Happy Jack Software Graduates from WTBC

November 22, 2010

 With recent growth, Happy Jack Software is "graduating" from the Wyoming Business Technology Center (WBTC) to the Laramie Technology Building, located at 1525 Industry Drive, later this month.

Happy Jack Software, established in 2004, specializes in Web-based software and rich Internet applications. The local company was the second client selected in early 2006 by the WBTC and moved into the temporary space in the Bureau of Mines Building before the construction of the technology center. The company was started by Mona Gamboa and Jeff Van Baalen, University of Wyoming Department of Computer Science professor.

The WTBC looks for high growth companies with an emphasis on technology-related firms. While a few clients are still in the development phase, the emphasis is on finding good entrepreneurs who have the potential to grow and develop their own companies and who are close to taking a product or service to market. The WTBC operates a 30,000-square foot technology business incubator at UW.

In recent years Happy Jack has grown from two employees to 22, many of whom are UW graduates. Ten employees come from the UW Department of Computer Science and two from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.  Four employees have Ph.D. degrees.

"The students who graduate from UW here have just as much talent, are just as good and are much more well-rounded," Gamboa says. "They are the best that I've worked with."

Business incubation programs, such as WTBC, catalyze the process of starting and growing companies by providing entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and tools they need to make their ventures successful. The incubator program includes laboratory, datacenter, and office space along with administrative support and business and management advice.

Eight start-up companies are currently housed in the WBTC. A reception for Happy Jack Software employees will be held before the relocation to the Laramie Technology Building.

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