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Resource Guide: Maine’s resources for innovators

By Mainebiz Staff

The innovation and startup infrastructure in Maine is extensive, but also daunting. Here’s an overview of resources in the state.

Pitch competitions

LaunchPad
mcblaunchpad.com
Annual pitch competition, with $50,000 prize.

Big Gig
biggig.org/big-gig
A Bangor-area pitch competition with a grand prize of $5,000.

Greenlight Maine
greenlightmaine.com/greenlight
A pitch competition broadcast on Maine Public.

Top Gun
mced.biz/top-gun
A 15-week program that combines hands-on mentoring with high-impact weekly gatherings.

Organizations

Maine Center for Entrepreneurs
mced.biz/programs
MCE organizes the 15-week Top Gun program, MCE Maine Mentor Program, Food Accelerators, BioStartup, Visionary Leadership Program and the Compass program for Maine’s outdoor industry.
Director: Tom Rainey

SCORE Maine
southernmaine.score.org
Working with retired executives, SCORE provides mentoring for entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
Maine leaders: Jonathan Trumper, southern Maine chapter chair; Stephen Veazey, district director; Nancy Strojny, assistant district director

Maine Angels
maineangels.org
Invests in entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on Maine businesses

Maine Technology Institute
mainetechnology.org
MTI offers grants, loans, equity investments and services to support Maine’s innovation economy.
Director: Brian Whitney

Maine Venture Fund
maineventurefund.com
Invests in dynamic businesses that have the potential for significant growth and impact in Maine.
Director: Joe Powers

Finance Authority of Maine
famemaine.com/about
FAME offers a wide array of business assistance programs, ranging from traditional loan insurance programs for both small and larger businesses, to investment tax credits.
CEO: Carlos Mello

Small Business Development Center
mainesbdc.org/about
SBDC assists entrepreneurs and small businesses through no-cost confidential business advising and training.
Director: Mark Delisle

Coastal Enterprises Inc.
ceimaine.org
A community development financial institution, CEI helps to create good jobs, environmentally sustainable enterprises and shared prosperity in Maine and rural regions.
CEO: Betsy Biemann

CEI Women’s Business Center
ceimaine.org/advising/business/womens-business-center
Offers courses, cohorts, workshops and events which encourage peer-to-peer learning and community building, as well as business advising support.
Director: Sarah Guerette

Tortoise Labs
tortoiselabs.com
As Maine’s rural product studio, it works with ambitious entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into profitable apps, products and services.

Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center
welcomeimmigrant.org
A hub of collaboration that strengthens the immigrant community through language acquisition, economic integration and civic engagement.

New Ventures Maine
newventuresmaine.org
With free classes and individual coaching, helps people find good jobs, start or return to college, launch small businesses, manage their money and build their assets.

Fork Food Lab
Forkfoodlab.com
Incubator space for food startups, with a 30,000-square-foot facility in South Portland.
Director: Bill Seretta

Maine International Trade Center
mitc.com/about
MITC offers consulting, research and connections across Maine and around the world to help businesses expand global markets for products and services.
Director: Wade Merritt

Indus Fund
theindusfund.com
Business services, including microloans, for New Mainers.

Brunswick Landing
mrra.us/brunswick-landing
Located on a 3,200-acre former Navy base, Brunswick Landing is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, 2 million square feet of commercial and industrial space and aviation complex.

TechPlace
techplacemaine.us
Supports the small business development needs of early-stage companies, offering a place to network with other innovators, research and develop ideas, build prototypes, test products, assemble, grow, learn and become successful manufacturing and technology companies.
Director: Jaimie Logan

Island Institute
islandinstitute.org/about
Works collaboratively to help Maine’s island and coastal communities tackle the most pressing environmental and socio-economic issues.
Director: Kimberly Hamilton

Small Business Administration
sba.gov/offices/district/me/augusta/about-us
The Maine district office is responsible for the delivery of SBA’s programs and services to all 16 counties.
Director: Diane Sturgeon

Maine MEP
mainemep.org
The Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps companies when they’re scaling up, building out factories and related facilities.
President: Jim Fay

Dirigo Labs
dirigolabs.org
An offshoot of Central Maine Growth Council, the startup accelerator offers mentors and advisors in business, academia and venture capital.

New England Ocean Cluster
newenglandoceancluster.com
Connect ocean-minded people with industry knowledge to help ensure opportunity is pursued inclusively, economically and sustainably.

Roux Institute
roux.northeastern.edu
Northeastern University’s Portland graduate campus offers an annual accelerator program with Techstars, as well as a founder residency program and an entrepreneurship immersion program.

Startup Maine
startupmaine.org/whats-new
Hosts regular networking events, including monthly meetups and introductions to various programs
President: Katie Shorey

University of Maine Foster Center for Innovation
​​​​​​​umaine.edu/innovation
Is a base for UMaine programs and services that support entrepreneurship, business development and commercialization of university research, the center offers academic courses in innovation open to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to a student business incubator.
Leadership: Renee Kelly, assistant vice president for innovation and economic development

Maine Accelerates Growth
maineacceleratesgrowth.weebly.com
MxG is a network of organizations committed to building an inclusive ecosystem to support innovators and businesses to scale in Maine and beyond.

Editor’s note

This is by no means an exhaustive list of resources in Maine, but rather an overview.

Source: Organizations’ websites, Mainebiz research

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