​The Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation's Summer Accelerator is an immersive entrepreneurial experience that has prepared startups to launch, generate revenue, raise funding, and be accepted to participate in next-step opportunities such as internationally recognized incubators and accelerator programs.

​Join us to celebrate the conclusion of the 2026 cohort and hear their final pitches.

​Thank you to this summer's program partners: Big Bang, Canva, Carta, CashmanKatz, FML CPAs, Webster Bank, and wiggin(x).

​2026 Cohort

​5MatterLab
AI-driven materials characterization, analytics, innovative technologies and R&D services.
Sara Pedram Ph.D., Co-founder + CEO
Jasna Jankovic Ph.D., Co-founder + Scientific Advisor
Yinyu Wang, Engineering Lead

​AccessFlora
Fish-free, high omega-3 aquafeed for consistent shellfish production without geographic constraints.
Keegan Jalbert, CEO
Dr. Mingyu Qiao, CTO
Vitoria Lunardi de Castro, CMO

​AeroGraphiX
Graphene-enhanced HEPA filters with anti-viral properties and on-demand pathogen neutralization.
Deep Shikha Srivastava, CEO
Brenden Ferland, CTO
Robert Minh Lu William, Chief Scientific Advisor
Dr. Douglas Adamson, Advisor

​Babsy
A children's oral healthcare company with our hero product: Build-A-Brush.
Dante Paolino D.M.D., Co-founder + CEO/CFO
Zachary Gelber D.D.S., Co-founder + CEO/COO
Marissa Gelber, Co-founder + CMO
Maria Pereira, Dental Research + Social Media

​ChromaShield
A wearable smart patch for early detection of radiation skin damage with continuous tracking.
Suma Dendi, Co-founder + CPO
Neha Shanavas, Co-founder + CEO
Charli Hughes, CTO

​Colibri Delivers
Connecting local commerce through a multimodal logistics engine and operating in Lake Atitlán.
Cody Foust, Founder + CEO
Matthew Barros, Head of Operations
Nico Sullivan, Media Lead
Jess Hanson, CMO

​Elyton
Automated electrochemical finishing for complex and additive metal parts.
Colin Sheardwright, Co-founder + COO
Krish Bhuva, Co-founder + CEO

​Nereis
Using state-of-the-art soft robotic technology to build miniaturized inspection probes.
Mihai Duduta Ph.D., Founder + CEO
Edward Pomianek, Engineering Lead
Ricardo Bazzarella

​SEAWELL
Premium sparkling beverage made with 100% natural ingredients targeted to water sports enthusiasts.
William "Bill" Smith, Co-founder + COO
Lindsay Smith, Co-founder + CEO

​WE-Sensing
Transforming everyday menstrual pads into an early-warning diagnostic tool for women’s health.
Xingyu Wang, Co-founder + CEO
Yu Lei Ph.D., Co-founder
Baikun Li Ph.D., Co-founder