Aon is in the business of better decisions. Offering a range of risk-mitigation products, they’re dedicated to helping our members meet unmet or unfulfilled needs stemming from today’s rapidly changing, increasingly complex, and interconnected challenges, including navigating new forms of volatility, building a resilient workforce, rethinking access to capital, and addressing the underserved.

Aon measures its impact through an ESG (environmental, social, and governance) lens, believing businesses thrive when their employees and the communities they serve flourish. Our partnership ensures that our climate-focused startups receive the advice and solutions needed to provide the clarity and confidence to make better-informed and better-advised decisions, protecting and scaling their businesses locally and globally.

To learn more, visit https://www.aon.com/en/.

Connecticut Innovations (CI) serves as the strategic venture capital arm and leading source of financing and continued support for innovative, growing businesses operating within Connecticut. Through equity investments, guidance, and valuable introductions, our partnership with the venture capital firm ensures our promising members have access to the funding necessary to advance their company objectives.

In response to the climate crisis, CI launched the ClimateTech Fund. With $100 million of intended investments, the fund will support emerging companies, create high-paying jobs in Connecticut, and help the state achieve its decarbonization goals. The ClimateTech Fund will focus on financing businesses across climate tech verticals based in Connecticut or those with plans to expand their workforce and operations, targeting 15-25 enterprises over a 10- to 15-year investment period.

To learn more, visit https://ctinnovations.com.

FORGE is a nonprofit on a mission to help innovators navigate the entrepreneurial journey from prototype to commercialization and impact at scale. Through this partnership, our members connect with right-fit manufacturers and local supply chains, establishing mutually beneficial business relationships that accelerate their path to market.

FORGE believes that if you can invent it locally, you can manufacture it locally. With an expansive network of innovation-friendly manufacturers and suppliers in the New England region, local production becomes not just feasible but practical. Startups enjoy numerous competitive advantages that contribute to the local economy while reducing their carbon footprint, like in-person meetings to review designs and discuss strategies, strengthened communication, quality control, shorter lead times, and savings on travel and shipping costs.

To learn more, visit https://forgeimpact.org.

GSB, a leading, Connecticut-based mutual financial institution, is focused on delivering high-quality, innovative, and accessible solutions. As a community bank, they're committed to supporting local entrepreneurs needing funding to expand their businesses, ensuring their prosperity for generations to come.

GSB's role as a local resource for financing helps support the vibrancy of Connecticut's commercial community. Recognizing no two businesses are alike, their commercial lenders can offer our members customized loans to meet their specific capital needs.

To learn more, visit https://mygsb.bank.

Kaplak, a Copenhagen- and NYC-based investment and advisory firm, is committed to scaling ambitious businesses working to digitize and decarbonize the global economy. They oversee the ReGen Accelerator at ClimateHaven, a growth-focused program and venture studio for seed-stage to series-A climate tech startups across five sectors: Energy, Real Estate, Food, Transportation, and Health.

During the three-month accelerator program, ten companies take a deep dive into the "Dreams & Details" framework, a proven leadership and strategy model developed by their senior executives. Kaplak's framework transforms founders into CEOs, equipping them with the blueprint to tell the story of their venture, appealing to investors, future customers, and new hires alike. They provide founders, capital, customer introductions, and access to a world-class advisor network whose mentorship lasts well beyond Demo Day, ultimately launching the next generation of breakthrough climate tech companies.

To learn more, visit https://www.kaplakpartners.com.

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MakeHaven is a membership-based creative workspace providing unparalleled support to startups whose novel climate solutions require technological development. Whether your project involves prototyping, fabrication, mechanics, electronics, or woodworking, this partnership ensures our members have the necessary tools and aid to bring their ideas to life.

MakeHaven’s extensive resources are available within the ClimateHaven ecosystem, as their space is conveniently located directly below ours. With the additional 10,000 square feet of specialized facilities, including an electronics shop, wood shop, metal shop, media lab, plastics and casting area, 3D printing space, laser cutters, and more, our members can more easily advance and commercialize their software- or hardware-driven innovations.

To learn more, visit https://www.makehaven.org/.

Marcum LLP is a national accounting and advisory services firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurial, middle-market companies, and high-net-worth individuals achieve their goals. Since 1951, clients have chosen Marcum for their pragmatic, industry-focused guidance and insights, helping them forge pathways to success, whatever their challenges.

Marcum provides our members with a full spectrum of traditional tax, accounting, and assurance services; financial, risk, and transaction advisory services; valuation, forensic, and litigation services; technology consulting and managed services; and an extensive portfolio of specialty and niche industry practices. They're highly focused on client success, as innovation, proactivity, teamwork, and open communication are the hallmarks of their approach.

To learn more, visit https://www.marcumllp.com.

TriNet, a professional employer organization (PEO), frees small- to medium-sized businesses from the complexities of human resource management. Delivering industry-tailored, full-service HR solutions, including payroll processing, benefit options, risk mitigation and regulation compliance, tax administration, and talent acquisition and retention, TriNet plays a strategic role in the development of our startups.

Through their cutting-edge, all-in-one platform with premium integrations and APIs that centralize stats, generate analytics, and produce detailed reports, TriNet ensures employers and employees alike can access real-time data, update information, and more with a single login. This drives productivity and allows our members to make informed business decisions. By outsourcing their HR services, our startups are empowered to focus on what matters most—growing their company.

To learn more, visit www.trinet.com.

Wiggin and Dana is a full-service law firm representing clients throughout the United States and globally. They address a wide range of sophisticated and complex matters concerning litigation and regulatory compliance, healthcare, labor, employment, and benefits, corporate, private client services, real estate, environment, construction, and facilities.

Through this partnership, our members can expect value-driven solutions and results from their team of highly talented, creative, and experienced lawyers dedicated to helping the next generation of inventors bring new technologies to market.

To learn more, visit https://www.wiggin.com.