2026 BOOK OF LISTS | HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM 41
F I N A N C E
LARGEST CONNECTICUT INNOVATIONS INVESTMENTS
Ranked by amount of funding, then amount leveraged in FY 2025
Largest Connecticut Innovations investments
Ranked by amount of funding, then amount leveraged in FY 2025
Recipient Type of business Amount funded Amount leveraged (1)
Type of funding/
fund Top executive
1
Point Stratford Renewal LLC
Stratford
Technology $3,000,000 $0
Debt/
Venture Debt
Peter Cabrera
2
Fewer Better Things Inc.
New York, N.Y.
healthybaby.com
Consumer $2,000,000 $18,815,137
Common/
Future Fund
Shazi Visram
3
PursueCare
Middletown
pursuecare.com
Healthcare $2,000,000 $1,631,152
Debt/
Venture Debt
SSBCI
Nicholas Mercadante
4
Project Orca Inc. dba Slide
Norwalk
888-314-4884 • slide.tech
Technology $500,000 $23,749,677
PS-A/
Eli Whitney
Michael Fass
5
Quorus Inc.
Westport
quorus.io
Technology $500,000 $4,123,332
Seed-1/
SSBCI
John Hill
6
Oxylus Energy
New Haven
contact@oxylusenergy.com • oxylusenergy.com
Climate technology $500,000 $4,000,000
Seed/
Climate Tech
SSBCI
Perry Bakas
7
Apriligen LLC
Greenwich
apriligen.com
Healthcare $500,000 $2,400,892
PS-A/
SSBCI
Nick Vita
8
Swanston Labs Inc.
Stamford
swanstonlabs.com
Technology $500,000 $2,000,000
Seed/
Future Fund
Andre Swanston
8
Talam Biotech Holdings Inc.
Groton
talam.com
Climate technology $500,000 $2,000,000
Convertible debt/
Climate Tech
SSBCI
John Chrosniak
10
Empirium
San Diego, Calif.
info@empirium.co • empirium.co
Technology $500,000 $1,445,000
SAFE note/
Future Fund
Michael Sims
11
Nimbus Power Systems
Groton
860-937-6529 • nimbuspowersystems.com
Climate technology $500,000 $1,000,000
Convertible debt/
Climate Tech
SSBCI
Mike Gorman
12
Bloom Credit Inc.
Chicago, Ill.
inquiries@bloomcredit.io • bloomcredit.io
Technology $350,000 $10,150,000
PS-B/
Eli Whitney
Christian Widhalm
13
Waldo AI
New Haven
waldo.fyi
Technology $250,000 $4,750,000
SAFE note/
Eli Whitney
Ryan Belanger-Saleh
14
Haven Hot Chicken
New Haven
havenhotchicken.com
Consumer $250,000 $1,100,000
PS-A/
Eli Whitney
Etkin Teken
15
Marlow
Lewes, Del.
us.wearemarlow.com
Consumer $150,000 $1,250,000
SAFE note/
Proof of Concept
Nadia Ladak
Source: CT Innovations and company websites
Note: N/A = Not available; CBIF = Connecticut Bioscience Innovation Fund; PS-A = Purchase & Sale Agreement; PS-B = Preferred Stock; SSBCI = State Small Business Credit Initiative.
(1) Represents amount company was able to secure via other sources such as bank lenders or venture capital investors.
-Compiled by Stephanie R. Meagher, research@nebusinessmedia.com
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