CURRENT PROJECTS

7 UNION STREET PROPERTY

This project funding transitions SPARK Makerspace to a permanent home in downtown New London, expanding space to allow for new tools, resources and programming for SPARK’s members. Additionally, new space allows for expanding membership to young adult members for the first time. Project will acquire building, design space and begin construction during Y3.

BLUELINK

The first goal of BlueLINK is to create for Connecticut a comprehensive public/private partnership for information, assistance, and a networking platform for existing businesses and for those who wish to start a business or expand. The initial focus will be to create direct links to resources for Connecticut entrepreneurs interested in starting and expanding a "Blue Tech" business. Given

BLUESTREAM

Blue Stream is a customized training program of the WBDC, delivered in a flexible framework for entrepreneurs on the move. Through this project, the WBDC will be supporting spouses of those employed by the BlueTech organizations of Southeastern Connecticut, and the national blue economy.

Blue Stream is offered at no cost to participants and will help individuals explore how business own

Calmpak

Under a provisional patent, Calmpak uses Near Frequency Communications (NFC) to deliver stress management tools through an NFC-embedded keychain that connects to a URL. This quickly delivers proven coping methods embedded with audio and visual imagery from the local area to enable Thames River region college students to succeed in school and beyond, develop an affinity for this region, and

COMMUNITY AQUACULTURE EXPLORATION

With an expansion of operations in Southeastern Connecticut, Norm Bloom & Son seeks to enhance community involvement in shellfish aquaculture- increasing the knowledge and consumption of local products and building a pool of labor for a variety of industry needs. In the near term, the project will offer workshops and activities on sustainable shellfish purchasing

COTTAGE STREET URBAN FARM

The Cottage Street Urban Farm is on nearly an acre of land, spanning 2 parcels, just off Broad Street in New London. It represents the intersection of downtown activity and residential neighbors, which makes it the perfect location for FRESH New London. The vision for the parcel includes regenerative agriculture, season extension with a movable high tunnel and a heated gr

CREATIVE COOPERATIVE CITY

A creative Tech series of programming on the intersection of blue technology and art, showcasing how the scientific disciplines of science and technology have transitioned creative minds into entrepreneurs in the fields of art and design. The lectures will inspire creative solutions in the workplace and educate the diverse communities of Blue Tech industries of New London

FLOCK MAKERSPACE

This project might be viewed as a gym for performing artists: a social environment with access to workshop spaces where artists of similar disciplines can hone ideas together. Writers would be able to hone ideas with each other and then have access to actors practicing their craft and looking for new work. Spoken word artists and musicians would have practice and performance space

NAVAL & MARITIME CONSORTIUM

A program in partnership with the University of Connecticut, the Consortium is working to bolster the naval and maritime business base in Connecticut and the surrounding region. The NMC is pulling together the regional supply chain, large customers, government and academic institutions to maximize incoming economic prosperity in the areas of submarine production and offs

NEW LONDON INNOVATION CENTER

Create an Innovation Center in downtown New London with a primary focus on naval/maritime "bluetech" business incubation. The Center, in collaboration with the Naval Maritime Consortium and BlueLINK, will attract entrepreneurs and industry disruptors that will exponentially grow the innovative economy along the Thames River. It will provide the tools, resources and info

SOFT SKILLUP

In partnership with the Mystic Chamber Foundation, this project will develop and administer a soft skills learning needs assessment for Groton and New London Middle Schools, grades 6-8. The assessment will produce the data needed to develop a soft skills curriculum to be used for middle school aged STEM students. These skills are paramount in developing the ability to successfully ente

TILL: bioFASHIONtech

TILL: bioFASHIONtech makers are ecological fashion natives. Planetary well-being is not just a goal of our community (i.e.”do less harm”), but the defining impulse of our creative work and framework for its production. Combining 21st-century science and technology. We are optimizing our local fibers to create farm-specific wools that reduce and eventually eliminate toxic synt