$2 Million State Grant to Help Hartford Business Incubator Launch Food-Centric Businesses

If Connecticut is to find it’s way to economic recovery, don’t be surprised if you see a trail of breadcrumbs along the way.  Because it seems that entrepreneurship and food are fast-becoming an attractive entrepreneurial combination.

ReSET, a non-profit business support organization based in Hartford, has recently announced its participation in the $46.6 million Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Grants Program to Support Small Businesses.

Over five years reSET will be awarded $2.225 million in DECD grant funding to support its work with primarily Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and women interested in founding, launching, and scaling food and retail businesses in the Greater Hartford area.  The financial support from the state builds on a strong foundation of helping to launch small businesses – and particularly food-based businesses in recent years.

Programmatic elements targeting food entrepreneurs will begin in early 2023 and will include a new Digital Marketing Mastermind training curriculum to help businesses adopt digital tools and marketing techniques that enable sales beyond their physical footprint; a 12-week Food Incubator for early-stage food businesses; a new 12-week Food Accelerator for growing food businesses; networking events and workshops offered by the Hartford Culinary Collaborative; and coaching, mentoring and ongoing support for food entrepreneurs at all stages of development.

The Food Program expects to target over 425 entrepreneurs over the course of the grant, which will also support the Floor–Plan Retail Activation Initiative in partnership with Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, launching this Fall in Hartford.  It will also include a 12-week Retail Incubator program; opportunities to access an incubator storefront in Hartford; an e-commerce platform; vendor space at Winterfair Hartford holiday market; and additional pop-up market events. The Retail Program elements expect to target over 450 entrepreneurs over the five-year grant.

Both the Food Business Support and the Entrepreneurial Retail Business Support programs will include grants to businesses who complete the program, totaling $170,000 over the course of the grant period, according to reSET officials.

“This DECD support helps reSET to expand the reach of our impact-driven food and retail business support programs. We’re thrilled to be recognized for our work along with the other grant recipients focused on the crucial work to grow Connecticut’s economy through small businesses,” said Sarah Bodley, reSET Executive Director.

“We believe that business is a powerful force for positive change in the world. Food and retail entrepreneurs have a lot to consider when you look at their supply chain, workforce, and how they show up in the community. The targeted assistance to these sectors will make a significant impact on the number and quality of new businesses in our region,” she added.

reSET is greater Hartford’s only business accelerator that supports the creation and growth of mission-driven businesses. reSET is a nonprofit organization on Park Street in Hartford, whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector. reSET specializes in social enterprise ― impact driven business with a double or triple bottom line.

The Impact Accelerator has had 143 businesses graduate since its launch in 2011, and the Food Incubator has had 62 businesses graduate since its launch in 2019.

reSET program alumni have generated over $25 million in revenue, have raised $17 million in outside capital, and supported more than 400 jobs. Alumni companies are addressing a wide range of impact areas including food, agriculture, energy, environmental sustainability, education, arts, health, wellness, economic empowerment, and workforce development.  reSET’s goal is to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level.