Inspiring innovative impact.
Welcome to the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) – where ideas come to life! Since 2007, we’ve been leading the charge as UConn’s hub for all things entrepreneurial, building on the groundbreaking efforts started by the Wolff Family back in the mid-1980s.
We’ve come a long way since then, evolving our programs to spark bold ideas, nurture new ventures, and fuel innovative thinking. At CCEI, it’s all about the people — our vibrant community, our knack for effective collaboration, and our shared passion for growth and learning.
Together, we’re creating a culture of entrepreneurship that resonates across UConn, Connecticut, and beyond.
Ready to make an impact? Whether you’re brimming with a game-changing idea or want to help champion the next wave of innovators, we’re here for you. Let’s shape the future of entrepreneurship and innovation together!
READ OUR 2023-24 IMPACT REPORT
CCEI IN THE NEWS
- Their Final Class Project? A Beer-Tasting Showdown May 7, 2025UConn Today – A friendly competition between two teams of UConn student brewers ended with one victor – but with everyone who got a chance to sample both beers a winner. The UConn Brewing Innovation initiative – a multidisciplinary hub that partners the College of Engineering, School of Business, and College of Agriculture, Health and... […]Scott Slater III
- Robust Seafood, Brighter Laundry, and a Platform for Artists Topped This Year’s IQ Entrepreneurship Competition May 1, 2025UConn Today – Three impressive teams of entrepreneurs, whose startups range from more robust seafood to healthier laundry detergent to a great place for artists to share their talent, won this year’s Innovation Quest (iQ) entrepreneurship challenge. The winning teams split $30,000 in prize money and will continue to develop their businesses in an advanced... […]Claire Hall
- Hartford’s 4th Annual AI Day Will Offer Businesses, Professionals, Students Opportunities to Navigate Emerging Tech April 4, 2025UConn Today – The first time AI Day was offered in Hartford in 2022, it drew a small but enthusiastic group of 68 participants. It was before the release of ChatGPT, and both the capabilities of the technology and its potential impact on business and society were not widely recognized. This year, some 800 people... […]Claire Hall
"To gain the advice of expert mentors who are in the consumer products industry was incredible. Some of the best advice I received is that people connect with people, not things. Although a product should be great, people are largely influenced by the story behind it as well. I am still working on incorporating storytelling into the brand, but I’ve realized the importance of this through CCEI's Summer Fellowship Accelerator."
RAINA JAIN
Founder, Queen Bee + HiveGuard
Wolff New Venture Competition Finalist '16
“The EBV program really was life changing. I came into it knowing just enough about starting a business to be dangerous. The EBV program helped me to connect the pieces of what I’d learned. The average person who has a great business idea doesn’t think about the cash-flow analysis and attracting the right stream of customers through a targeted marketing plan. I felt like I earned a mini MBA.”
JASON OTRIN
Founder, On Course Drones
EBV '17
"I encourage and recommend anyone looking at starting a business to apply to CCEI’s offerings. The programs were rigorous and really challenged our company to ‘pressure test’ our business model, which is not always comfortable. By the time we left the accelerator, we had regulatory consultants, legal counsel, accounting services, and a structure on how to make a really solid grant."
NICOLE WAGNER PH.D.
Co-Founder, LambdaVision
CCEI Summer Fellowship Accelerator ‘16
“[EBV] dips your toes into the water in every area of business, ensuring that we all have a solid foundation in which to start, and reference back to as needed. From patents, accounting, bookkeeping, how to present our business, mental health, sales, marketing and IT; the course is comprehensive, well-choreographed and well-executed. In just a week, we were confident we had gained the footing every entrepreneur is desperately searching for.”
TONY AUDETTE
Founder, Audette Motorcycles
EBV
“The EMP results gave me a clear picture of my current mindset, and helped me identify what my strengths and weaknesses are as an entrepreneur. I have become more self-aware and realistic with my capabilities, which helped me work to improve certain skills. Also, this assessment helped me identify the key characteristics needed in potential team members that would complement my skillset within my business.”
CHRISTINA PHILLIPS
Founder, PUURE
Wolff New Venture Competition Finalist '23