Companies from Canada and the United Kingdom were big winners Thursday at the state's first VentureClash sponsored by Connecticut Innovations, which gave out $4.9 million to six companies after a business-pitch competition at Yale University's School of Management in New Haven.

Dream Payments of Canada won $1.5 million during the competition by financial technology and digital health companies, while Hubub of the United Kingdom took home $1 million. The top prize came with a $100,000 grant, while the second prize included a $50,000 grant, and other money was to be in the form of investments for equity in the companies.

Other $500,000 winners were AMP Credit Technologies of Hong Kong, BondIT of Israel, LindaCare of Belgium and Streamdata.io of France.

The idea behind the competition was to encourage more foreign companies to locate American outposts in Connecticut, said Lauren Carmody, director of marketing and communications for CI.