Many entrepreneurs who build high-growth companies use equity financing to secure the funds they need to scale quickly, enhance their company’s credibility, and attract top talent. But business owners know that fundraising can be time consuming, and that equity financing comes at the cost of ownership. Traditional bank loans can be an attractive way to secure capital, but they require predictable cash flow and collateral—two things many growing companies lack. That’s where venture debt comes in.
What Founders Can Expect in 2026: Insights from Connecticut Innovations’ Investment Team
A new year is right around the corner, and if you’re gearing up to raise capital, you’re likely wondering what 2026 has in store. What’s changing? What still matters? And where are the real opportunities? To help answer these questions, we asked three members of Connecticut Innovations’ investment team to share what they’re seeing across the ecosystem. Their expertise spans fintech, insurtech, life sciences and climate tech, providing a rare cross-sector view of the opportunities and challenges founders will encounter.
Municipal Wastewater as Climate Solution: CREW Carbon
While pursuing his PhD at Yale, Joachim Katchinoff discovered a way to supercharge a natural process that locks away CO2 for millennia. By adapting it to wastewater treatment plants, he created a scalable, measurable and cost-saving climate solution. With commercial-scale deployments already underway, CREW, backed by Connecticut Innovations, is proving that innovation and infrastructure can work hand-in-hand for the planet.
How to Recognize and Manage Burnout
There’s nothing wrong with hard work. Burnout—now that’s another story. If you’re wondering what you can do to recognize the signs of employee burnout and then reverse it before it’s too late, we’ve got your back. We sat down with Laura Nguyen, an author, certified executive career coach and expert on combating burnout, for a candid conversation about this growing problem.
On Creativity, Technology, Ethics and Theology: A Q&A with Dr. Alana Ackerson, Author of Creative Humans
What do some of the world’s most transformative thinkers do differently? Can anyone learn to be creative? What role does technology play in the creative process? Dr. Alana Ackerson, a serial entrepreneur, investor and theologian, tackles these subjects and more in her new book, Creative Humans: How Technology Is Transforming Human Nature and Future Possibility.
Where We’re Headed: Insights from the CI Investment Team
On the cusp of 2025, four senior investors answer questions about the year ahead. Given its ability to analyze large amounts of data, identify patterns, automate tasks and improve efficiencies, it should come as no surprise that artificial intelligence will play a prominent role in the deals that CI is looking into.
Five Tips to Help You Find Your Next Great Hire
As members of the Human Capital Services Team for Connecticut Innovations, Bo Bradstreet and Marina DeThomas help CI’s portfolio companies find exceptional candidates to fill key roles. We asked Bradstreet, who also serves as managing director of Guilford-based Bohan and Bradstreet, a firm that was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Recruiters—Executive Search five years in a row, for recruiting advice. Read on for his best tips.
Founder Spotlight: Eric Rosow
When we last sat down with Eric for our founder spotlight, he was solving “clinical data disorder” with his team at Diameter Health, a digital health company he co-founded in 2013. The company was acquired in 2022, but Eric hasn’t slowed down. Writer Amy Hourigan got the scoop on his latest venture, Conduce Health.
Thinking About a Rebrand? We’ve Got You Covered
Your customers, your prospects, your employees and your investors want to know what your company stands for. Branding helps you achieve that goal. But what if something shifts? Here’s how one venture-backed company is tackling a rebrand, along with expert advice if you’re considering one yourself.