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Katie Shorey
Updated: 22 hours ago
How To
How to build an entrepreneurial community in your region
By Katie Shorey, Startup Maine
At a recent Startup Maine meetup in Camden, I watched entrepreneurs, creatives, investors and community leaders come
together in a newly imagined Main Street cafe. The event reaffirmed something I’ve long believed: entrepreneurship is not a solo sport — it thrives on community.
If you're interested in fostering an entrepreneurial community in your region, here’s a roadmap that works, drawn from experience and lessons learned right here in Maine.
Start small and be consistent
When it comes to building a community, don’t feel pressured to go big on day one. Start with a small, informal meetup. Invite five or 10 people to gather over coffee or after work.
The most important ingredient is consistency — meet monthly or quarterly so people know there’s a dependable space to connect. Over time, word spreads, and each event builds on the last.
By keeping the first few meetups intimate and authentic, you create an environment where people feel comfortable showing up and contributing.
Create value with featured speakers
Once you’ve established a regular cadence, elevate the experience by bringing in guest speakers to focus on a topic or concept (when to hire your first employee; how to find customers; learning from failure). These could be local founders, investors, industry experts or even alumni who have “been there, done that.”
Featuring speakers not only provides valuable learning for attendees but also gives people a reason to return and invite others. The more relatable the stories, the stronger the community.
Invite local elected officials
Strong entrepreneurial communities often have support from local and regional leadership. Invite city councilors, economic development directors or state representatives to your events. Their presence signals to entrepreneurs that local leaders are listening and helps create valuable lines of communication.
Elected officials gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs, and your community gains a potential champion for future initiatives and funding.
Engage founders and resource providers
Entrepreneurs need more than moral support — they need access to capital and resources. By inviting local funders, angel investors and representatives from banks or grant-making organizations, you create necessary connections.
When funders attend in person, they not only meet entrepreneurs directly but also see firsthand the energy and potential of your region’s startup scene. If you’re hosting an event, reach out to organizations such as Maine Technology Institute, Maine Angels, Small Business Development Centers, the Maine Venture Fund and Coastal Enterprise Inc.
Focus on community and partnerships
Perhaps the most important element is to remember that community-building is not about one person or one organization — it’s about partnerships.
The Camden entrepreneurial event was successful because we collaborated with an existing meetup group (the Midcoast Climate, Energy + Green Building Happy Hour) and a local café and news publication, creating an event that felt inclusive and unique. Partnerships help you reach new audiences, share resources and build collective momentum.
Entrepreneurial communities thrive when a wide range of audiences and skillsets intersect — when artists, educators, founders, policy makers and investors are all at the table.
Start small with big ideas
Building an entrepreneurial community isn’t a quick win. It requires patience and a willingness to experiment. But with consistency and a collaborative mindset, these gatherings become more than just events — they become engines of economic and social vitality and are often the launching pad for new entrepreneurs.
So if you’re thinking about kickstarting this work in your town or region, remember: start small, be consistent, highlight stories, engage diverse stakeholders and always focus on community over ego.
Maine has shown us that big things really can grow from small beginnings.
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