HARTFORD, Conn. — The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) welcomed a sold-out crowd to its 12th Women-Owned Business Day on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. The annual event continues to serve as WBDC’s signature celebration of the achievements of women-owned businesses while creating space for connection, visibility, and important conversations around the opportunities and challenges facing Connecticut’s small business owners.
The event featured the fourth-ever Accelerate Grant Pitch Competition, in which six Connecticut women-owned businesses competed for three $25,000 grants. The grant recipients are:
- Hound and Home LLC, Newington — Owner: Kayla Walker
- Norwich Fitness Center, Norwich — Owner: Luigina Facchini
- Sunset Farm, Naugatuck — Owner: Kaitlyn Kimball
Photos of the grant recipients can be found here
The highly anticipated pitch competition was a featured part of the event, with six finalists taking the stage to share how funding would help them grow their businesses, expand operations, and increase capacity. The three winners were selected following live presentations during a morning that celebrated entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and the impact of women-owned businesses across Connecticut.
Women-Owned Business Day brought together a well-attended audience of women entrepreneurs, business leaders, policymakers, advocates, and supporters from across the state. Among a number of distinguished business and civic leaders, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined attendees in Hartford and spoke in support of women entrepreneurs and the vital role small businesses play in Connecticut’s economy.
“We were thrilled to welcome another incredible turnout for this year’s Women-Owned Business Day and to celebrate six remarkable women entrepreneurs as they showcased the passion, perseverance, and hard work behind their businesses,” said WBDC CEO Fran Pastore. “Congratulations to Hound and Home, Norwich Fitness Center, and Sunset Farm on receiving these grants. Their vision and commitment to growth embody the strength, resilience, and innovation of women-owned businesses across Connecticut.”
Women-Owned Business Day is WBDC’s signature annual event, bringing together women entrepreneurs, legislators, community leaders, and advocates from across Connecticut for a morning of recognition, connection, and civic engagement. This year’s event was hosted with legislative co-chairs State Senator Patricia Billie Miller, Deputy President Pro Tempore, and State Senator Heather Somers, Senior Deputy Republican Leader. Gilda Bonanno, Principal of Gilda Bonanno LLC, served as emcee.
Women-Owned Business Day 2026 was supported by Champion Sponsors The Cigna Group and Liberty Bank.
About the Women’s Business Development Council
The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates, and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained over 22,700 clients across all 169 towns in Connecticut — helping women launch, sustain, and scale over 17,000 businesses, create and maintain more than 42,890 jobs, and access over $90 million in capital. Since 2020, WBDC has provided more than $20.6 million in grants to help fuel growth in small businesses throughout Connecticut. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.
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