As UConn continues to expand opportunities for students to explore innovation and entrepreneurship, Michelle Cote has been named interim director of the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
A two-time UConn alumna with a B.A. and M.B.A., Michelle brings extensive experience in entrepreneurship education and innovation ecosystem development. She joined the School of Business in 2017 to help re-invent the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI). And, in the ten years since then led the development and growth of several of the center’s signature programs including: Accelerate UConn (part of the NSF’s National I-Corps program network); the CCEI Summer Fellowship Accelerator, and the Wolff New Venture Competition. In 2018, Michelle was also appointed to lead the development of Launc[H], a public-private partnership between the State of Connecticut and over 30 corporations, colleges and universities, and community organizations, working together to create a visible and vibrant innovation ecosystem in Hartford. Under her leadership, over $15M was invested in programs which have cemented Hartford’s reputation as a key center of InsurTech and digital health innovation, and set the groundwork for the city’s current strategy to become a center of excellence in applied AI.
Michelle has been widely recognized for her contributions to entrepreneurship and innovation in each of these capacities. She was named one of the Hartford Business Journal’s Top 25 Women in Business (2022) and as a startup founder, was recognized by O, The Oprah Magazine as one of 80 entrepreneurs nationwide with “Ideas That Could Change the World.” Across her work at UConn and beyond, she has mentored more than 250 startup teams, helping students faculty and alumni transform creative ideas into viable ventures that are improving lives.
Since its founding in 2017 thanks to the visionary generosity of Peter J. Werth, the Werth Institute has grown into a unifying force across the University in support of entrepreneurial thinking and real-world innovation. The Institute acts as a hub for UConn’s many entrepreneurship and innovation efforts, fostering interdisciplinary opportunities, providing seed funding, mentoring, workshops, prototyping support, and connections to external partners. Among its signature programs are Werth Innovators (student ambassadors who promote entrepreneurship across campus) and NetWerx, which bridges students with entrepreneurial alumni.
The Institute also supports multiple incubations and experimental efforts. Past and current incubations include ClimateWerx, a sustainability-oriented, multi-semester experiential learning program; HealthWerx, a partnership with Hartford HealthCare; and the Stamford Startup Studio (S3), in which students undertake co-op style venture development projects. On the startup side, the Werth Institute works closely with the Technology Incubation Program (TIP), which has backed more than 100 startup companies and is credited with helping to sustain over 2,000 jobs annually in Connecticut. More than 600 U.S. patents have been granted for innovations emerging from UConn, with many directly tied to initiatives supported through Werth. Over $30 million in philanthropic commitment from Peter Werth has underwritten its growth and programming.
“The Werth Institute has become a cornerstone of UConn’s commitment to entrepreneurial education,” says Pamir Alpay, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “By connecting students from every discipline with opportunities to innovate, lead, and bring ideas to life, the Institute has made entrepreneurship a defining part of the UConn experience and a driver of our institutional impact. With Michelle’s leadership in this interim capacity, the Werth Institute will continue to advance its mission and expand its reach, empowering UConn students to think creatively, act boldly, and lead with purpose.”
“It has been tremendously rewarding to see entrepreneurship activity at UConn grow exponentially in the last ten years. Our students are passionate about finding new ways to improve the world around them, our faculty possess incredible expertise in disciplines that will define our future, and we are so fortunate to be surrounded by a community that supports and celebrates the university’s role as an engine of innovation and economic growth. With this new opportunity at the Werth Institute, I am excited to forge new relationships with colleagues from across the university, and find ways to work together, to enhance opportunities for skill-building in innovation and entrepreneurship for all members of Husky Nation.”
As interim director, Michelle will guide the Werth Institute through a period of momentum and opportunity. The Provost’s Office and Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation have launched an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Task Force, charged with conducting a comprehensive review of entrepreneurship and innovation at UConn and recommending strategies to strengthen and expand programs, research, and support that advance the university’s mission as a leading R1 and land-grant institution. Michelle will play a critical role in this work, led by Vice Provost Amy Gorin, Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Lindsay DiStefano, and Associate Vice President for Research Jit Banerjee.
At UConn, entrepreneurship is more than a discipline. It’s a mindset embedded across all colleges. Through the aligned efforts of Werth, CCEI, industry, and student engagement, the University is broadening access to experiential innovation, catalyzing ventures that contribute to Connecticut’s economy, and giving students across majors the opportunity to learn by doing, test new ideas, and build meaningful impact.
