Courtesy / DuraBike LLC
Brenden Westin of DuraBike LLC, a start-up in South Portland, is a Top Gun finalist this year.
Updated: May 17, 2021
Services, food, art: Maine entrepreneurs compete to be ‘Top Gun’
COURTESY / THE GOOD CRUST
Heather Kerner, owner of the Good Crust, plans to move operations from Skowhegan to Canaan.
By Staff
Pizza dough, dental services, vacation upgrades, bike fleets. Those are just some of the entrepreneurial ideas making the grade for the 2021 Top Gun Program.
Eight entrepreneurs have been selected to compete as finalists in the statewide Top Gun Showcase on May 26 for a chance to win $25,000.
The program is an initiative of Maine Center for Entrepreneurs along with partners the University of Maine, the Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council, and the Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation at Thomas College.
The finalists were selected after competing in regional semi-final pitch events held virtually last week in Bangor, Lewiston/Auburn, Portland and Waterville.
Participating entrepreneurs presented five-minute pitches to a panel of judges, followed by a brief question and answer period. Scoring was based on presentation, innovation, scalability and feasibility.
Two top finishers were selected in each location to move on to participate in the Top Gun Showcase. They will compete for a $25,000 cash prize sponsored by the Maine Technology Institute.
The Top Gun Showcase event will be held virtually this year. For registration and more information, click here.
The regional pitch competition winners were:
Bangor
• Emma Richardson, of Co-Exist, an app-based therapy program to help parents going through a separation or divorce communicate about their children
• David Pier, of DenVantage Small Business, a membership plan to pay for dental services
Lewiston/Auburn
• Mohamed Awil, of Community Staffing Partners, which helps to build a diverse and inclusive workforce across Maine by assisting foreign-trained New Mainers enter the Maine workforce
• Jennifer Banis, of Stay FnB, which uses customized online software and a network of local chefs and companies, to upgrade vacations (or staycations) by bringing fresh locally sourced and prepared food and beverages to homes
Portland
• Brenden Westin, of DuraBike LLC, which offers work bikes and all the accessories needed to support organizations with bike fleets, including patrol lights, bags and bike racks
• Jason Hine, of Halo Med LLC, a hands-on education and practice kits for emergency medicine doctors, for specific procedures, delivered via subscription service
Waterville
• Matteo Cugno, of the Cubby, an online marketplace for art made by college students
• Heather Kerner, of the Good Crust, which makes frozen dough made from 100% fresh stone-milled Maine grains.
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