A Massachusetts-based nonprofit startup accelerator is launching services in Connecticut and has plans to open a Hartford office, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday.
FORGE, which helps connect startups creating physical products with product development, manufacturing, and supply chain resources, is establishing operations in Connecticut and will offer its services free of charge to local startups, Lamont said.Â
The organization plans to open an office in Hartford as a base of operations but hasn’t yet identified a location, Lamont’s office said.
FORGE, which was founded in 2015, said it has helped connect more than 400 startups with suppliers and generated more than $33 million in contracts from these connections in Massachusetts.
The organization essentially identifies innovators in the state and works to connect them with manufacturers that have resources and skill sets to support turning ideas into a reality, it said. According to Lamont, the organization’s Connecticut operations are being supported by joint funding from CTNext and the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund.
In the coming months, FORGE will participate in industry events to raise awareness about its offerings to both startup entrepreneurs and manufacturers in the state. More information about the organization can be found online.
