Deb Santy

Ms. Santy and her Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) team joined Connecticut Innovations in 2009 after the Connecticut SBIR Office was moved to CI.
She has spent five years building, from the ground up, a vibrant, new Connecticut SBIR Office and overseeing its day-to-day operations.
The Connecticut SBIR Office helps small, high-tech businesses, innovative manufacturers and entrepreneurs compete for and win federal research and development grant funding through the federal SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
Connecticut’s SBIR office also helps to facilitate the commercialization of SBIR and STTR technologies by promoting collaborations between SBIR/STTR companies and industry, university and government partners.
In 2007, her work was recognized with a national Tibbett’s Award, presented to individuals, organizations, small firms, and projects judged to exemplify the very best in SBIR achievement.
Ms. Santy came to CI with over twenty years of experience leading startups and directing business change, technology integration and project management for some of the nation’s largest insurance companies.
Additionally, she operated her own consulting business for over five years, serving Fortune 100 firms and start-up companies.
She authored a workbook for developing business plans, entitled Business Succe$$ - Plan On It!, and used it while teaching at Florida Institute of Technology.
It was later purchased by the Small Business Administration and colleges nationwide.
Ms. Santy is a graduate of Elmira College and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hartford.