Connecticut Boosts Innovation Center With $20M for New Urban Campus

Connecticut is investing $20 million to establish a 100,000-square-foot campus for the Hartford Innovation Center at State House Square in downtown Hartford.

Governor Ned Lamont said the new urban workforce campus will feature collaborative labs, classrooms, and project spaces where residents, youth, startups, corporate partners, and higher-education researchers can develop real-world solutions and accelerate AI adoption across Connecticut industries.

Lamont said the center will help serve the insurance and healthcare sectors of Greater Hartford during a time of rapid technological change.

“Today’s investment signals our commitment to accelerating economic growth in Hartford while ensuring workers and employers alike benefit from cutting-edge innovation,” Lamont said. “This project stands at the center of our broader strategy to bring new workforce opportunities into the region and strengthen connections between communities and the state’s most dynamic industries.”

The project has attracted multiyear financial commitments from leading employers and institutions, including Hartford HealthCare, The Hartford, Travelers, Nassau, Google, and QuantumCT.

The center was piloted last year and currently occupies 7,000 square feet at its interim location at 10 Constitution Plaza in Hartford. Each major floor is leased to an operator with a clear mission and business plan, ensuring predictable revenue, professional management, and a coherent user experience for employers, residents, and educators.

The new funding comes from the Connecticut Innovation Clusters Program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The Clusters Program is a $100 million initiative to support the continued growth of critical sectors of the Connecticut economy, including biotechnology, financial technology, insurance technology, and advanced manufacturing in support of national defense.