Stamford - The New Hub of Connecticut

An inside look within the growing and innovative tech/finance hub in Stamford!

Hillside Ventures

and

Dhanush Kotumraju

Mar 01, 2022

Flourishing in Every Way

“You're going to start hearing a lot more about Stamford, Connecticut” - Barry Silbert, Founder and CEO of Digital Currency Group. Stamford is rapidly becoming the go-to spot for corporations and citizens alike. Located in Fairfield County, Stamford is a dynamic city whose population has grown approximately 10% from 2010 to 2020, overtaking New Haven as the second most populous city in Connecticut. This tremendous growth also places Stamford at #286 in an analysis of the 515 fastest growing cities in the United States, leading Connecticut. Stamford is home to a plethora of Fortune 500 companies, boutique investment banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, and startups.

Known as “the city that works,” Stamford is ranked #47 in the best cities for young professionals in America by Niche. This thriving business environment can be attributed to Stamford having one of the nation’s most educated populations: 9 out of 10 residents are high school graduates and about 44% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. It’s also beneficial that Stamford is a 50-minute commute from New York with a variety of transportation options available. It’s evident that Stamford is poised for long-term growth and will continue to be the flagship city of Connecticut.

UConn Stamford

Located in downtown Stamford, the UConn Stamford branch provides students with all the benefits of a top-25 national public research university while being in a robust business environment. Students at UConn-Stamford have access to 750+ internship opportunities that provide them exposure to competitive and lucrative fields. Furthermore, campus housing simulates city-style apartments, giving students the opportunity to experience city living while being on campus. The Stamford branch is UConn’s fastest-growing regional campus with an enrollment of about 1,900 undergraduate students. UConn Stamford students are able to enroll in business programs that aren’t offered at the Storrs campus, such as business data analytics or financial management. These industry-focused majors will help students be well prepared for their prospective careers. Students will also have the opportunity to do their first 2 years at Stamford and then transfer to the Storrs campus to complete their degree. Overall, the UConn Stamford branch provides a great opportunity for students to grow and develop, both as a professional and a person.

Stamford Startup Studio (S3)

Established in Fall 2021, the Stamford Startup Studio (S3) is an innovative co-op program designed to help students build their entrepreneurial skill sets. The program was established as an initiative of the Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. According to Tara Watrous, Head of Entrepreneurial Transformation at the Werth Institute, “An intensive experience like the Stamford Startup Studio really allows students to accelerate their development and enhance their entrepreneurial skill sets while gaining design, engineering, and product management experience.” S3 also allows students to gain exposure to the startup environment and speak with both founders and venture capitalists. Students are approached by clients with problems to solve and then must develop novel solutions to meet the client’s needs. Having the opportunity to interact with clients and work on real-world projects allows students to engage in learning that goes beyond the theoretical nature of the classroom. It also helps students develop technical and soft skills that prepare them for elite career paths. The growing number of startups in Stamford presents the need for UConn to provide students with the opportunities to engage with these startups and learn about the fundamentals of a rapidly expanding industry. The entrepreneurship and venture capital community is always looking for bright, young talent and the Stamford Startup Studio is at the forefront of this space.

Hillside Ventures

Hillside Ventures is passionate about making an impact through venture capital. Hillside strives to be different from other venture capital firms through it’s value proposition and commitment to changing the narratives of the venture capital space. Being able to potentially expand to the UConn Stamford campus would further Hillside’s mission to make venture accessible for all. As a member of Hillside Ventures, students will receive a unique opportunity to source potential investment opportunities, contact and interact with founders, conduct due diligence, and present their findings to an investment board. This experience goes far beyond anything learned in the classroom and will help students develop their business acumen, make professional connections, and get a look at how a venture capital firm operates.