Sponsorship
Featured partner placement
Sponsor University of Connecticut once and your brand appears on the University of Connecticut page and across every one of its programs and student-startup pages — not just this page.
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT·University
The University of Connecticut is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, founded in 1881. UConn has built one of the most comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystems among public universities in the Northeast, anchored by the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CCEI, founded 2007), the Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation ($30M commitment, 60+ programs), and Technology Commercialization Services with the Technology Incubation Program (TIP). The ecosystem spans idea-stage student support through Get Seeded ($1K pitch nights), mid-stage acceleration (Summer Accelerator, $15K non-dilutive), competition pathways (Innovation Quest, Wolff New Venture Competition), and mature research commercialization (771 patents, $1.4B incubator company funding, 117 invention disclosures in FY 2025). UConn also maintains the $1.5M UConn Innovation Fund in partnership with Connecticut Innovations and Webster Bank.
At a glance
Indexed programs
10
10 currently active
Top direct funding
$15,000
CCEI Summer Accelerator
Equity
Mixed equity terms
Program mix
8
Commercialization Program · Accelerator · Entrepreneurship Center
Research verdict
Include. UConn has one of the most comprehensive public university entrepreneurship ecosystems in the Northeast, with a fully built-out pipeline from idea-stage pitch nights ($1K) through to accelerators ($15K), seed-stage investment ($1.5M Innovation Fund), and mature tech transfer (771 patents, $1.4B incubator company funding). The ecosystem is coordinated through multiple complementary hubs (CCEI, Werth Institute, TCS) with strong institutional support ($30M Werth commitment), multi-site incubator facilities (Storrs, Farmington, Stamford), and measurable commercialization output (117 disclosures in FY 2025). material, active startup infrastructure with capital, facilities, and outcome evidence.
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
10 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Get Seeded Pitch Nights
Pitch CompetitionAlso: Get Seeded
$500 – $1,000
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-04-15
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Innovation Quest (iQ)
Pitch CompetitionAlso: iQ, UConn Innovation Quest
—
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-04-20
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Verified
Entrepreneurship Center
Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI)
Entrepreneurship CenterAlso: CCEI
—
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-06-23
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students +more
- Verification
- Verified
Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Entrepreneurship CenterAlso: Werth Institute, Peter J. Werth Institute
—
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-06-23
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students +more
- Verification
- Verified
Funding and Equity
UConn offers a multi-layered funding stack: non-dilutive grants through Summer Accelerator ($15K), Get Seeded ($1K per event), and Innovation Quest ($15K top prize); seed-stage investment through the $1.5M UConn Innovation Fund (equity/convertible); and research commercialization funding through TCS and EHub grants (~$750K). The Wolff New Venture Competition provides $150K+ annually. No equity is taken for participation-based programs, though the Innovation Fund takes equity or convertible instruments investment-dependently.
Recent Activity
- June-July 2026: Summer Accelerator 2026 cohort active.
- April 2026: Innovation Quest crowns five champion startups.
- January 2026: TIP LaunchPad co-working program announced, open at Storrs and Farmington.
- September 2025: TCS reports record FY 2025: 117 invention disclosures (+30%), record licensing revenue.
- 2025-2026: Ongoing Werth Innovators cohorts and Get Seeded pitch nights.
- May 2026: BUILD Hartford Course celebrates 5-year anniversary.
- 2026: CCEI ranked Princeton Review Top 50 undergrad and graduate programs.
Known startups and winners
Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.
Access Flora
$5,000
prize won
University of Connecticut
2024 UConn Get Seeded Demo Day winner ($5K).
Bastion
University of Connecticut
Cybersecurity startup; UConn Summer Accelerator alum.
Encapsulate
University of Connecticut
Biotech startup; UConn Summer Accelerator alum.
LambdaVision
University of Connecticut
Gene therapy startup; UConn Summer Accelerator alum.
Levo International
University of Connecticut
Nonprofit technology venture; UConn Summer Accelerator alum.
PartsTech
University of Connecticut · Innovation Quest (iQ)
Notable Innovation Quest alum company in the auto parts space.
Phoenix Tailings
University of Connecticut · CCEI Summer Accelerator
Rare earth mining startup and CCEI Summer Accelerator alum. Representative UConn venture pipeline outcome documented in vault research.
ProVelocity Bat
Finalist
placement
University of Connecticut · Innovation Quest (iQ)
Innovation Quest finalist; UConn student venture.
StarMind
$5,000
prize won
University of Connecticut
2022 UConn Get Seeded Demo Day winner ($5K).
Toribio Labs
$15,000
prize won
University of Connecticut · Innovation Quest (iQ)
Human health venture and 2024 Innovation Quest winner ($15K) at the University of Connecticut.
WheelPrice
University of Connecticut
Automotive marketplace; UConn Summer Accelerator alum.
Historical winners (research notes)
- LambdaVision — Gene therapy startup, Summer Accelerator alum.
- Phoenix Tailings — Rare earth mining startup, Summer Accelerator alum.
- Levo International — Nonprofit tech, Summer Accelerator alum.
- Bastion — Cybersecurity, Summer Accelerator alum.
- PartsTech — Notable iQ alum company.
- Toribio Labs — Innovation Quest 2024 winner ($15K), human health.
- WheelPrice — Automotive, Summer Accelerator alum.
- Encapsulate — Biotech, Summer Accelerator alum.
- Access Flora — Get Seeded Demo Day 2024 winner ($5K).
- StarMind — Get Seeded Demo Day 2022 winner ($5K).
- ProVelocity Bat — iQ finalist.
Missing Information
- UConn Innovation Fund equity terms, check sizes, and portfolio companies not publicly listed.
- Wolff New Venture Competition historical winners and total prize distribution not aggregated.
- CCEI operating budget, staff size, and total ventures launched since 2007.
- EHub funding details and 40+ startup outcomes not tracked centrally.
- Complete list of TIP incubator companies and graduation rates.
- Alumni angel network or formal VC partnership data.
University of Connecticut
News & articles
6 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at University of Connecticut.
6 sources
Official sources(6)
CCEI Official Site
University of Connecticut, School of Business
University of Connecticut, School of Business
CCEI Official Site
Official CCEI homepage describing the center, all programs, Princeton Review Top 50 ranking (2026), GCEC award, and contact information.
Read on University of Connecticut, School of Business
Get Seeded Pitch Nights Program Page
University of Connecticut, School of Business
University of Connecticut, School of Business
Get Seeded Pitch Nights Program Page
Full program page for Get Seeded Pitch Nights with schedule, funding details, FAQ, and extensive previous winner lists (2018-2024).
Read on University of Connecticut, School of Business
University of Connecticut
Innovation Quest Official Site
Official Innovation Quest site with full program description, eligibility, workshop schedule, competition calendar, and past winner information.
Read on University of Connecticut
CCEI Summer Accelerator Program Page
University of Connecticut, School of Business
University of Connecticut, School of Business
CCEI Summer Accelerator Program Page
Full program page for CCEI Summer Accelerator with detailed eligibility, timeline, funding terms, cohort model, and alumni list.
Read on University of Connecticut, School of Business
UConn Technology Commercialization Services Official Site
University of Connecticut, Office of the Vice President for Research
University of Connecticut, Office of the Vice President for Research
UConn Technology Commercialization Services Official Site
Official TCS homepage with key metrics, services overview, and links to TIP incubator, startup support, and licensing.
Read on University of Connecticut, Office of the Vice President for Research
University of Connecticut
Werth Institute Official Site
Official Werth Institute homepage describing mission, signature programs (Werth Innovators, NetWerx), by-the-numbers metrics, and ecosystem role.
Read on University of Connecticut
This profile lists 10 programs for University of Connecticut. Some details may be outdated until a director verifies them.
Claim & correct this page·Takes about 5 minutes — no payment required.