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Massachusetts company to build life sciences incubator in Maine

test tubes Photo / Adobe Stock Maine's $2.3 billion life sciences sector will enter a new chapter with the creation of the Maine Life Sciences Center and a state-of-the-art laboratory facility in Portland.
By Renee Cordes

Maine’s burgeoning life sciences sector is poised for a new chapter with the creation of the Maine Life Sciences Center to coordinate research, business and workforce efforts along with a bricks-and-mortar startup incubator to be built in Portland.

Both initiatives will give a fresh jolt to a $2.3 billion industry made up of nearly 600 companies active in fields from technology to diagnostics. Together, they employ close to 10,000 people in well-paying jobs.

Out of $2.7 million in Maine Technology Institute grants announced Thursday, $2.3 million will go to Hatch.Bio Labs, of Somerville, Mass., to develop an incubator facility in Maine's largest city by the end of 2026.

The remaining $400,000 was awarded to Northeastern University's Roux Institute to expand entrepreneurial support systems for the life sciences sector and companies to be housed at the incubator.

The statewide center, a virtual entity, was officially established via executive order earlier this month. 

"With this executive order, we are laying the groundwork for more Maine businesses to succeed in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world," Gov. Janet Mills said. "This new center and incubator will give entrepreneurs the facilities and resources they need to grow their companies, create good-paying jobs and keep innovation and investment here in Maine."

Agnieszka Carpenter of Bioscience Association of Mine
File Photo / WOJCIECH BEDNARCZUK
Agnieszka Carpenter

Agnieszka Carpenter, executive director of the Bioscience Association of Maine, called the center a “game changer” for Maine. 

“It will provide the resources, visibility and collaboration opportunities needed to scale research, attract top talent, and bring cutting-edge solutions to market,” said Carpenter, who was honored as a Mainebiz Woman to Watch in 2023.

"Today's action demonstrates Maine is serious about growing this important industry, and BioME is proud to stand with the governor in propelling our state's life science sector to new heights," she added.

The site for the planned incubator has not yet been announced. The facility will house a "wet lab" built for hands-on scientific work, equipped with specialized plumbing, ventilation and safety systems allowing researchers to test ideas with real materials — not just models or data.

Put another way, the incubator is envisioned as “kind of like a coworking space with lab scientific equipment,” said MTI President Brian Whitney.

Hatch.Bio Labs was selected as the developer out of five proposals vetted by MTI this summer. 

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