AdvanceCT’s 2025 Results Show How Connecticut Won Significant New Investment

In 2025, companies encountered new economic conditions that complicated their long-term investment decisions. Shifts in trade policy disrupted supply chains. Changes in immigration rules challenged workforce planning. Interest rates and uneven demand increased the cost of capital. These pressures led executives and site selectors to emphasize risk control, operational continuity, and long planning horizons.

Connecticut emerged as a clear winner in 2025 for attracting and expanding new businesses. The state offers a predictable regulatory structure, maintains an established industrial base, and boasts a labor force with deep technical capacity. These qualities guide firms as they assess where to place capital that they cannot easily move later.

AdvanceCT worked within this new reality, serving as a consistent and reliable partner to companies weighing whether to locate, expand, or remain in Connecticut.

Rather than react to short-term signals, the AdvanceCT team concentrated on fundamentals that endure across economic cycles. That approach guided both business attraction and retention work.

It also shaped how AdvanceCT supported local partners and state agencies that influence site decisions. The result was a year of measurable progress across new investment, expansions, and headquarters activity.

The 2025 results show how disciplined execution, sector expertise, and long-term engagement produce meaningful outcomes. AdvanceCT’s annual report covers projects, capital investment, and job creation, pointing to continued economic momentum.

AdvanceCT Converted Leads into Business Attraction Wins

Business attraction requires patience, precision, and persistence. In economic development, only a small share of initial leads convert into committed projects.

During 2025, AdvanceCT generated 4,225 leads and secured 48 project wins. This conversion rate exceeded standard benchmarks and reflected a repeatable process that prioritized risk assessment and sector alignment.

AdvanceCT targeted industries for attraction work where Connecticut holds durable advantages.

• Life sciences drew on a research ecosystem anchored by Yale University and the University of Connecticut.
• Advanced manufacturing benefited from a skilled workforce and a long record of precision production.
• Aerospace and defense relied on anchor employers such as Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, and Electric Boat, as well as specialized suppliers.

Project Outcomes Across These Sectors Illustrate How That Strategy Played Out

Bexorg, a Yale School of Medicine spinout, designated its New Haven facility as its headquarters. The company committed more than $15 million in investment and planned to add 70 jobs. AdvanceCT supported the decision through early engagement, ecosystem connections, and ongoing problem-solving related to growth-stage needs.

In advanced manufacturing, Mohawk Molding expanded capacity at its Bridgeport facility by more than 20 percent. The project included new hires and capital equipment purchases. AdvanceCT connected the company with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and the Small Business Boost Fund to support execution.

In the aerospace and defense industry, WHI Global relocated its operations from Massachusetts to Enfield, closer to customers such as Sikorsky. The company committed $12 million in investment, planned to hire more than 40 employees, and secured a Strategic Supply Chain Incentive grant.

International firms approached U.S. investment with caution during 2025. Some decisions are being delayed until the tariff policy is clarified. Others accelerated domestic investment to reduce exposure. AdvanceCT used Connecticut’s existing base of international companies and its low-risk operating profile to address those concerns. Companies such as GKN Aerospace, TRUMPF, and ARBURG expanded or located operations in the state as a result.

Each of these wins followed a consistent sequence. AdvanceCT identified target firms tied to Connecticut’s strengths. The team relied on trusted introductions through universities, suppliers, and partner companies. Staff assessed workforce, cost, and operational risk early. They maintained contact over long timelines. Location decisions were guided by clear business cases grounded in data rather than by incentives alone.
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AdvanceCT’s 2025 business attraction process followed six core steps:

1. Identify companies aligned with Connecticut’s sector strengths.
2. Initiate outreach through ecosystem partners and trusted referrals.
3. Assess workforce, cost, and operational risk.
4. Maintain engagement across extended decision timelines.
5. Support location analysis and internal business cases
6. Convert qualified opportunities into committed projects.

Retention and Expansion Drove Sustained Growth

Retention and expansion often deliver greater impact than new attraction. Existing employers already understand Connecticut's workforce, infrastructure, and regulatory environment. When those firms invest again, they reinforce regional supply chains and community stability.

AdvanceCT treated retention and expansion as central to its mission in 2025.

AdvanceCT deployed its business retention and expansion team across the state, working directly with municipalities. Sector leaders from the attraction team supported those efforts when specialized knowledge mattered.

This structure allowed AdvanceCT to respond to evolving needs while maintaining continuity in relationships.

Aftercare played a critical role. AdvanceCT formalized its aftercare program after it reviewed five years of project data. The team aimed to standardize outreach after announcements and measure follow-through.

Staff continued to work with companies months or years after initial commitments to ensure job creation and capital investment met or exceeded projections.

Several Projects Illustrate How That Approach Worked in Practice

MannKind relocated packaging operations from Chicago to its Danbury headquarters. The $7 million expansion added 40 jobs. AdvanceCT identified the opportunity during a site visit and supported the company through execution.

Uline is building a new 1.25-million-square-foot facility in Plainfield, marking one of the largest logistics investments in recent state history. The project will create roughly 250 jobs in its initial phase and generate more than $1.5 million in annual local tax revenue. 

Other expansions addressed technology and clean energy. CarbonBuilt acquired a former concrete facility in Killingly to launch in-house manufacturing using low-carbon technology. AdvanceCT connected the company with local officials and supported its application to the Enterprise Zones program.

Nimbus Power Systems expanded its Groton facility to meet demand for hydrogen fuel cells after it signed agreements with Toshiba and Blue Origin. AdvanceCT helped Nimbus navigate incentives and secure grant support.
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P2 Science expanded both its headquarters in Woodbridge and its manufacturing facility in Naugatuck, investing nearly $20 million and adding 20 jobs.

Workforce development complemented these projects. In 2025, AdvanceCT helped launch the Optics Fabrication and Metrology Certificate Program in partnership with Connecticut State Community College Norwalk, AmeriCOM, and industry employers. The program supports a specialized sector tied to semiconductor equipment manufacturing and addresses employer-defined skill needs.

Statewide Metrics Confirmed the Scale of Impact

Project-level results matter most when they add up to statewide outcomes. In 2025, AdvanceCT generated 48 wins, in partnership with the Department of Economic and Community Development, including:

• 11 new investments
• 11 foreign direct investment projects
• 37 expansions

Capital investment across all projects totaled $882.7 million. Total announced job creation reached 1,330 positions. AdvanceCT-led projects accounted for nearly:

• 49% of all publicly announced projects in Connecticut
• 21% of job creation in Connecticut
• 53% of capital investment in Connecticut

Those shares reflect the organization’s role in complex, high-value projects (retail excluded).

Headquarters activity provided another signal of confidence. AdvanceCT oversaw three headquarters relocations to Connecticut during the year. New or relocated operations came from eight different U.S. states. Eight countries invested in new or existing Connecticut operations, indicating continued interest from international firms despite global uncertainty.

Large employers contributed a significant share of jobs and capital. Electric Boat led job creation with 2,319 positions tied to statewide activity. Amazon and Pratt & Whitney followed with large hiring commitments. Among capital expenditure projects, Electric Boat, Pratt & Whitney, and other major investments drove scale. AdvanceCT-supported projects such as Uline also ranked among the top job creators.

These figures do not capture secondary effects, such as supplier growth, expansion of the local tax base, or workforce skill development. They do, however, provide a clear record of activity during a year when many firms delayed decisions. Connecticut did not stand still. The state attracted, retained, and expanded businesses across multiple sectors.

AdvanceCT Reinforced Business Confidence in Connecticut’s Favor

The 2025 results point to a broader conclusion. Companies continue to view Connecticut as a place where long-term planning makes sense. They value stable institutions, a capable workforce, and access to specialized ecosystems. AdvanceCT’s role has been to translate those assets into clear business cases and sustained relationships.
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Economic development does not end with an announcement. It requires ongoing engagement, coordination with local partners, and attention to execution risk. AdvanceCT’s work during 2025 reflected that reality. The organization stayed involved as projects progressed, adjusted support as needs changed, and measured outcomes against commitments.
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Looking ahead, the same pressures that shaped 2025 will likely persist. Global markets remain uneven. Policy environments continue to shift. In that context, states that offer clarity and follow-through will hold an advantage. Connecticut has those qualities, and AdvanceCT remains focused on delivering results that reinforce them.
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The 2025 annual report documents a year of progress grounded in data and execution. For site selectors, corporate leaders, and economic development professionals, it provides evidence of Connecticut's competitiveness and why companies continue to invest here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What role did AdvanceCT play in Connecticut’s 2025 project wins?

AdvanceCT led business attraction and retention efforts, supported site selection analysis, coordinated state and local resources, and remained engaged through execution and aftercare.

Which industries drove the strongest results in 2025 for Connecticut?

Life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace and defense generated the highest volume of projects and capital investment.

How does AdvanceCT support Connecticut companies after a project is announced?

Through a formal aftercare program that includes follow-up engagement, workforce support, partner introductions, and tracking of job and investment commitments.

Why did international companies continue to invest in Connecticut during uncertainty?

Firms valued Connecticut’s stable operating environment, skilled workforce, and existing base of international manufacturers and suppliers.

How should site selectors interpret the 2025 data for 2026?

The results indicate consistent execution, strong sector alignment, and a state-level economic development system capable of supporting complex, long-term investments.