Gov. Lamont at a press conference announcing FORGE’s presence in Connecticut | Photo via FORGE’s Tweeter
NEW YORK – FORGE, a nonprofit organization (NPO), will provide free service to local startups, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has announced.
According to his administration, the staff at FORGE are experts in helping innovators navigate the journey from physical prototypes to commercialization by connecting startups with experienced product experts, manufacturers, engineers, and local supply chains to drive business relationships.
Since its founding in 2015, the organization has operated in Massachusetts, supporting hundreds of physical product creators, creating more than 5,000 jobs, and adding $34 million to the local economy.
FORGE intends to replicate that success in Connecticut by identifying innovators and connecting them with manufacturers with the required resources and skillsets. It will also leverage its expertise to help innovators ensure they are suitable for manufacturer consideration, ultimately accelerating the process of bringing product ideas to life.
“We know the critical role manufacturing plays in our economy, and connecting these resources to the startups that are driving innovation will help keep Connecticut a leader through these sectors,” Governor Lamont said. “FORGE’s presence in Connecticut will set the stage for long-term manufacturing and business innovation.”
“Connecticut’s ecosystem provides a rich assortment of suppliers and advanced manufacturing offerings,” Laura Teicher, executive director of FORGE, said. “This complete, end-to-end ecosystem helps ensure a successful economic future for Connecticut.”
The organization’s establishment in Connecticut is supported with joint funding from CTNext., a nonprofit organization that promotes entrepreneurship, and Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development Manufacturing Innovation Fund.
“If we invent it in Connecticut, we want to manufacture it in Connecticut,” Paul Lavoie, Connecticut’s chief manufacturing officer, said. “We will support our entrepreneurial innovators with services to take them from prototype to commercialization. We are a national leader in innovation and are creating an ecosystem to continue to support innovation.”
“Connecticut already possesses a robust manufacturing ecosystem composed of both innovative entrepreneurs and world-class manufacturers,” Onyeka Obiocha, executive director of CTNext, said. “Too often, our entrepreneurs and startups are unaware of the capabilities residing within the state and look elsewhere to advance their product and business ambitions.”
Obiocha added that FORGE’s presence in Connecticut “will facilitate new connections between entrepreneurs and manufacturers, ultimately deepening the depth and breadth of the state’s manufacturing sector and generating new employment opportunities.”
FORGE will have its presence in Hartford, embark on a statewide roadshow, and participate in multiple industry events to raise awareness of its services for innovators and manufacturers.
