The University of Hartford has become a collaborator in the business incubator at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT), a move aimed at growing the relationship between the entrepreneurs who work with CCAT and the faculty, students, and resources of the University.

The University will now have an office at CCAT's Pitkin Street headquarters in East Hartford to serve as a gateway for businesses, students and faculty to find mutually beneficial opportunities to work together, particularly through CCAT's newly established Entrepreneur Center. The Entrepreneur Center includes the former Innovation Pipeline Accelerator Program (IPA), which over the last several years has helped nearly 30 technology startups in the state to access market and competitive analysis resources within the University's Barney School of Business. The IPA was developed by the Connecticut Technology Council with funding provided by the Department of Economic and Community Development prior to its recent acquisition by CCAT.

Several other collaborative efforts between CCAT and the University of Hartford are also envisioned over a broad spectrum of University capabilities in everything from technical evaluations to business case development and visual communications.  This collaboration will leverage other joint efforts already under way, including those with the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA).

"We felt it was important to expand on the relationship CCAT and the University of Hartford have built over the last few years," said Elliot A. Ginsberg, president and chief executive officer of CCAT. "Our long-term goal is to create new services that will bolster CCAT's work in technology-focused economic development and provide meaningful collaborative opportunities for our colleagues within the University of Hartford."

CETA Dean Lou Manzione added that, "Working with entrepreneurs and start-up companies is an excellent way for our students to prepare themselves for professional careers.  In the 21^st century global economy, we can all benefit from more entrepreneurial skills.  There is no better way for students to develop these skills than to work with entrepreneurs in start-up companies.  The collaboration with the CCAT Incubator enables us to develop these opportunities for faculty and students across the University."

The CCAT facility also boasts state of the art telecommunications, distance learning facilities, and interactive meeting rooms that are available for University use.