The State of Connecticut has wisely established a Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF), with $70 million to support this critical sector of our state economy. That fund should take a small portion of its reserves — $250,000 annually is a modest but reasonable amount — to set up an Office of Economic Diversity. The Office is Economic Diversity could be used as a data analysis and research coordinator, resource center and point of catalyst for encouraging start-ups of new tech companies and repositioning of current manufacturers towards commercial markets.