About Us

In 2016, Carly Keller and Danielle Clapper envisioned a world where asthmatics like themselves can drive tractors without having to breathe in the allergens that come in tandem with a farmer's life. They took their project through high school science fairs, and had their research recognized at both state and national levels.

Following graduation, Danielle stepped away from the project to pursue a career in elementary education, but Carly wanted to continue turn their research into reality. She ended up partnering with Danielle's brother, Jared Clapper, a finance student at the University of Wyoming (UW), and Clayton Auzqui, an economics and agricultural business student at UW.

Together, they founded BAST, named after the bast fibers used in the hemp filter media, and went on to win the Goshen County Startup Challenge in 2022 and the University of Wyoming's Ellbogen 50K Entrepreneurship Challenge in 2023. BAST currently holds the records for the most seed funding won in either competitions.

Now, the team is finishing the research and development required to commercialize their sustainable air filters with the help of Southeast Nonwovens Inc, while simultaneously finishing college. Carly is a veterinary technology student at Eastern Wyoming College, and Jared is finishing his undergraduate in finance at UW, with plans to pursue an MBA at UW after graduation.