President Ed Seidel. Speakers and panels will discuss initiatives that will drive positive economic development for future generations.

Sept. 22, 5-8 p.m., Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center -- The Sandcastle Invitational seeks the best and most promising blockchain startups the world over to compete for the top cash prize.

Sept. 23, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., War Memorial Fieldhouse -- The Stampede Law Conference will examine the new laws in Wyoming that impact blockchain and crypto businesses and help form the ecosystem.

Sept. 23, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., UW Conference Center -- The Stampede Finance Conference offers a deep dive into the evolving world of finance; how blockchain technology is pushing decentralized finance; and what impact that will have.

Sept. 23-24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., UW Conference Center -- The Stampede Business Conference is two full days of conversations helping attendees understand business opportunities of blockchain and use cases.

Sept. 24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., UW Conference Center -- DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) Day features technical workshops and speakers explaining what DAOs are and the role they will play in our future -- also, how Wyoming is leading the way in terms of DAO regulation.

Sept. 24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., War Memorial Fieldhouse -- The Stampede Developers Conference features technical speakers and workshops to help attendees prepare for the WyoHackathon challenges and to introduce new technologies, concepts and emerging standards.

Sept. 24, 5 p.m. and Sept. 26, 10 a.m., War Memorial Fieldhouse -- The WyoHackathon presents challenges and bounties for developers, entrepreneurs and business professionals. Participants will use the weekend to come up with the best solution to the problems presented.

For more information about the Wyoming Blockchain Stampede, in addition to the website at www.wyohackathon.io, follow on Twitter; join on Telegram at https://t.me/WyoHackathon; connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/wyohackathon; or visit Facebook.