Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state”™s quasi-public authority responsible for growing Connecticut businesses through financing and strategic assistance, announced Deb Santy, director of CI”™s Small Business Innovation Group, is one of the featured panelists at the fourth annual Aviation and Aerospace Industry Manufacturing Summit (AAIMS) in Fort Worth, Texas, this month.
Santy will be a panelist in a discussion about innovation in STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and will offer her insights on talent development, diversification and collaboration.
Other topics Santy will share with attendees include details about the Small Business Innovation and Diversification Program (SBIDP) and the CI Technology Talent Bridge (TTB) program.
The SBIDP works to strengthen existing Connecticut manufacturers by facilitating and/or accelerating the development, sales and manufacturing of products (including software) and services.
The TTB program was established in 2012 to provide experience-based learning activities for Connecticut college students (or students who are residents of Connecticut in the summer and attend college outside Connecticut) through mentored internships at small, technology-based businesses in the state. The program provides grants of up to $25,000 per project to participating businesses, which must use the funding to compensate one or more student interns. The TTB was recognized nationally as a best practice initiative in 2013.
“We think this program has a model that many organizations attending the summit can replicate,” said Santy in a prepared statement. “That is the beauty of attending and holding events like this; it benefits everyone. The more best practices we share, the stronger the industry becomes as well as the viability of the individual organizations we serve.”
To date, CI said it is responsible for $4 billion in financing for Connecticut companies and its work has led to the creation of 26,000- jobs.
AAIMS runs Oct. 16-18. Santy”™s panel discussion is 10 a.m., Oct 16. For more information on AAIMS 2013 visit www.aaimssummit.com.
