CT Manufacturing Innovation Forum 2025: Celebrating Leadership, STEM, and Next-Gen Talent

The 2nd Annual Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum lived up to its reputation as the region’s premier gathering of manufacturing leaders, innovators, and changemakers. With a spotlight on the next generation of talent, the forum was a perfect platform to showcase the mission and impact of FIRST Robotics programs.

A collaborative effort of the CT Office of Manufacturing, American Manufacturing Hall of Fame, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, CONNSTEP, the U.S. Small Business Administration and NE FIRST strategic partner ReadyCT, the forum was designed to tackle the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing manufacturers today.

CT Governor Ned Lamont and newly announced Chief Manufacturing Officer Kirti Patel

The morning began with the highly anticipated announcement of Connecticut’s new Chief Manufacturing Officer, Kirti Patel. Connecticut is the only state to name a Chief Manufacturing Officer, and Patel joins a distinguished group: former CMOs Colin Cooper and Paul LaVoie were present at the forum, welcoming Patel to the role and symbolically passing the torch to the next chapter in advancing the state’s manufacturing sector. Paul LaVoie has been a strong supporter of FIRST programs in Connecticut and we look forward to working as closely with Kirti Patel!

During multiple breakout sessions, a panel titled “From Classroom to Career: Talent Pipeline Strategies for Connecticut Manufacturers” explored strategies to create and amplify manufacturing learning through robotics coursework, industry partnerships, and experiential learning. Joe Farrah, Technology Education Teacher and FIRST mentor of FRC 181, Birds of Prey from Hartford Public Schools; and Rob Griffiths, Senior Vice President of Commercial Engines Operations at RTX division Pratt & Whitney; shared firsthand experiences of how corporate partner programs can transform classroom learning into career readiness. The panel provided actionable insights for attendees to strengthen workforce readiness in Connecticut.

The highlight of the afternoon was a keynote address from Chris Moore, FIRST CEO, emphasizing that youth STEM programs cultivate collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership skills—preparing students to meet the demands of future manufacturing and STEM careers. He explained the intentional choice to position FIRST as a Varsity Sport for the Mind, and how any student can go pro in the science, technology, engineering and manufacturing fields.

Throughout the day, attendees could stop in to see high-school robotics teams in action.

Thank you to the following teams that joined NE FIRST for live demos:

• FRC 230, the Gaelhawks from Shelton High School

• FRC 1071, Team MAX from Wolcott High School

• FRC 3182, Athena’s Warriors 4-H from MakerspaceCT in Hartford

• FTC 5518, Aerospace Pirates of the Pythagorean and FTC 25978, Aerospace RoboJets, both from CREC Academy of Aerospace & Engineering in Windsor

• VEX 4478A, Triple A, and 4478B, Blizzard, both from Masuk High School in Monroe

The event concluded with the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which introduced a new Innovators category to honor leaders shaping modern manufacturing. The ceremony celebrated 350 years of innovation in New England, showcasing the region’s long-standing legacy of ingenuity. Among the honorees was FIRST co-founder Dean Kamen, for his lifetime achievements as an inventor and innovator. Chris Moore accepted the award on his behalf.

Thanks to a strong partnership between ReadyCT and NE FIRST, and the $2.27M grant from the state’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF), Connecticut teams in all FIRST programs have had the support to grow and succeed. The incredible recognition of FIRST leaders at the Forum is a strong endorsement of why this investment is so important.

The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum was both a celebration and a call to action. Innovation requires more than technology: people, partnerships, and preparing the next generation are a key factor. By bringing together leaders in technology and celebrating programs like FIRST, the forum demonstrated that Connecticut is invested in building a better future. #makeithere