TRACTION WORKSHOPS
Open to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Traction Workshops are a unique opportunity to help aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups move their ideas forward. Open to any UConn student, this series of virtual workshops provides participants with hands-on guidance in developing a strong foundation of entrepreneurship knowledge. Whether you have a concept in its earliest stages—or no idea at all, these workshops aim to empower you to learn about entrepreneurship on your own terms.
Participants will benefit from expert-led sessions that cover essential startup topics, including value proposition creation, customer discovery, creating an impactful pitch deck, and business model development. Don't have all your questions answered? Set up office hours with any of our speakers!
(Traction was expanded in Fall 2023 to include additional elements. If you participated in a previous iteration, you're still welcome to join!)
VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
Twelve workshops will be offered each academic year to support entrepreneurs at various stages of building a business idea. These workshops will be led by experienced entrepreneurs, CCEI instructors, and UConn faculty—open to all students.
MENTOR OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are hosted each week following each live workshop, and are available to only those who attended the virtual workshop(s). They are designed as an opportunity to dive deeper into a business idea on a one-on-one basis with the instructor.
SPRING 2025 WORKSHOPS
Problem Solution Fit
January 27, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
In this workshop, we will be discussing the foundational principles of introducing a new product or service to market. We will analyze and discuss best practices for conducting customer discovery to hone in on actionable customer problem statements, and ultimately market insights, to maximize success potential when launching a startup business.
Led by Leland Holcomb
Leland is a Sr. Innovation Associate at CSAA Insurance Group. In his role, Leland helps AAA’s insurance arm respond to emerging threats and opportunities through new product development, core business collaboration, and partnership with startups and leading companies. Leland is also an EIR at CCEI where he helps student entrepreneurs design and conduct initial customer discovery and engage in experiential learning experiences within insurtechs.
Leland previously served as the Director of Business Development focused on technology at AdvanceCT helping technology companies grow and expand into and within Connecticut. Prior to joining AdvanceCT, Leland led Customer Success at Aureus Analytics, a venture backed insurtech company, was Head of Scouting for Startupbootcamp's Hartford InsurTech Hub accelerator, and was a Global Fellow at Patamar Capital, an impact investment venture capital fund.
The Business Model
February 11, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
A business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value. It is a foundational document for detailing a startup company and is required to access debt and equity capital. In this workshop, we'll discuss the key components of a business model (and the short form version, referred to as a Business Model Canvas) and how we can use it to highlight value creation and identify risks and assumptions in your business. All participants will leave the session having begun (or honed an existing) business model canvas.
Led by Michelle Cote
Michelle Cote is a Lead Instructor at CCEI, as well as Director of Launc[H], an innovation ecosystem in Hartford. At CCEI, Michelle teaches courses that help students and faculty build skills critical for entrepreneurship and innovation, and supports them in forming and bringing new ventures to market.
Through Launc[H], Michelle leads the design and development of initiatives that help to make Hartford a visible and vibrant hub of entrepreneurship and innovation. Working together with anchor institutions and other community partners, Michelle has helped to seed and support several key accelerator and incubator programs, including: Hartford InsurTech Hub, Digital HealthCT, and Nassau Re/Imagine. Launc[H] also provides entrepreneurs with critical connectivity to business growth resources across the Hartford region.
Concept to Commercialization
March 11, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
This presentation will explore the steps in transitioning from prototype development to large-scale manufacturing. FORGE — a leader in helping startups navigate the complex journey from concept to commercialization — will guide attendees through the process, from market research and product validation to scaling manufacturing operations. Key topics include prototyping, design for excellence (DFX), and planning for manufacturing readiness, as well as how to build a sustainable and efficient supply chain.
Attendees will also learn about the importance of early-stage planning, risk management, and quality systems in ensuring the success of their product at scale. Join us to gain valuable insights from industry experts and connect with the resources you need to bring your innovations to life.
Led by Scott Longley & Trinell Ball
Scott Longley is a Manufacturing Expert in Residence at FORGE with over 28 years of international operations experience. His expertise spans process engineering, production, and supply chain management, which he uses to advise startups as they scale. Scott has held roles at Fortune 100 companies like Apple, HP, and Sun Microsystems, managing global supply chains and manufacturing operations. He also co-founded a Net Zero Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) startup, where he designed its supply chain and manufacturing strategy.
Trinell Ball is the Program Director for FORGE in Connecticut, where he focuses on fostering innovation among state suppliers and manufacturers, particularly in physical products. With 15 years of experience in innovation and strategic planning, Trinell has worked at Toyota's Silicon Valley operations, Leadbird (a sales and marketing technology startup), and Goodyear's Innovation Lab. He has extensive experience with new product commercialization and venture building for corporations and early-stage startups, taking ventures from 0 to 1.
The Pitch Deck
March 25, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
Learn the basics of creating a pitch deck for your startup. A great pitch deck gets your audience excited about your idea and engages them in a conversation about your business — hopefully leading to investment. In this workshop we’ll cover what slides you should include in your deck, how you should structure your pitch and how to make your deck look visually appealing.
Led by Alycia Chrosniak
With over ten years of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing and innovation, Alycia is passionate about creating and promoting impactful programs that support the growth and success of startups and entrepreneurs. Currently, she is the Assistant Director of Brand and Venture Development at the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI), where she oversees the operation and management of four startup accelerators, a pitch competition series and the center's marketing. She is driven by the mission of CCEI to foster a vibrant and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Connecticut, and brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the team, having founded and grown a digital food brand, CT Eats Out, to national recognition.
The Revenue Model
April 8, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
An essential part of establishing product-market fit for your business is creating a sustainable revenue model. Come to this workshop to learn not only why pricing matters, but why the revenue model is actually the single-most important element of a profitable and scalable business.
Please come prepared with as much information as possible about your early adopter customer segments, and your ideal channels. Not sure? That’s okay — come anyways to learn why these topics are important, and how to put them together to help your business grow.
Led by Michelle Cote
Michelle Cote is a Lead Instructor at CCEI, as well as Director of Launc[H], an innovation ecosystem in Hartford. At CCEI, Michelle teaches courses that help students and faculty build skills critical for entrepreneurship and innovation, and supports them in forming and bringing new ventures to market.
Through Launc[H], Michelle leads the design and development of initiatives that help to make Hartford a visible and vibrant hub of entrepreneurship and innovation. Working together with anchor institutions and other community partners, Michelle has helped to seed and support several key accelerator and incubator programs, including: Hartford InsurTech Hub, Digital HealthCT, and Nassau Re/Imagine. Launc[H] also provides entrepreneurs with critical connectivity to business growth resources across the Hartford region.
Raising Smart Money: How to Attract the Right Investors for Your Startup
April 22, 2025
6:30-7:30pm
register here
Although every high-tech startup requires capital to grow and succeed, the process of fundraising can look very different depending on the company's stage of development, industry, technology, and business model. In this workshop, we will outline the typical growth trajectory of startups in different sectors (e.g. biotech, tech, SaaS, etc.), what kinds of investors/partners typically invest at each stage, and how founders can find capital providers who are best aligned with their company's needs.
Additionally, we will provide insights on the key factors that early-stage investors look for while conducting due diligence on a potential investment, and how founders can position themselves to stand out from the crowd.
Led by Douglas Roth & Renee Wasko
Douglas Roth (Managing Director of Investments at Connecticut Innovations) is responsible for sourcing new investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, serving on boards of directors, and supporting the growth and success of portfolio companies. Douglas has led Connecticut Innovations’ investments in eBrevia (acquired by Donnelley Financial Solutions), iDevices (acquired by Hubbell), Tru Optik Data Corp. (acquired by TransUnion) and Logicbroker (acquired by K1 Investment Management). Before joining Connecticut Innovations, Douglas gained extensive experience with early-stage businesses as both an operator and adviser.
Renee Wasko, Ph.D., is an Associate on the Bioscience Investment team at Connecticut Innovations, where she is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities, identifying potential new ventures, and supporting the growth and operations of CI’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining CI, Renee completed her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale, where she studied epithelial tissue regeneration and how skin-resident immune cells contribute to tissue repair after injury.
MEET THE TRACTION TEAM
Michaela Hartl
Engagement & Outreach Coordinator
michaela.hartl@uconn.edu
Alycia Chrosniak
Assistant Director of Brand & Venture Development
Rachel Ayers
Program & Financial Assistant