Opportunities for UK Companies in Connecticut
The United Kingdom and Connecticut have strong ties that go back centuries to the original Thirteen Colonies of the United States. Since its settlement by English colonists nearly 400 years ago, Connecticut and England have been intertwined economically and culturally and continue to strengthen these bonds through the present. The United Kingdom plays an outsized role in Connecticut’s economy, accounting for more than 12% of all greenfield investment projects in the state1 – the #2 source of foreign direct investment in Connecticut2. The UK also is the #1 source of foreign employment in Connecticut, with more than 18,500 Connecticut jobs employed by UK companies or their subsidiaries3. Most of these investments in Connecticut are focused in the state’s thriving insurance, financial services, and life sciences sectors.
“Working with the corridor has opened the door to a number of large carriers we may never have spoken to otherwise. We have also been boosted by introductions to financial and legal support that has expedited, simplified and de-risked our route to establishing a presence in Hartford.”
— Phil Powell, CRO of Matrix IQ
Connecticut’s economic bonds with the United Kingdom flow both ways over the Atlantic. The UK throughout most of history has been one of Connecticut’s largest trade and export markets, currently occupying the spot of the state's 4th largest export destination4, with more than $1.1 billion in goods and services exported from Connecticut to the United Kingdom5. The greatest value of exports were in the aerospace products, financial services, and pharmaceuticals and medicines industries.
Notable UK Companies with Major Operations in Connecticut
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UK–Connecticut InsurTech Corridor
Connecticut and the UK have long shared a commonality as leaders on the international stage in the insurance industry, with Connecticut’s capital of Hartford long known as “The Insurance Capital of the World,” and recently made these ties official, creating the UK–Connecticut InsurTech Corridor. The creation and expansion of insurtech firms has seen rapid growth in Connecticut as they explore the plethora of opportunities to partner with industry giants located in the state, such as Travelers, The Hartford, Aetna, Cigna, and more. Five UK-based tech firms established outposts in Hartford to take advantage of this insurance ecosystem and represent the first steps of the Corridor, which seeks to foster trans-Atlantic connections and accelerate business and job growth. The initiative was designed to help British insurers navigate their way through a web of state regulations and overcome challenges making contact with investors and other businesses. Lord Mayor of London Michael Mainelli, whose parents once lived in Hartford, visited the city for the InsurTech Corridor’s inauguration and to promote the unique international partnership.
Key Facts About Connecticut
- #1 highest concentration of insurance jobs in the U.S.6
- #1 & #2 most productive metropolitan areas in the U.S. for insurance workers – Stamford & Hartford7,8
- #6 most productive state for tech9
- #7 best tech talent pipeline10
- 15% of all U.S. tech traded cluster GRP is within 120 miles of Hartford11
- #2 for academic bioscience research & development expenditures per capita12
- #3 in bioscience patents per capita13
- #3 fastest growing city for physical, engineering, & life science R&D jobs in the U.S. – New Haven14
- #8 in the U.S. for venture capital dollars per capita15
The large amount of interest in both business and leisure travel between Europe and Connecticut spurred the creation of an Aer Lingus direct flight between Dublin Airport and Bradley International Airport outside of Hartford. This route has proven extremely popular with travelers from both destinations as well as those seeking to travel beyond into Europe and has spurred talks for a direct flight to London Heathrow Airport – a top priority for Bradley officials, who are currently courting various airlines to fulfill this route, citing the outsized volume of business travel between the two locations as the driving motivator. Aer Lingus currently connects 13 UK cities to Connecticut and beyond, with direct flights from Bradley International to North American cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Atlanta, and more.
1U.S. Department of Commerce, 2025. 2U.S Department of Commerce, SelectUSA, 2025, based on % of Greenfield projects. 3Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2023--released Dec 2025. 4U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, 2025. 5U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. State Goods Trade by Partner, 2025. 6Lightcast 2024-Q3 2025 release; AdvanceCT calculations. 7Lightcast 2024-Q3 2025 release; AdvanceCT calculations.8For MSAs over 5,000 insurance workers; Lightcast 2024-Q3 2025 release; AdvanceCT calculations. 9Lightcast, 2024—Q3 2025 release; AdvanceCT calculations; Software, Data & Digital industry traded cluster. 10Business Facilities, 2025. 11Lightcast, 2024—Q3 2025 release; Software, Data, and Digital traded cluster industry definition. 12TEConomy/BIO, 2024. 13TEConomy/BIO, 2024. 14Lightcast, 2024—Q3 2025 release; AdvanceCT calculations. 15PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, 2024; U.S. Census Bureau, PEP, 2024; AdvanceCT calculations.
