Our Story
Technology that enhances the way people experience the world
Wildwood Development Co. is a software development company that builds consumer-facing digital brands. We create the platforms, experiences, and technology that help people discover and enjoy the things they are passionate about.
How It Started
Born from Curiosity
Wildwood Development Co. grew out of a straightforward observation: the most rewarding parts of life — sharing a great bottle of wine, discovering a new region, sitting down to a meal that tells a story — are often the hardest to navigate without insider knowledge.
We started with wine because the gap between curiosity and confidence is enormous. Millions of people want to explore wine but feel overwhelmed by the complexity, the jargon, and the sheer number of choices. We believed that AI and thoughtful design could bridge that gap without dumbing anything down.
That belief became WineMe — a platform that meets people where they are and grows with them as their palate evolves. Its development confirmed something we knew from the start: when you combine genuine domain knowledge with modern technology and a consumer-first mindset, you can build something people truly love.
Now we are expanding that approach into new verticals, building a family of brands that share a common infrastructure, a common philosophy, and a common commitment to enhancing everyday experiences.
“Technology should enhance human experiences, not replace them. The best digital products feel less like software and more like a knowledgeable friend who happens to have great taste.”
Ryan Thayer
President, Wildwood Development Co.
How We Think
Our Philosophy
Consumer-First, Always
Every decision starts with the person using our products. We do not build features because the technology is interesting — we build them because they solve a real problem or create a genuine moment of delight. If a feature does not make someone's life better, it does not ship.
AI as Enhancement, Not Replacement
We use AI extensively across our brands, but always in service of human experiences. AI helps us personalize recommendations, surface insights, and automate the tedious parts of discovery. It never replaces the human judgment, expertise, and emotion that make these experiences meaningful.
Comprehensive Capabilities, One Team
Our diverse expertise across accounting, finance, law, technology, and AI means we bring an all-in-one approach to every brand we build. From strategic planning and product design through engineering and operations, we handle the full stack — which means our brands benefit from coherent, end-to-end thinking at every stage.
Brands with Personality
Each brand in our portfolio has its own voice, its own visual identity, and its own relationship with its audience. We do not stamp out cookie-cutter products. We build brands that people form real connections with — brands that feel like they were made by people who actually care about the subject matter, because they were.
Leadership
Founded by Ryan Thayer
Ryan Thayer is an entrepreneur based in Chicago with a background in private equity and investment banking. He holds dual degrees in Accountancy and Finance with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business, and is currently pursuing a JD-MBA at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law and Kellogg School of Management.
Before founding Wildwood, Ryan worked in healthcare technology investment banking and private equity focused on lower-middle-market founder-owned businesses, contributing to over $500 million in transaction value. That experience across accounting, finance, law, technology, and AI gives him a rare breadth of expertise that informs every brand Wildwood builds.
As President of Wildwood Development Co., Ryan leads strategy, product, and engineering for the entire portfolio. The company is backed by RJT Capital Services, which provides management consulting and technology infrastructure.
Want to Know More?
We are always happy to talk about what we are building, where we are headed, and how we think about consumer brands and technology.
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