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Before Todd Syssa graduated in 2001 from CCSU’s School
of Business, he had a long-time goal of starting his own
business. Bolstered by his degree and by his own
confidence, and with help from the University’s
Institute for Technology and Business Developmental (ITBD)
in downtown New Britain, Syssa has made his dream has
come true.
Under the auspices of the Institute, Syssa started
Procision Engineering, which specializes in welding and
tube bending, and his design of a high-performance
off-road vehicle, called the AlleyCat, has attracted
investors and interest from the military.
Syssa’s business is one among 23 others being promoted
at the Institute—which boasts a list of 300 current
business clients. Syssa credits the Institute for
mentoring him as a budding entrepreneur. "This is where
all the new technology, where all the new ideas begin,"
Syssa says, attributing the professional atmosphere and
the various resources available for growing start-up
businesses.
ITBD Managing Director Richard Mullins, Jr., compares
the Institute to a one-stop-shop for start-ups,
inventors, and small-to-medium-sized businesses.
Business owners receive advice regarding contracts and
insurance liability and can rent space there for a
reasonable fee. A high level of expertise regarding
services—including manufacturing, engineering, and
technology issues—is available to these business owners.
The ITBD was formerly known as the Institute for
Industrial and Engineering Technology (IIET). Today, the
Institute is changing to become more of a business
advisory service, noted Mullins. "We want to raise the
bar to be a better, more value-added service to our
clients. We want to be their trusted advisor," says
Mullins.
— Keith Marjani |
