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2019 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 15 Participants speak to a judge at VentureClash 2018 in Hartford. VentureClash is a global $5 million pitch competition that attracts owners of early stage companies. Focusing on the New Steeped in tradition, Connecticut is also a leader in world-class innovation By Cara McDonough Connecticut is humming with major accomplishments in technology and innovation, spanning everything from tech at the tiniest level – engineering particles barely visible to the human eye – to hosting experts and business leaders who are collaborating to facilitate exploration to the farthest reaches of space. With so many exciting successes in industry, academia, and everything in between, job growth is on the horizon in innovation and technology sectors across the state. New organizations are setting down roots here, startups are flourishing, and established companies are embracing innovation and branching out. That growth means Connecticut is on the map as a major player in the technological sphere, and that the state is home to meaningful partnerships between institutions near and far, spurring even more innovation – and notable discoveries. Just one example is the new method of "nanomanufacturing" that was discovered when Jan Schroers, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Yale University, partnered with Professor Ze Liu of Wuhan University in China. The two created a method they call "thermomechanical nanomolding," which allows them to mold crystalline metals into shapes only a few nanometers in diameter. Until now, only a few materials could be used for nanomanufacturing. The new method "allows us to fabricate essentially every metal and its combination in the periodic table in a predictable and precise manner to nano-sized features," Schroers said. This breakthrough could be crucial for enabling the development of new capabilities and products in a variety of areas, including sensors, batteries, and biomaterials, he noted. Another development highlighting the power of partnerships in Connecticut is Sema4, a patient-centered health intelligence company that moved its Manhattan-based research labs and 400 jobs to Stamford last year after the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development granted the company a $6 million loan to buy new equipment, upgrade facilities, and create new jobs. Under the direction of founder Eric Schadt, the innovative firm offers advanced genome-based diagnostics and builds predictive models of complex disease, enabling doctors and patients to better utilize the growing digital universe of medical data. [Photo | Kristyn Miller Photography] " " "We're helping give these companies ideas about how to grow their business." - Matthew McCooe CEO, Connecticut Innovations INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY