Greg Bordonaro Editor gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com
As Connecticut tries to build up its entrepreneurial ecosystem, there are a number of promising technology companies — ranging from early-stage startups to more mature enterprises — that call Greater Hartford home.
Hartford Business Journal is spotlighting a number of tech companies to watch — either because they are making moves with new products, raising capital or have a promising technology that could not only make lots of money but also potentially improve the world.
The companies were chosen by HBJ’s editorial staff, which solicited some outside advice, including from Connecticut Innovations, the state’s quasi-public venture investor. The special section is meant to introduce readers and the broader business community to some of the tech companies that could make waves in the years ahead.
Will all of them become unicorns? Most likely not. But if just a handful catch fire with customers and investors they could serve as significant future job creators in our region.
Newly-acquired Hybrid Pathways finds foothold in competitive cybersecurity market
By Norman Bell, Hartford Business Journal Contributor
The seven founders of Hybrid Pathways are industry veterans with both deep experience in the local verticals and deep connections. And they were greeted with open arms by company after company facing unique challenges integrating legacy systems and new technology.
Today, Hybrid Pathways has about 40 clients, largely insurance, pharma and healthcare companies in the Northeast. And it’s adjusting to new ownership. New Era Technology, a global company based in Indianapolis with 14,500 clients and 4,500 employees, acquired Hybrid Pathways in November. New Era is owned by Sentinel Capital Partners of New York City. “New Era gives us expanded offerings for our clients,” he said.
As part of the New Era family, Hybrid Pathways has access to markets and services that were beyond the firm’s reach just months ago. Among the new benefits for clients are video collaboration, contact/call center services and managed infrastructure and security services. At the heart of Hybrid Pathways’ business is data security, Hazen explains. It is vendor-agnostic, with partnerships in place with the largest players in the market — Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft’s Azure. It preaches disciplined practices in identification, connection and protection. Amid a dizzying array of threats, Hazen said ransomware is top of mind for enterprise clients. Strict adherence to established data policies is the best protection, he said, while acknowledging “bad things do happen.” Hybrid Pathways does provide recovery services but is not a forensics firm, he stresses.
Subscription Model
The firm works on a subscription model that allows clients to scale services up or down as needed. And while Hybrid Pathways specializes in working with Fortune 1,000 clients, it also serves midsize businesses, Hazen said.
Along the way, Hybrid Pathways has won honors for both its growth and workplace culture.
Inc. magazine lists the firm as No. 917 on its list of the fastest-growing 5,000 companies in America. Hartford Business Journal named Hybrid Pathways as one of the Best Places to Work in Connecticut in 2023.
The distinction is notable because Hybrid Pathways has been all-remote from its start. It’s a tribute to the “no-drama” culture that’s in place, said Hazen. Communication and transparency are priorities, and no issue is too small to address.
In the absence of traditional watercooler conversations, every Thursday there’s a remote gathering with only one rule: no shop talk.