Inc. magazine has named 12 businesses to its recently released list of “Connecticut Startups to Watch in 2024,” noting that the Nutmeg State has experienced “a bit of a startup renaissance in the past few years.”
“Connecticut offers quality of life features, like its hiking trails, coastline activities, beaches, and boating that are easy to get to and don’t have to cost a lot to enjoy,” said Nancy Hancock, who leads Pullman & Comley’s practice group focused on startups, according to Inc.
Connecticut is home to 712 startups founded since 2018; of those, 167 are tech-related, Inc. reported.
The list of startups to watch includes:
Westport-based Bento Engine, which describes itself as a “a B2B Fintech SaaS company focused on the intersection of technology and impactful wealth management advice.”
The company offers technology to analyze extensive data sets, according to Inc. Founded in 2021 by CEO Philipp Hecker and CTO Gavin Hay, Bento has raised $1.1 million in seed funding.
New Haven-based CoreChain Technologies, which is a blockchain-based B2B payments network founded in 2020 by CEO Chris Aguas and CTO RJ Herrick. CoreChain has raised $5.5 million in two funding rounds, according to Inc.
Canton-based Goodroot, a healthcare technology company founded in 2020 by CEO Michael Waterbury, a former health insurance executive. Goodroot says it has eliminated $1 billion in unnecessary spending from the healthcare industry.
Avon-based iCleanse, which makes docking stations that charge and disinfect electronics like phones and tablets, is introducing new versions of its flagship product, the Swift. It has partnered with the Connecticut Science Center and Bradley International Airport to deploy its technology.
Nuwae Health, one of Goodroot’s eight portfolio companies, works with pharmaceutical companies, payers and patients toward a goal of having a single price for a drug. Its tools include rebate management, direct contracting and formulary management.
Stamford-based Populi, which came out of the University of Connecticut’s startup incubator, is focused on making healthcare analytics faster and more available to consumers, while protecting privacy.
Founded in 2020 by CEO Bill Moschella and CTO Nathan Salmon, Populi has a database of over 180 billion transactions, according to Inc.
New Haven-based Primordial Labs, which uses AI to reduce the cognitive workload of managing robots, allowing warfighters to focus on creative problem-solving. Its tactical AI assistant, Anura, provides a conversational human-machine interface that operates through verbal mission-type commands.
Middletown-based PursueCare, a telehealth company offering addiction recovery and mental health services through a smartphone app. In 2021, it announced it had raised a total of $11 million in a Series A2 funding round.
Westport-based Qonsent specializes in “consent enablement for marketing teams” and provides a consumer consent wallet for direct engagements between consumers and brands. Their offerings include real-time ID validation, SmartQontracts and customized offers through the Qonsent wallet.
Rellevate, a fintech company that allows employers to offer employees an FDIC-insured digital bank account with ATM access that earns money daily, according to Inc. It offers a “Pay Any-Day” feature that allows employees to get their earned wages between pay cycles and has a “send money” feature.
Sola Health, another Goodroot portfolio company, offers a medical and pharmacy benefits program that works with employers on a self-funding design, third-party administration, stop-loss coverage, medical and pharmacy benefits and telehealth.
Greenwich-based UncommonGood, which offers a platform that integrates fundraising, marketing, operations management and design tools into a comprehensive suite.
Founded in 2020 by CEO Carolyn Driscoll and managing director Chuck Mosher, the company has raised $3.6 million in three funding rounds, according to Inc.
