Laramie Startup EcosAtlas Aims to Streamline U.S. Manufacturing Reshoring

Laramie-based startup EcosAtlas is targeting the systemic fragmentation of domestic supply chains to streamline the “reshoring” of U.S. manufacturing. By aggregating over 100 disparate datasets, the platform helps companies identify domestic suppliers and bypass the biases of traditional search engine optimization, according to reporting by Cowboy State Daily.

Why domestic manufacturing struggles to return

For decades, the American industrial model leaned heavily on overseas labor, leaving domestic supply chains hollowed out and disconnected. According to the nonprofit Reshoring Initiative, announcements of reshoring and foreign direct investment projects are projected to account for roughly 309,000 manufacturing jobs in 2026.

Despite this momentum, the transition is rarely smooth.

A 2026 survey from the Reshoring Initiative found that 57% of original equipment manufacturers view policy uncertainty as their primary obstacle. Beyond policy, companies face steep competition from lower-priced imports and a shortage of skilled workers. For many firms, the desire to return to U.S. soil is clear, but the logistical map to get there remains obscured by a lack of reliable, centralized data.

How EcosAtlas bypasses search engine bias

Christian Bitzas, former CEO and co-founder of the Laramie-based firm Uplink Robotics, recognized these gaps firsthand while managing his own supply chain needs. He found that the information required to build a domestic network was often stale, incomplete, or buried under the weight of search engine optimization (SEO) algorithms.

Laramie Startup EcosAtlas Aims to Streamline U.S. Manufacturing Reshoring

Bitzas told Cowboy State Daily that there is a huge issue with not knowing who does what in a region. He added that he likes to say it is gamed because of SEO, so only certain companies show at the top.

EcosAtlas functions as a supply chain intelligence platform that pulls from more than 100 distinct datasets, including federal records and OSHA inspection history. By focusing on verifiable indicators of quality and government contracting success rather than marketing prowess, the platform surfaces manufacturers that might otherwise remain invisible to potential partners.

Applying the Wyoming litmus test

The platform is currently undergoing pilot testing in Wyoming, where it is being used to bridge the gap for companies looking to localize production. Eric Carman-Murray, Manufacturing Works’ southwest Wyoming regional director, utilized EcosAtlas to assist a pesticide manufacturer with complex, state-specific insurance insolvency requirements.

While such queries typically fall outside the scope of traditional economic development outreach, the platform allowed Carman-Murray to query the platform much the way one would any other artificial-intelligence agent.

By querying the system, he was able to connect the manufacturer with businesses that had already solved similar regulatory hurdles.

“It’s a great connection tool to understand and help expose those whose capabilities would otherwise remain invisible,” Carman-Murray said.

He noted that the platform has an AI component that helps organize and maintain a huge amount of fragmented business information, allowing users to ask specific, practical questions without needing advanced programming skills.

Combating the regional brain drain

For Bitzas, the development of EcosAtlas is deeply personal. A native of Powell, Wyoming, Bitzas experienced the state’s “brain drain” firsthand after graduation. Despite holding internships with NASA and Raytheon, he found that local opportunities were virtually nonexistent.

He eventually left the state for a position in Tucson before choosing to return to Wyoming to launch his own venture, Uplink Robotics.

That experience—the struggle to find local suppliers and business mentors—directly informed the creation of his current platform. By mapping the state’s industrial capabilities, Bitzas aims to help other graduates find opportunities without having to relocate to places like Arizona or Silicon Valley.

Expanding the model beyond the Cowboy State

The project is now moving toward a national rollout, with a paid pilot currently underway in Idaho. Bitzas envisions the platform serving as an economic development tool that identifies “leakage”—instances where state agencies or private companies pay for out-of-state services that could be provided locally.

By keeping those contracts within state lines, Bitzas hopes to create a manufacturing ecosystem that sustains local jobs and keeps high-value expertise at home. As the pilot programs continue to gather data, the goal is to transform how American companies view domestic manufacturing, turning a once-fragmented market into a transparent, accessible network.