Top Gun winner bests 5 other finalists to take home $25,000
Photo / Courtesy of the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs
Nick Bergmann, center, co-owner of Peace House Studios in Bath, won top prize in the Top Gun pitch competition. He's joined by Tom Rainey, executive director of the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs. and Top Gun Program Manger Laurie Johnson.
Peace House Studio, a Bath-based manufacturer of organic cotton clothing, won this year’s Top Gun competition, and took home a check for $25,000.
The annual business mentoring program is run by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs and culminated this year with a pitch competition for six finalists at the Abromson Center at the University of Southern Maine, held May 16.
Peace House Studio is run by husband-and-wife team Nick and Kate Bergmann. The couple was inspired to create the business in 2020 from a desire to clothe their three young children in garments that were sustainably produced and made from organic cotton.
The startup sources fabric in South Carolina and California, and has a clothing recycling program where it repairs and restyles used product for resale, called the Patches Project. Customers who return worn garments get a store credit for future purchases. "Clothing belongs on people, not in landfills," is the company’s motto.
Peace House Studio sells direct from its website and wholesales at three Maine boutiques: Hatch in Brunswick, Blue Jay Baby in Camden and My Darling Maine in Bar Harbor. Last year, revenue totaled $80,000.
The Bergmanns have one part-time employee who contributes to product design and production, and an intern who manages the website, photography and branding, both of whom Nick said, “have been integral to our success.”
Nick Bergmann told judges during his pitch that, if selected, he planned to put the winnings toward a larger manufacturing facility in the midcoast region. At present, the company is headquartered in a 700-square-foot studio above the couple’s garage.
Other finalists
The five other finalists who pitched Friday evening were:
Oyster farm Great Wass Shellfish, based in Beals; Farmington's artisan cheese maker Haymay Creamery; Lady Oyster Tours & Tasting, headquartered in Phippsburg; frozen cookie dough maker Buba OG, based in Bangor; and Theater of Dice, from Machias, which runs online role-playing games.
This year 22 start-ups were chosen in January and finalists were selected from regional competitions held earlier this month in Machias, Orono and Portland.
Judges for the two-hour competition at USM were Focus Maine’s Courtney Cossgrove; Dan Walsh, president and CEO of Norway Savings Bank; and Nina Scheepers, a principal at Maine Venture Fund.
Tom Rainey, executive director of the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, announced the winner and presented the $25,000 check.
About Top Gun
The Top Gun program is an annual statewide business mentoring opportunity, run by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, the Upstart Center for Entrepreneurship and the Northern Maine Development Commission.
The Maine Technology Institute is the primary sponsor and provides the prize money. Since its inception in 2009, more than 400 entrepreneurs have participated.
Over the course of the 15-week program, mentors provide training and group exercises in finance, business practices and marketing. Entrepreneurs pay a fee of $600 to participate.
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