The owner of a Bridgeport startup says he is working toward using artificial intelligence to help grow small businesses throughout the state of Connecticut.

Chris Sacchinelli, the founder of HelpGrowCT, says the company's goal is to provide affordable advisory services to small businesses to help them thrive and empower entrepreneurship through technology.

The problem, Sacchinelli says, is most small businesses can't afford a top advisor, whose costs can run up to $500 an hour. Sacchinelli and his team say artificial intelligence is the future.

"We're actually currently building the world's first Watson-powered business advisor, which is awesome and is extremely exciting," says Sacchinelli. 

The artificial intelligence solutions aren't ready yet, but Sacchinelli says that businesses that come onboard now will work with human consultants. The consultant's expertise will be used to train the company's artificial intelligence advisor over time. 

The startup is currently headquartered at an old firehouse in Bridgeport.