See what Hartford has to offer
local entrepreneurs.
Grow your business today!
HomeArchive "Innovation"
What Makes CT Innovative?
From cutting-edge technology, to innovations in MedTech, to advances in STEM-related initiatives, innovative activity is taking place throughout Connecticut. Share your story with us.
Innovation Posts
InnovateCT Promotes Innovation in CT Through Education
June 26 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments
InnovateCT Founder Nick Wagner
InnovateCT Founder Nick Wagner spoke with Innovation Destination Hartford Website Curator Nan Price about the importance of Connecticut fostering innovation through education.
NAN PRICE: How did you develop the idea for InnovateCT and how has your mission evolved?
NICK WAGNER: The idea started in 2016, when General Electric announced it was moving its headquarters from Hartford to Boston. I got a little upset. My initial thought was: How can I promote innovation in the state? I want to raise my kids here and I want to give back.
I quickly realized that scope was far too large for one person. So, I narrowed the scope to specifically focus on the education space and how I could help students. And then, through conversations with some educators I work with, I narrowed my scope again, based on their feedback.
They told me: Don't focus on the students, focus on the educators because they can have an impact on the students. I will have a bigger impact working with the educators, which will then impact the students. That made perfect sense. But it took me a couple of years to get that point.
I always tell people: If you're not willing to pivot with your idea, you are pretty much destined for failure. You have to be open minded. I pivoted twice. I feel now, focusing on the educators has been making the most impact.
NAN: How so? Tell us about that.
NICK WAGNER: Our mission is to help educators promote innovation in Connecticut schools and colleges. We do that through knowledge and best practice sharing.
I'm not an educator. I have an IT degree and I was an entrepreneur and now I'm in HR. But I'm passionate about helping the state and specifically helping educators because I feel that, no matter what your demographic or socioeconomic status, education can be helpful.
Connecticut does education very well—we're one of the leaders in the country. I want to ensure we continue to be that.
The gap I found in talking with numerous educators, including my wife who is a speech pathologist, is educators are stretched for time. They have a lot going on and they usually do a lot of work outside of school. So, my idea was: Can I help them be more proficient and productive by using knowledge and best practice sharing across the state to arm them with resources to better do their jobs?
Connecticut has 169 towns, and many of the school districts don't talk to each other. They'll share information within their school district, but they won't share it in other districts. I've been trying to give educators a platform to share innovative things they are doing across school districts.
An example, through our knowledge-sharing initiative we post videos from educators across the state sharing something innovative they're doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Z43HK-_cQ
Melissa Thom of West Hartford Public Schools shares her thoughts on developing a school-wide culture of reading.
We're also working on a professional development webinar series, where we dive a little deeper into a topic, such as assisted tech or resources to help students with disabilities. We host different events to help educators learn something new. For example, we went to the Microsoft store at Westfarms to host an Education Open House. We also have the InnovateCT Podcast, where we interview someone who's doing something innovative in Connecticut schools.
My goal is to have an Ambassador Program where we ideally have an ambassador from every school district in the state who would be a part of our knowledge-sharing community and share relevant information internally with their school district. I have a handful of people right now who are interested, I'm trying to gain more interest before we formally roll it out.
NAN: How does Connecticut remain innovative?
NICK: If you look at the History of Connecticut Innovation, Connecticut was known as "The Silicon Valley of the 19th century." We have a long history of innovation in the state, dating back to Samuel Colt, Igor Sikorsky, and Eli Whitney, the list goes on.
What we do in the education space ties into everything with innovation. We need to have a great education community, not only K-12 but also in colleges and universities, to promote that innovation ecosystem. Because a lot of the innovation comes from the schools, colleges, and research universities.
If we want to have innovative companies here building great products and services, we need the workforce. How are you going to have a great workforce? You need good education.
And that doesn't just mean going to a four-year college. It could mean going to a technical college and becoming a skilled craftsperson who can work in the aerospace industry. It's about continuous learning at places like MakerspaceCT in Hartford.
There are so many ways to learn. We need to foster the entire ecosystem of education and continuous learning, which will then help drive innovation. This will help Connecticut attract and retain talent, which is what the businesses here need to thrive and grow.
Find out more about InnovateCT
VISIT: www.innovatect.org
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter |YouTube
MakerspaceCT Makes an Impact in Hartford
June 11 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: advanced manufacturing, Connecticut, CT, Hartford, innovation, makerspace, MakerspaceCT, startup resources
MakerspaceCT Founder Devra Sisitsky with Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin at the MakerspaceCT Grand Opening April 13, 2019.
MakerspaceCT officially opened its doors on April 13, 2019. Founder Devra Sisitsky began the project in
2014 after attending a Maker Faire and Conference in California and reading an article about makerspaces in Make Magazine.
Devra is passionate about building and contributing to the growing innovation hub in Hartford. She recently shared some insight with MetroHartford Alliance Content Manager Nan Price.
NAN PRICE: Tell us about the economic impact MakerspaceCT has on our community.
DEVRA SISITSKY: One of the most important legacies we can leave in Hartford is the opportunity to expose alternative financial pathways to sustainability for people in the area. Makerspaces enable people to bring their ideas to fruition and create businesses that contribute to the city's financial health.
NAN: MakerspaceCT also creates economic impact by providing job opportunities.
DEVRA: Yes. We currently have seven full-time employees and about 15 part-time teachers and techs. We're bringing in more teachers and we're always looking for talent.
Also, like many other states, Connecticut is facing a manufacturing skills gap. MakerspaceCT can expose people to many manufacturing processes and help them acquire skills needed for those jobs. We have equipment and programs to introduce manufacturing skills, which can help put people into the pipeline for workforce development.
It's a great way to jumpstart someone's trajectory into the manufacturing field without a long-term commitment. They can learn how to work with mills, lathes, plastic injection equipment, 3D printers, and much more and then decide if they want to pursue careers in these areas. We're that bridge between someone wanting to change their life by learning additional skills and someone who is actually moving forward.
NAN: In what ways does MakerspaceCT contribute to Hartford's innovation hub?
Members of the MakerspaceCT Board of Directors.
DEVRA: We are creating an innovation/maker ecosystem in the Hartford area with many new innovation and tech startups. Our goal is to support entrepreneurs and people with innovative ideas so this becomes a much easier process.
Hartford is already known as the fourth best tech city and we want to make that even better. We want to support people. We want to solidify those relationships, networks, and pathways from one resource to the next so people have a much clearer path to success with the new products they're creating and the new businesses they're launching.
NAN: Why locate MakerspaceCT in the center of downtown Hartford?
DEVRA: I am a native of Hartford and I've always been a cheerleader for Hartford. I'm excited to be one of the spokes in the hub that ties together the schools and universities with organizations like the Infosys Hartford Tech & Innovation Hub, Manufactory 4.0 – Stanley Black and Decker, the Stanley+Techstars Accelerator, Upward Hartford, reSET—all these great resources and people who are here as individuals and mentors to help with this movement.
NAN: There was a lot of anticipation in and around the city in the lead up to MakerspaceCT opening. How have you been gaining traction?
DEVRA: We've rolled out a lot of classes from 3D printing and scanning to welding and woodworking. We're also offing summer youth programming for kids ages 12–17 in Raspberry Pi, robotics, and 3D printing. There are also some really exciting things coming up in the fall, including the New England Maker Summit, where people can learn about the impact of making on the financial stability of a city.
I obviously want to see the Makerspace gain traction through memberships. We want to bring more projects to Hartford to help make it a better city and get people more involved. We're always looking for community support. We would love more corporate support too—having corporations offer scholarships for people in the city or for students for summer programs. And having corporations involve their employees. It's a great way to enhance creativity.
NAN: What's in it for you? Why did you take on creating this community resource?
DEVRA: All my life I've been surrounded by makers—people who repurpose things and people who are often hands-on problem solvers. It's the same thing I do in the abstract medium when I create businesses. This is my 33rd startup. I adore putting the puzzle pieces together and making it work—it's the same thing makers do when they're solving a problem.
What's in it for me is the commonsense reality that we're getting back to innovation and creation. It's switching the mindset from one of conspicuous consumption to one of innovation and creation.
It's empowering people, children, women to understand that they can make something—that it's not outside of their reach. The idea they've had kicking around in their head can come to fruition. It can be a good idea.
It's supporting people in their dreams. It's leaving a legacy in this city of encouraging people to reach for their dreams and make businesses come to fruition. That's what's in it for me.
Find out more about MakerspaceCT
VISIT: makerspacect.com
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
Hartford InsurTech Hub Completes Second Accelerator Program
May 01 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: FinTech startups, global startups, Hartford, Hartford InsurTech Hub, InsurTech, InsurTech startups insurance startups, IoT startups, tech startups
Hartford InsurTech Hub hosted its second Demo Day at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, CT on Friday, April 26.
Hartford InsurTech Hub, powered by Startupbootcamp, hosted its second Demo Day at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, CT on Friday, April 26. This year's theme "AMPLIFY" drew more than 500 attendees and 600+ viewers on the livestream.
Out of 10 startups graduating from the cohort, three have already secured pilots with leading insurance companies within the Hub's core sponsoring partners: Aetna, Capgemini, Cigna, Clyde & Co, The Hartford, Travelers, USAA, and White Mountains.
The 10 startups showcased technologies that help amplify health, life, and property and casualty insurance companies. Each startup relocated to Hartford for the three-month accelerator program. Three of the startups are from the United States, while the remaining seven have relocated from countries including Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, Israel, and Canada.
In addition to securing pilots within Hartford Insurtech Hub's corporate partners, the startups have also been engaged with local Hartford and Connecticut communities. Through the program, all the participating startups have hired students from the University of Connecticut and the University of Hartford as interns. Both universities have established a joint InsurTech course as a result of the Hartford Insurtech Hub's program and the hired interns are participating in the course.
"We're seeing an amplified pace in new technology and ideas in the insurance industry globally. Innovation is accelerating and our program partners understand the importance of integrating many innovation methods into their business models and staying connected," said Dawn LeBlanc, Managing Director for Hartford InsurTech Hub.
The 10 innovative and disruptive teams showcased during Demo Day:
Pineapple – South Africa: Offers a fair, transparent, and affinity-based P2P insurance.
Handdii – Australia: Created a digital platform that automates the property insurance claim process from FNOL through to claim finalization.
Dream Payments – Canada: A FinTech startup that powers digital and mobile
Canadian FinTech startup Dream Payments presenting at the Hartford InsurTech Hub, Demo Day.
payment services for business customers.
Pitch Gauge – Georgia: A roofing estimating application using mobile devices to do property inspections.
Medyear – San Francisco: A social network for healthcare collaboration that connects consumers to more than 190 health systems and 700K doctors to real-time chat, secure email, microblogging, and personal health records.
SkyWatch – Israel: A licensed insurance broker in all 50 U.S. states offering a holistic software for on-demand risk-aware solutions for connected, moving platforms.
Talem Health Analytics – Canada: Provides data-driven insights on bodily injury claims cost.
See Your Box – Switzerland: A tech-service platform that uses industrial IoT tools to collect, analyze, and extract information related to goods across all steps of the supply chain.
ClaimSpace –Australia: A platform that bridges the communication gap between customers, insurers, and stakeholders during the claims process.
CareValidate – Georgia: Powered by a life-saving light bulb called SafeLight, this startup provides health, safety, and quality of care telematics to transform workers' compensation, senior living, long-term care, life, and health insurance products with plug-and-play InsurTech solutions.
"Once again, incredible technology companies from around the world have come to our city to learn how to build new products and capabilities that will create value and potentially transform the U.S. insurance industry," noted Michelle Cote, Managing Director for Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Director of Hartford/East Hartford Innovation Place.
"These visionary entrepreneurs are providing new inspiration to our partners and the community at large. Hartford's reputation as a significant center of InsurTech activity has certainly been amplified over the past year, and we look forward to even more innovation activity here in the year ahead," she added.
Learn more about Hartford InsurTech Hub
VISIT: hartfordinsurtechhub.com
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
Global Site Selector Provides Insight About Innovation in Hartford
April 30 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: entrepreneurs, global, global entrepreneurs, global startups, Hartford, insurance, startups, technology
By Nan Price, Content Manager, MetroHartford Alliance
David Hickey, Managing Director at Hickey & Associates (left) and David Robinson, Executive Vice President & General Counsel at The Hartford (right) participated in a discussion about site selection and economic development at a recent MetroHartford Alliance luncheon event.
On Friday afternoon, the MetroHartford Alliance created an opportunity to not only share information about the organization's growth and evolution, but to gain insight from a global leader in site selection.
David Hickey, Managing Director at Hickey & Associates participated in a discussion and Q&A about site selection and economic development—specifically related to Hartford.
WHAT IS A SITE SELECTOR?
Hickey helped define the role of a site selector by explaining how they use data and analysis as well as site visits to help clients navigate real estate and determine the best places to locate.
According to Hickey, the process involves a deep understanding of the client's culture and scope—and workforce is a huge driver. "Workforce, including recruitment and retention," Hickey underscored. "Clients are looking for talent and they are focus on the skills and people they need today as well as tomorrow."
Infrastructure is a key aspect, too. Hickey said clients are asking: Does government support businesses? Are processes in place?
In terms of on-site visits, he noted that all parts of the community play an important role, which is where community leaders can provide support "Clients engage through communities helping sell the region," he noted. "It's critical—it's vital to the process."
TELLING HARTFORD'S STORY
Hickey noted that Hartford should continue marketing and telling our story, focusing on our core strengths in insurance and aerospace as well as talent and opportunity.
"Tell don't change the story," he underscored. "Continue pushing. Continue the work that has been done. Continue to focus on the fact that Hartford is the insurance capital of the world—while highlighting other regional assets."
GLOBAL INNOVATION IN HARTFORD
Hartford has already shown it's a viable site to locate global business. One recent example Hickey pointed out is global technology company Infosys, which decided to build a technology and innovation hub in Hartford.
Hickey & Associates' research shows that Hartford's global innovation hub ranks #32 globally and #15 in the United States, putting Hartford on the map, competing with cities like Boston, New York City, Raleigh, and Washington, D.C.
"You can see innovation happening in front of you in Hartford," Hickey said, noting the city's strong startup culture.
"Insurance and technology startups are here," he said. "You don't need to go to Boston or New York City, you can stay and really be part of something. What's coming out of Hartford right now will literally change the world."
Tech Talent South Comes to Hartford
April 24 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments
Tech Talent Connecticut is located at Upward Hartford, 20 Church Street, Hartford, CT.
Tech Talent South is a coding bootcamp located in evolving high-growth technology hubs including Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Raleigh, NC; Asheville, NC; New Orleans, LA; Dallas, TX; Phoenix, AZ; San Antonio, TX; Wilmington, NC; Winston-Salem, NC; Columbus, OH—and now Hartford, CT, as Tech Talent Connecticut.
Innovation Destination Hartford Website Curator Nan Price met with Sean Peterson, Digital Product Manager at Tech Talent South and Ellen Last, Community Organizer at Tech Talent Connecticut, to find out why the organization chose to have a presence in Hartford and how it plans to support our tech community.
NAN PRICE: Why Hartford?
SEAN PETERSON: Beyond being a tech education company that teaches skills and coding, Tech Talent South values the tech community side of things—connecting with innovators, companies, entrepreneurs, co-working spaces, and accelerators. A lot of entrepreneurs come to our programs and want to get connected to tech communities in their cities.
Sean Peterson, Digital Product Manager at Tech Talent South
Some background about "Why Hartford?" Former Governor Malloy was encouraging Connecticut to grow its tech ecosystem and support the tech workforce. The state set up a Tech Talent Fund and was looking for organizations to help support that initiative. Connecticut is providing funding administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). Through that initiative, Tech Talent South set up in Hartford.
ELLEN LAST: Part of what brought us to Hartford is the technology workforce, which is growing rapidly. Because Hartford is a relatively small city, there's a lot of opportunity to get to know the entire ecosystem well and build strong, collaborative relationships.
That's our current focus, getting to know these communities and figuring out how we can support them—whether it's a company hiring local talent or a Meetup group of developers or experienced professionals that wants to share knowledge and skills. We want to help people succeed.
NAN: How can Tech Talent Connecticut help?
SEAN: One way is through our Tech Talent Select program, where we partner with large companies that want to grow their tech teams and are interested in investing in their communities. They partner with us to create a specific program that's aligned with their goals.
We also run a variety of courses and workshops to help with everything from learning basic or advanced coding to data analytics to web design and game development.
NAN: How are you connecting with organizations and entrepreneurs in the community?
SEAN: In communities like Hartford, everyone is so excited to support one another. We've been going to events, like when I met you at reSET, and finding individuals who are also motivated to grow our community and are already big players. A lot of the connections have been through introduction to introduction. Through that, we've been learning a lot about the work other groups are doing and how we can support that.
Tech Talent Connecticut Community Organizer Ellen Last works at Upward Hartford, which was recently named #7 co-working space by Big Seven Travel.
ELLEN: That's our biggest goal here—plugging into and finding out how to support the community. There are already amazing initiatives at play. We provide a unique new opportunity in terms of the types of classes we can offer.
We're doing a lot of outreach/grassroots-type of marketing and we also host Meetup events for the community to come and learn from each other. Also, we've been connecting with local Meetup group organizers who are already immersed in their communities. We share what we have coming up, learn what events they have coming up, and promote everything with our growing community.
Then also getting plugged into places like Upward Hartford. There's so much innovation and activity happening in this space. It's nice to be situated in a hub for that, because Upward brings a lot of opportunity in and the organizers are well connected with innovators in the Hartford area.
NAN: How did Tech Talent South connect with Upward Hartford?
SEAN: We wanted to launch an initiative here in Hartford and we were looking for a space. Our courses are run out of co-working spaces in all our locations. One big reason is again, community. It's creating collision points. For example, if you're taking one of our courses here, you can network with other startups in the building or engage in events happening here.
ELLEN: With Upward, there's a beautiful synergy between our programs and the space—we're running events that help their members and they're running events in their space that help our members. It's helping build that energy here in Hartford.
Learn more about Tech Talent South
VISIT: www.techtalentsouth.com
Hartford HealthCare, Trinity, UConn to Launch Hartford MedTech Accelerator
April 23 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: CT, digital health, Hartford, Hartford HealthCare, Hartford MedTech Accelerator, medical technology, MedTech, MedTech Accelerator, Trinity, UConn
This story by News Editor Matt Pilon originally appeared in the Hartford Business Journal April 23, 2019.
Hartford HealthCare, Trinity College and the UConn School of Business on Wednesday are expected to announce the launch a medical technology and digital health accelerator, which would join insurance and manufacturing startup programs that have launched in the Capital City in the past few years.
The partners have chosen London-based Startupbootcamp to operate the new accelerator, which is designed to attract promising startups to the city, where experts will help them develop and implement their strategy, hoping they might find a customer base here and stick around for future growth.
The Hartford Business Journal learned details of the new accelerator, which will be unveiled publicly at city hall on Wednesday morning, in an exclusive interview with Hartford HealthCare CEO Elliot Joseph and Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney.
Startupbootcamp is the same entity that has been operating the Hartford InsurTech Hub accelerator in downtown Hartford's Stilts Building for the past two years. It responded to a request for proposals issued last year seeking an operator for the new health accelerator, which for now is going by the name MedTech Accelerator. A contract was signed last month.
Thus far, the state-funded entrepreneurial ecosystem, CTNext, has allocated approximately $942,000 to develop the accelerator. The funding comes from the Innovation Places program, which was created by the legislature in 2016, with winning regional teams selected the following year. The MedTech Accelerator's overseers are set to ask CTNext for a third year of Innovation Places funding in June.
The 12-week accelerator program aims to attract to Hartford 10 digital health and MedTech startups annually, similar to its insurance and manufacturing counterparts.
The accelerator will be housed in Trinity College's space on the third floor of One Constitution Plaza, just above the Stanley+Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator, which launched last year.
Trinity is donating the approximately 4,000-square-foot space to the MedTech Accelerator for the first two years and is also pitching in $75,000, Berger-Sweeney said. Meanwhile, Hartford HealthCare is contributing $500,000, Joseph said.
"Perhaps the biggest challenge the state of Connecticut faces going forward is the need for a thriving economy and an accelerated economic development engine, particularly in the Capital City and Hartford region," Joseph said. "I certainly believe that the strength in healthcare, across Connecticut and here in Hartford, is a tremendous opportunity for us."
He said Hartford HealthCare might end up investing in accelerator startups it finds promising.
Berger-Sweeney (who sits on Hartford HealthCare's board of directors), said she hopes the accelerator will be a way for students at the traditionally liberal-arts college she leads to link up with "jobs of the future."
Trinity has already been probing new roles for its students in the technology space, through a recent partnership with Infosys—a training program that is also housed, perhaps through no coincidence, at Constitution Plaza.
"We all understand in higher education that the stronger the cities and towns we operate in, the stronger we are," she said.
There is renovation work to be done at Constitution Plaza, but the partners are hoping the work will be completed later this year, in time to get the inaugural accelerator class into the space this fall.
Read the complete story.
Innovation: Industry 4.0 Makes an Impact on CT Additive Manufacturing
March 12 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: 3D printing, additive manufacturing, Connecticut, CT, Industry 4.0, startups
This story by News Editor Gregory Seay originally appeared in the Hartford Business Journal March 11, 2019.
David Hill, Director of Additive Manufacturing Operations at ATI Hartford, formerly Addaero Manufacturing, inspects a part developed using 3D-printing technology. (Photo courtesy Hartford Business Journal)
Technology mankind has used for generations to cast and shape metal parts is giving way to "additive" processes, in which digital-laser machinery applies layer upon layer of hot material to create complex parts to fine tolerances.
Some three decades after it was first introduced, additive manufacturing is finally taking hold, manufacturers and others say, but not just among tinkerers, test sites or smaller firms using it to create part prototypes.
Large Connecticut and U.S. original equipment makers like Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, Stanley Black & Decker, and others are growing more comfortable with the technology's product quality and operating efficiencies, leading them to acquire or partner with additive manufacturing—or 3D printing—companies and suppliers.
Meantime, a small batch of 3D printing startups that came to Hartford last fall to participate in the Stanley+TechStars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator say they are staying in the Capital City to focus on refining their technology.
Read the complete story:
CT Stakes High Ground in Additive-Manufacturing Arms Race
Interested in learning more about Industry 4.0?
READ: Industry 4.0: We've Come a Long Way from Traditional Manufacturing
Nassau Re Launches InsurTech Incubator in Hartford
February 20 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: Connecticut, CT, Hartford, InsurTech, Nassau Re, Nassau Re/Imagine, startup resources, startups
Nassau Re has launched Nassau Re/Imagine, an InsurTech incubator based in the company's iconic Boat Building headquarters in Hartford, CT. Nassau Re/Imagine will support selected startups focused in the life insurance, annuity, and reinsurance industries and will provide complimentary office space and business development services.
"We are excited to launch our Nassau Re/Imagine initiative, as Nassau Re looks to be a leader in Hartford's emerging InsurTech expansion plans. Our industry is changing dramatically, and Hartford's community and business leaders have created great momentum to attract InsurTech entrepreneurs and lead that change," said Phil Gass, Chief Executive Officer of Nassau Re.
"Through Nassau Re/Imagine, our goal is to help accelerate Hartford's transformation as a center for InsurTech innovation by fostering new companies that will continue to attract a new generation of talent to the city and state. Further, Nassau Re will provide a free, convenient and supportive environment for founders to develop strong business relationships with Nassau Re and other carriers in the area," Gass said.
Nassau Re developed the incubator program in cooperation with the City of Hartford and Connecticut Innovations.
"Nassau Re's decision to launch an incubator is another major step forward in our mission to make Hartford a global destination for InsurTech innovation," said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
"Nassau Re/Imagine demonstrates that there's tremendous interest in our Capital City from entrepreneurs who are at the cutting edge of the insurance industry. I want to thank Phil Gass and the entire team at Nassau Re for their commitment to Hartford and for being part of the growing innovation ecosystem we're building here," he added.
"Hartford continues to evolve into an InsurTech hub and premier insurance companies, like Nassau Re, are leading the charge by supporting startups in the ecosystem," said Matt McCooe, CEO of Connecticut Innovations. "This incubator will help attract companies to Connecticut and forge stronger relationships between corporates and startups. This is an innovative and exciting new venture by Nassau Re's executive team."
Nassau Re will contribute up to 48,000 square feet over the next three years to support Nassau Re/Imagine. The workspace will have flexible, open space configurations to accommodate different sizes and types of businesses. In addition, the startups will receive legal, human resources, and business development support. The Boat Building is a modern architectural landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Place and has been recently modernized.
Nassau Re/Imagine has earned praise from local leaders.
"This is an incredible investment of talent, expertise and real estate by Nassau Re—their commitment to Hartford and the future of the insurance and financial services industry is incredible," House Majority Leader Matt Ritter said. "Nassau Re/Imagine will spark innovation and continue Hartford's renaissance."
"I thank Nassau Re for facilitating Hartford's ever-evolving InsurTech industry that will be the catalyst for new businesses and good paying jobs," said Julio Concepcion, State Rep (4th District) and Executive Director of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce.
Nassau Re/Imagine is currently accepting applications for the program, led by Paul Tyler, Chief Marketing Officer for Nassau Re. For more information, contact ptyler@nsre.com.
Learn more about Nassau Re
VISIT: www.nsre.com
FOLLOW: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
Industry 4.0: We've Come a Long Way from Traditional Manufacturing
January 30 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments
It's official. We have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution. What does that mean for industry in Hartford and economic development opportunities throughout our state? A lot of possibility. And a lot of change.
"Connecticut, and specifically Hartford, have a rich history and tradition as home to some of the world's most innovative and successful manufacturing companies. This is something we take great pride in and is a major factor in putting us on the map as a global market," says MetroHartford Alliance President and CEO David Griggs.
"But times have changed and so has the industry. The term 'advanced manufacturing' no longer reflects the growth and technological advances in this sector or the role Industry 4.0 plays in the economic growth and sustainability of our city, region, and state. As the industry advances, so does the way we must talk about it."
What role does the MetroHartford Alliance play in industry 4.0? With its mission to serve as an economic development leader and its well-connected audience of community stakeholders, the Alliance is well-positioned to communicate the intent for Hartford to be a world leader in Industry 4.0.
But what exactly is Industry 4.0?
INDUSTRY 4.0 EXPLAINED
Industry 4.0 is the fourth revolution in manufacturing. It describes the ongoing direction of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.
Beginning in the 1700s, the world has experienced four distinct industrial revolutions:
Industry 1.0 (late 1700s and early 1800s) focused on mechanization. In this era, which began with manual labor, manufacturing began to incorporate water and steam-powered engines to optimize labor.
Industry 2.0 (the early part of the 20th century) was the era of mass production. With the introduction of electricity, manufacturers became more efficient and factory machinery became more mobile.
Industry 3.0 (starting in the late 1950s) was all about computerization. More electricity was used in manufacturing procedures, which evolved into leveraging computer technology in factories. Gradually, manufacturers began giving less attention to analog and mechanization applications and more emphasis to digital technology and automation software.
Industry 4.0 (now!) creates new possibilities to enhance manufacturing with digitalization and technology.
By capitalizing on emerging technologies, Industry 4.0 creates countless ways to combine physical and digital applications. This new industrial revolution has the potential to enhance business efficiency with smart and autonomous systems powered by data and machine learning.
"Industry 4.0 aligns digital and technology advancements over the past 10 to 20 years, including artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, robotics, additive manufacturing, and the internet of things (IoT) to be coordinated and consolidated into an effective way to manufacture in terms of speed, cost, precision, and need," explains Martin Guay, Vice President, Business Development at Stanley Black & Decker.
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COMBINES WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
"The Fourth Industrial Revolution is all about connectivity. New, advanced technologies are triggering massive changes and benefits in every aspect of the industry. With the increasing connectivity of operational technology, information technology, and industrial internet of things (IIoT), companies must shift from a 'How can I isolate?' state of mind to questioning 'How can I stay secure while connected?" notes SCADAfence Co-Founder & CEO Yoni Shohet.
"Adopting the right security tools can open doors for industrial transformation, allowing manufacturers to run free and fast, knowing security has an early and continuous role throughout" he adds.
Industry 4.0 also creates new opportunities in additive manufacturing, explains Devra Sisitsky, Executive Director and Founder MakerspaceCT. "Additive manufacturing is going to revolutionize every aspect of our lives from artist to resident to manufacturer," she says.
"Looking back, we never thought we would have computers or printers in our homes—or we would ever learn word processing software. Looking forward, we know we'll have 3D printers in our homes, and we'll have to learn CAD/CAM software. If our salad tongs break, we'll be able to put it in a 3D scanner, tweak the design, and then print out a new pair. People don't understand that this is now. It's not way in the future," says Devra.
WHAT DOES INDUSTRY 4.0 MEAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN HARTFORD?
Already, opportunities to harness Industry 4.0 are taking place in Greater Hartford, with initiatives like The Stanley+Tech Stars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator, which takes place at Manufactory 4.0, Stanley's new advanced manufacturing center in Downtown Hartford.
Staff from the MetroHartford Alliance visit MakerspaceCT in downtown Hartford.
MakerspaceCT will also play an important role for those looking to become involved with Industry 4.0—as a hobby or a potential business. The Hartford-based workspace provides information and access to tools and technology for local inventors, innovators, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and students.
"With our on-site tools and resources, MakerspaceCT can assist people creating a business related to additive manufacturing or IoT," explains Sisitsky.
Overall, Hartford's legacy in manufacturing dates back 150 to 200 years—with success in many industries, including precision manufacturing, aeronautical, aerospace, and industrial tools.
The Hartford region intends to be a leader in Industry 4.0 because of its legacy in manufacturing and existing leadership in manufacturing. Our state is home to a lot of high-end manufacturing at companies including Pratt & Whitney, Barnes Aerospace, Stanley Black & Decker, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Kaman Corporation, and Pitney Bowes.
"There's clearly a commitment from the corporate sector and government. Companies can't do this alone. They need to develop talent inside Connecticut to fulfill these high-tech, non-traditional manufacturing jobs," says Guay.
"Hartford can be an epicenter—a destination for organizations that want to set up advanced manufacturing or invest in companies leading advanced manufacturing," he adds.
"The ecosystem needs to be developed around all the things that are needed in the initiative to support Industry 4.0," underscores Guay. "There's a large existing base and a strong desire to go to the next step. There needs to be coordinated effort with all the community stakeholders to get there."
As an integral community stakeholder, the Alliance can play an important role stimulating interest around Industry 4.0.
"We have all of the assets in place to make Greater Hartford one of the most economically viable manufacturing markets in the world. The resources and leadership we have to support Industry 4.0 will not only foster success but sustain it for generations," says Griggs. "The Alliance looks forward to working with our community and prospective businesses to ensure long-term economic growth in an industry whose past success here has built our foundation for the future."
Engineering.com, What is Industry 4.0, Anyway?
Epicor, Evolution of Industry from 1.0 to 4.0
Forbes, What is Industry 4.0? Here's a Super Easy Explanation for Anyone
This story is the first in a series about Industry 4.0 by MetroHartford Alliance highlighting industry and its role in the evolution of 4.0.
Stanley Black & Decker and Techstars Announce Focus for 2019 Accelerator
January 15 2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford Innovation 0 comments Tags: advanced manufacturing center, Connecticut, CT, Hartford, Industry 4.0, manufacturing, Stanley Black & Decker, startup accelerator, Techstars
Stanley Black & Decker and Techstars announced the opening of applications for the second year of the STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator at Stanley Black & Decker's new Manufactory 4.0 Center in Hartford, CT.
Following a successful inaugural year in which 10 startups from around the world were selected to accelerate their businesses via funding and mentorship in the program, the STANLEY+Techstars 2019 accelerator is well positioned to draw world-class applicants again. For 2019, the STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator will consider startups working on additive manufacturing or sustainable packaging.
"We are working to identify the most promising companies developing solutions related to additive manufacturing or sustainable packaging that can help move the manufacturing sector forward" said Claudia Reuter, Managing Director of the STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator.
"We are confident that we will continue to attract world-class additive manufacturing companies and Stanley Black & Decker's commitment to sustainability, as demonstrated by their recent pledge to make all of their plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, will strengthen our search for companies working on sustainable packaging solutions," she added.
In 2018, the STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator focused solely on additive manufacturing or 3D printing companies. "Additive manufacturing is one of the most important areas of technological transformation today and has the potential to influence the future direction of the industries in which our businesses operate," said Marty Guay, Vice President, Business Development at Stanley Black & Decker.
He continued, "We developed this accelerator program with Techstars to help empower these startups to continue challenging the status quo and look forward to providing them with the guidance and support they need to thrive and bring their ideas and technologies to fruition. We're also proud to do this in Hartford, CT, and are confident that programs like this will create a robust entrepreneurial community right here in our capital city."
In 2018, Stanley Black & Decker joined with leading businesses and governments to sign The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, an initiative of The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and United Nations Environment Programme. The Global Commitment represents a plan to eradicate waste and pollution driven by plastic packaging and includes 250 signatories that represent approximately 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally. As part of its efforts, Stanley Black & Decker intends to make all of its plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. In addition, the company will aim to make all of its non-plastic packaging and packaging components reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
"We believe it is our responsibility as a company to help build a more sustainable world," said Stanley Black & Decker's Vice President of Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Social Responsibility Deb Geyer. "We believe that a world without plastic pollution is possible, and we are committing to taking action to ensure we are part of that solution."
The STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator aims to accelerate the growth of companies in both of these advanced manufacturing areas.
Stanley Black & Decker currently operates more than 100 manufacturing facilities globally, including approximately 35 in the U.S. and three in Connecticut. Three of the company's locations are designated as "Lighthouse Factories" that have partially implemented Industry 4.0 across their facilities from manufacturing execution systems (MES), to 3-D printing, virtual reality, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Its Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Hartford is aimed at identifying technologies and processes that will form the core of the next industrial revolution and deploying those methods across the company's manufacturing landscape.
The STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator is focused on additive manufacturing and eco-friendly sustainable packaging solutions, with interest in companies developing innovative solutions in either of those two areas, and they may have software, hardware or material solutions. Some specific areas of interest include 3D printing, rapid prototyping, generative design, tooling, direct digital manufacturing, layered manufacturing, additive fabrication, sustainable materials and improved consumer packaging solutions.
Learn more about Stanley Black & Decker
VISIT: www.stanleyblackanddecker.com
FOLLOW: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
Find Resources Browse Startups View Events Book a Mentor
Do you have a Hartford success story? Are you a budding startup or a successful entrepreneur eager to share your experiences? Contact us today and tell your story!
Contact Us Get Our Newsletter
The CTStartup Podcast provides an inside perspective on the Connecticut startup ecosystem from the people working in it.
Accelerators (5)
Accolades (14)
At the CT Table (29)
Change Makers (1)
Co-Working (3)
CT Legends (17)
CT Lifestyle (59)
Entrepreneurial Insights (93)
Greater Hartford Startups (2)
IDH Global (18)
Incubators (7)
Initiatives (123)
InsurTech (4)
Meetups (2)
Pitch Competition (1)
Small Business Spotlight (1)
Social Impact Startups (2)
Startups (146)
Where Are They Now? (12)
Women In Business (66)
Women's History Month (1)
CT Startup Podcast
About IDH
Innovation Destination: Hartford is designed to showcase and serve the Greater Hartford region's entrepreneurial community.
Check out new Connecticut-area startups, entrepreneurs, events and the various players that make up our entrepreneurial community. You'll find the resources you'll need to start and grow your business and discover why the Hartford region is a great place to live, work and make an impact!
Copyright © 2015-2019 Innovation Destination: Hartford. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
Developed by Novus Insight, Inc.