A New Haven e-commerce startup that promotes “green” wedding products and services got a $150,000 investment from the state to develop its eco-friendly lineup.
Connecticut Innovations, the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for technology investing and innovation development, put up the pre-seed stake into The Green Life Guides LLC. Matching funds are being provided by Advantage Capital Connecticut I.
Green Life operates the Green Bride Guide (www.greenbrideguide.com) for couples seeking eco-friendly wedding ideas, products and services from more than 1,000 vendors.
The site claims almost 20,000 unique visitors monthly.
Founder and CEO Kate Harrison, a Yale graduate, says the 2.5 million weddings every year in the U.S., generate about 63 tons of carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas closely associated with global warming — and 400 to 600 pounds of garbage.
Harrison launched The GLG in 2007 while earning a graduate degree at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. She has published a best-selling green wedding book and launched the Green Bride Guide blog.
CI President Peter Longo said in a statement the state was motivated to invest because of the green wedding market is likely to grow by 50 percent over the next five years, to $3 billion annually.