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Entrepreneurship CenterDirect fundingNo equityVerified

Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI)

Also known as: CCEI

University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT

CCEI is the University of Connecticut's central entrepreneurship center, founded in 2007 and based in the School of Business. It operates as the primary hub for venture development, running flagship programs including the Summer Accelerator ($15K non-dilutive), Get Seeded Pitch Nights ($1K), Accelerate UConn (NSF I-Corps), and the Wolff New Venture Competition ($150K+ pool, $30K grand prize). In 2026, CCEI was ranked in the Princeton Review Top 50 for both undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs and received a GCEC award.

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Quick fit check

  • Offers direct funding
  • No equity required
  • Currently active
  • Verified by research

Key numbers

Funding range

—

Non Dilutive

Equity

None

Application

Rolling

Campus Wide

Last activity

2026-06-23

High confidence

Application and Timing

Program-specific cycles: Summer Accelerator applications open winter/spring for summer cohort; Get Seeded runs Fall/Spring with rolling applications; Accelerate UConn cohort-based.

Participants

Open to UConn students (all majors), faculty, staff, and alumni. Specific programs have varied eligibility.

Funding and Equity

Programs offer non-dilutive grants and stipends. The Summer Accelerator provides $15K non-equity per startup. Get Seeded offers up to $1K per event. The Wolff New Venture Competition awards $150K+ annually. No equity taken.

Recent Activity

  • Summer 2026 Accelerator cohort active (June-July 2026)
  • Princeton Review Top 50 ranking 2026
  • GCEC award
  • BUILD Hartford Course celebrated 5 years (May 2026)

Known Startups or Winners

Summer Accelerator alumni include WheelPrice, LambdaVision, Bastion, Phoenix Tailings, Levo International, Kona Brand, Encapsulate, Stemify, and dozens more. Get Seeded has funded 100+ student ventures since 2018.

Verification Gaps

  • Total number of ventures launched through CCEI since 2007 not disclosed
  • Wolff New Venture Competition historical winner list not aggregated
  • CCEI operating budget not public
Additional research notesShow

Evidence

CCEI official site with full program descriptions.[1] Summer Accelerator program page with alumni list.[2] Innovation Quest official site.[3]

News & articles

News articles and official sources documenting Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) at University of Connecticut.

1 source