UConn Today – “I am excited to have the ability to help people realize their dreams.”
That’s how Nicholas Martinelli, a U.S. Army veteran who was part of a team that operated land-based defense systems against enemy rocket and mortar attacks in Iran and Afghanistan, sees his role as the new program manager of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV).
CCEI executive director Jennifer Mathieu, above, in the Graduate Business Learning Center in Hartford. Mathieu was recently named one of Connecticut Magazine’s 40 under 40 (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
CCEI celebrates their 15th anniversary this year. Left to Right, Kate Savinelli, Mehgan Williams, Michaela Hartl, Jen Mathieu, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Dean John A. Elliott, Alycia Chrosniak, Rory McGloin, and Rachel Borden. (Defining Studios)
When Jeremy Bronen ’20 [ENG] and Timothy Krupski ’15 [ENG] ’21 MS [ENG], ’21 MBA launched their business in 2020, the idea of raising $50,000 in funding seemed almost impossible.Continue Reading
The holiday season provides a good opportunity for busy executives and students, alike, to catch up on some of the best books of the year. We asked prominent Connecticut business leaders and members of our UConn faculty what business-focused book they would most highly recommend from 2021. Here are their selections:
Elijah Taitel (above) showing off his creation, the ProVelcocity Bat. Elijah’s startup is one of ten selected to participate in the 2021 CCEI Summer Fellowship. (contributed photo)
Senior Elijah Taitel loves baseball, and has spent the last few years creating the ProVelocity Bat, a unique training device designed to improve the swing of everyone from Little Leaguers to MLB players.
Sophomore Raina Jain’s passion revolves around the environment, and, more specifically honey bees. Her Queen Bee startup is preparing to sell an immunity- boosting beverage that contains honey and other all-natural ingredients.
Although their startups are vastly different, their business drive is well aligned. The two aspiring entrepreneurs began an eight-week entrepreneurship program this week, offered by the School of Business’ Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CCEI). They are joined by eight other business teams.Continue Reading
Santander Bank, N.A., through its Santander Universities program (“Santander”), has awarded a $100,000 grant to the UConn Foundation, to support initiatives that will benefit both minority business students and minority-owned small businesses.
The grant marks a new relationship between UConn and Santander, one of the country’s largest retail and commercial banks.Continue Reading
Curated CT provides products from a variety of local sources. Pictured above, is a sample from a previous month. (Contributed Photo)
For more than a decade, alumnus Donald Pendagast ’20 MBA, had been thinking about ways to introduce people to local, small food businesses that they might not try otherwise. In October, his idea came to fruition with the creation of Curated CT, a subscription food box featuring local delicacies, including cheese, coffee, chocolate and sometimes beer. The company is already turning a profit and donates some of its profits to a different local charity every month.Continue Reading
Armin Tahmasbi Rad, co-founder and CEO of Encapsulate (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
The excitement was palpable Monday night as 10 health care startups, including two that are UConn-grown, shared their medical technology innovations that promise unique solutions for some of medicine’s most vexing problems.Continue Reading
CCEI, Accelerate UConn, Jennifer Murphy, and Get Seeded were recognized with honorable mentions. (Contributed Photo)
UConn collected numerous awards this week at the CT Entrepreneur Awards, which identify, recognize and celebrate Connecticut’s leading entrepreneurs, ventures and ecosystem supporters. Jennifer Murphy, program manager for the School of Business’ Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CCEI) received recognition as a community builder. In addition, the university was recognized for CCEI, as well as its Get Seeded and Accelerate UConn programs. Three UConn-grown startups, QRFertile, Encapsulate and VigorSential also were honored.
QRFertile, Encapsulate, and VigorSential, all UConn-grown startups, received awards. (Contributed Photo)
Junior Daniel Ruskin, one of the winners of the first “Get Seeded” competition, organized by the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
Junior Daniel Ruskin has an idea for creating an in-home, hand-held voting machine that electors would receive when they register to vote.Continue Reading