CONNECTICUT, USA — Gov. Ned Lamont announced a nonprofit organization, FORGE, will be establishing itself in Connecticut to help local startups.
Lamont said FORGE connects startups that create physical products with the product development, manufacturing, and supply chain resources they'll need to grow and succeed.
And Lamont said FORGE would provide its services free of charge.
“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,” Lamont said. “FORGE’s presence in Connecticut will set the stage for long-term manufacturing and business innovation.”
FORGE was founded in 2015 and has operated in Massachusetts, where it supported hundreds of creators of products and led to the creation of more than 5,000 jobs and adding $34 million to the local economy, according to Lamont's office.
“Connecticut’s ecosystem provides a rich assortment of suppliers and advanced manufacturing offerings,” Laura Teicher, executive director of FORGE, said in a statement. “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 the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development through its Manufacturing Innovation Fund.
FORGE will establish its Connecticut presence in Hartford. In the coming months, the organization said it will embark on a statewide roadshow and participate in multiple industry events to raise awareness of its services for innovators and manufacturers.
For more information on FORGE, visit their website.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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