Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Thursday that the state has now provided loans or grants to 1,500 companies under Connecticut’s Small Business Express program.
The Democratic governor marked the milestone by touting one of the program’s beneficiaries: New Haven software developer Square 9, which received a $300,000 loan and $100,000 matching grant through EXP to make renovations and purchase equipment.Â
The company has committed to retaining 33 current positions and creating 12 new jobs.
Created as part of a bipartisan Jobs Bill in 2011, EXP has provided more than $232 million in loans and grants to 1,505 small businesses — ranging from mom-and-pop stores to advanced manufacturing firms.
Those beneficiaries have created or retained 22,498 jobs, Malloy said.
