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Disruptive Innovation.

At The Werth Institute, we experiment and innovate to make the UConn experience the best it possibly could be. By focusing on solution-oriented initiatives that address both societal and University community challenges, we remain nimble and constantly seek to address the question: "If we don't try, who will?" We're here to try things that others won't, can't, or haven’t done by testing, iterating, and modifying- continually challenging what may be possible in higher education.

Below are programs currently under incubation at The Werth Institute, which will eventually either become stand-alone offerings or housed by a University partner. Also listed are some of our previous incubations, including Hillside Ventures and the Stamford Startup Studio.

THE CENTER FOR NEURODIVERSITY & EMPLOYMENT INNOVATION

Unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30-40% which is three times the rate for people with disability, and eight times the rate for people without disability. Exact figures are unknown because there are few resources that track the specifics of unemployment among a wide range of neurodiversity, not just autism but also ADHD, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and many other neurological differences. Read about CNDEI services.

Upcoming Events

Feb 6 Info Session: CCEI Summer Fellowship Accelerator 12:00pm
Info Session: CCEI Summer Fellowship Accelerator

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
CCEI Summer Fellowship is UConn’s startup accelerator. Open to student, faculty, staff and alumni founders, this eight-week intensive entrepreneurial experience helps founders develop the skills needed to bring new products, services, and technologies to market.
Join us for a virtual info session on Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 12-1pm.
Register here: https://lu.ma/a9u6x3ta
If you cannot attend and would like a recording sent to you, please email alycia.chrosniak@uconn.edu.
CCEI’s Summer Fellowship Accelerator takes place June 2, 2025 through July 31, 2025 with selected startups spending three days a week over eight weeks taking a deep dive into their business with the support of mentors, industry experts, and experienced entrepreneurs. These sessions help educate program participants on how to define their business, build their brand, and launch their venture, all while building a community with the other entrepreneurs participating in the program.
The highly-competitive program only selects 10 startups to participate each year. As part of the program, these startups receive:
$15,000 (non-equity, non-diluting) in funding for business development; up to $5,000 (per student) can be used to pay a member of the team (current UConn student or recent UConn graduate).
Pro-bono legal, accounting, product development and branding services, and waived bank fees to assist in the proper establishment of your business and deciding how you want to structure your venture.
One-on-one mentoring and guidance from industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs.
Expert-led sessions covering all scaling fundamentals – go to market strategy, pitch compilation, sales and fundraising, to name a few.
End-of-program demo day, where five teams advance to CCEI’s Wolff New Venture Competition to compete for $115,000+ in funding.
CCEI Summer Fellowship alumni have gone on to raise over $316 million in follow-on funding, have been selected to participate in accelerators like Techstars and Mass Challenge, have been named Thiel Fellows, and more.
Learn more about CCEI’s Summer Fellowship Accelerator: https://ccei.uconn.edu/programs/summer-fellowship/
If you have questions, contactalycia.chrosniak@uconn.edu.
Contact Information:
Alycia Chrosniak
alycia.chrosniak@uconn.edu

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