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Find public support
The organizations that help companies export from and invest in Connecticut, grouped by what you need. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
1. Where to start
DECD, AdvanceCT and CTSBDC: the guide’s first stops, of the 16 organizations below.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
- Get advice
State economic development agency
DECD
Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
Runs the State Trade Expansion Program grant for small exporters and publishes the state's business incentives and programs for expanding companies.
Visit DECD (opens in a new tab)Source: Office of Manufacturing, DECD State Trade Expansion Program, November 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 7, 2025
- Get advice
State economic development organization
AdvanceCT
Gives foreign and out-of-state companies confidential help with sites, incentives, data and introductions when they consider locating in Connecticut.
Visit AdvanceCT (opens in a new tab)Source: AdvanceCT, foreign investment in Connecticut (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Get advice
Small business advising network
CTSBDC
Connecticut Small Business Development Center
Provides certified export advisors who help small companies assess exportability, find markets, arrange shipping and payment, and prepare financing.
Visit CTSBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: CTSBDC, international trade advising page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
2. Export development and market information
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State economic development agency
DECD
Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
Runs the State Trade Expansion Program grant for small exporters and publishes the state's business incentives and programs for expanding companies.
Visit DECD (opens in a new tab)Source: Office of Manufacturing, DECD State Trade Expansion Program, November 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 7, 2025
- Get advice
Small business advising network
CTSBDC
Connecticut Small Business Development Center
Provides certified export advisors who help small companies assess exportability, find markets, arrange shipping and payment, and prepare financing.
Visit CTSBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: CTSBDC, international trade advising page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
Regional food export association
Food Export Northeast
Food Export USA–Northeast
Regional body
Works with member state agriculture departments, Connecticut's among them, to help small and mid-sized food and beverage companies export.
Visit Food Export Northeast (opens in a new tab)Source: Food Export Northeast, Northeast member states page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
3. Investment and business setup
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State economic development organization
AdvanceCT
Gives foreign and out-of-state companies confidential help with sites, incentives, data and introductions when they consider locating in Connecticut.
Visit AdvanceCT (opens in a new tab)Source: AdvanceCT, foreign investment in Connecticut (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State business registration office
Secretary of the State
Connecticut Secretary of the State
Registers new businesses and takes annual reports and other business filings through the Business.CT.gov portal.
Visit Secretary of the State (opens in a new tab)Source: Business.CT.gov, register your business (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Find finance
State venture finance agency
Connecticut Innovations
Invests in early-stage Connecticut companies through funds such as its US$200 million Bioscience Innovation Fund.
Visit Connecticut Innovations (opens in a new tab)Source: Connecticut Innovations, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
4. Customs and tax
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Meet requirements
State tax authority
Department of Revenue Services
Connecticut Department of Revenue Services
Registers businesses for state taxes in its myconneCT system, where they also file returns and make payments.
Visit Department of Revenue Services (opens in a new tab)Source: Department of Revenue Services, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State labor and unemployment agency
Department of Labor
Connecticut Department of Labor
Issues employer account numbers and collects unemployment insurance taxes in ReEmployCT from companies that hire in Connecticut.
Visit Department of Labor (opens in a new tab)Source: Department of Labor, unemployment insurance tax (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State port authority
Port Authority
Connecticut Port Authority
Supports development of Connecticut's three deepwater ports and small harbors and describes the state's four foreign-trade zones and their grantees.
Visit Port Authority (opens in a new tab)Source: Connecticut Port Authority, foreign-trade zones page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
5. Standards and sector requirements
5 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Meet requirements
State agriculture department
Department of Agriculture
Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Offers export programs for food and farm companies with Food Export Northeast and lists a marketing representative as its export contact.
Visit Department of Agriculture (opens in a new tab)Source: Department of Agriculture, export assistance programs (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State plant inspection agency
Agricultural Experiment Station
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Inspects plants for growers and issues phytosanitary certificates for plants shipped to other countries.
- Meet requirements
State licensing agency
Department of Consumer Protection
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Licenses businesses and trades such as accounting, real estate, construction and retail, with applications through the state's eLicense site.
Visit Department of Consumer Protection (opens in a new tab)Source: Business.CT.gov, business licenses and permits (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State insurance regulator
Insurance Department
Connecticut Insurance Department
Regulates insurance companies and gives licensing guidance to those that sell insurance in Connecticut.
Visit Insurance Department (opens in a new tab)Source: Business.CT.gov, business licenses and permits (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State financial regulator
Department of Banking
Connecticut Department of Banking
Regulates state-chartered banks and credit unions, securities and consumer credit, and licenses firms in those fields.
Visit Department of Banking (opens in a new tab)Source: Department of Banking, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
6. Chambers and industry associations
2 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State business association
CBIA
Connecticut Business & Industry Association
Represents Connecticut employers on state policy and offers members human resources, safety and manufacturing coalition services.
Visit CBIA (opens in a new tab)Source: CBIA, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Get advice
State manufacturers' association
ManufactureCT
Connects Connecticut manufacturers through membership, a member directory and events.
Visit ManufactureCT (opens in a new tab)Source: ManufactureCT, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
7. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare potential export marketsSee which markets import what you sell, ranked on public trade data, and read each country before you commit.
- Check duties and document requirementsCheck the duty, the origin conditions for a preferential rate and the documents a shipment needs.
- Compare the United States with other countriesSet the United States beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Connecticut project.
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Promote:Connecticut is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 3, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.