The City of Hartford and the Connecticut Science Center are proud to announce that Downtown Yoga has been selected to receive $15,000 in grant funding through the new Hartford Innovation Award. The Pratt Street yoga studio is the first recipient of a new Business Development Grant that was designed to help entrepreneurs move forward with projects in the areas of applied science, technology, and innovation.

Downtown Yoga will use the funds to purchase 15 spin cycles outfitted with green technology from Connecticut based manufacturer The Green Revolution, Inc. The technology allows the spin cycles to harness human power and transfer it into electricity. The green innovation will help the studio to expand its product offering to yoga members with plans to expand and offer classes in the city’s corporate buildings throughout downtown.

“We are excited and grateful to have been awarded this opportunity,” said Thomas Clynch, owner of Downtown Yoga.  “ We look forward to offering a new service to the people of the City of Hartford and hope our efforts inspire additional green commitments from Connecticut's business community.”

The 2011 awards program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by the Connecticut Science Center. The awards were made available to eligible entrepreneurs innovating in the city of Hartford.

 The grant program is the result of a partnership between the City and the Connecticut Science Center to stimulate and recognize innovation as a present and future economic driver for the city. Throughout Hartford’s history entrepreneurs – Samuel Colt, Colonial Albert Pope, William Mason, Horace Wells, Christopher Spencer and Elisha Root - have been critical to its economic vibrancy and vitality.