Groton — U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has named Groton-based ThayerMahan as “Innovator of the Month.”

The senator's office noted in a news release Thursday that the company, which "provides services and expertise to the maritime security, defense and intelligence, subsea infrastructure, offshore energy, living marine resources, and acoustic science sectors," was chosen "by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium as one of fifteen projects to receive funding in support of the Biden administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030."

Murphy said ThayerMahan "has quickly become an important player in Connecticut’s vibrant maritime economy" and "is pioneering technology that will prove invaluable to the state’s investment in new offshore wind farms to ultimately help lower energy costs and reduce emissions."

“We are honored to be recognized by Senator Murphy," Michael Connor, ThayerMahan's president and CEO, said in a statement. "Connecticut is a great place to start and operate a maritime technology business. There is a highly skilled engineering work force in Southeastern Connecticut and a very positive business climate." He noted the state helped the company get started with loans, and the Connecticut Small Business Express Program also was important early on. "We’ve grown from 3 to 75 people. We are proud of our team of engineers and operators."

“We need more people and offer interesting jobs to people who can help us develop cutting edge technology in the fields of marine robotics, underwater acoustics, software engineering and artificial intelligence," he added, noting company growth will accelerate with development of Northeast offshore wind projects. "We also stand to benefit as the Department of Defense learns to harness the efficiency of autonomous maritime vehicles and sensors. The Connecticut Congressional Delegation understands the importance of sustainable offshore energy and the need for a strong, efficient national defense.”