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Updated: 1 hour ago 2025 Fact Book: Doing Business in Maine

Northeastern University’s Roux Institute: Activating Maine’s Innovation Economy

PHOTO Courtesy of Northeastern University’s Roux Institute The institute’s alumni are already making an impact on Maine’s economy and are joined by 215 newly minted grads in the class of 2025 who are ready to take on new tech-forward roles.

Launch your organization’s future at the Roux Institute with talent, training, and technology solutions

When Northeastern University, David and Barbara Roux, and the Harold Alfond Foundation partnered to launch Northeastern University’s Roux Institute in 2020, they set out to create what David Roux described as, “an opportunity machine disguised as an educational institution and research center.”

Visitors to the institute’s campus at 100 Fore St. in Portland, Maine, will discover just that: a place where more than 700 graduate students, 300-plus industry partners, 130 portfolio startups, and 170 team members are learning, collaborating, and building.

It’s all happening at the Roux Institute, a bold new model that erases the boundaries between the real world and the university, integrating learning, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Join us to drive bold innovation at the intersection of tech, data, and the life sciences.

Partnering for Impact: How Maine organizations are tapping into data and AI expertise

In a world shaped by data and AI, our partners need future-ready talent and technology solutions. Together, we advance shared goals through custom training programs, scalable talent strategies, and applied research and development.

Through partnerships with industry and government, we’re incubating the next generation of startups. From the ClimateTech Incubator, a regional hub for startups working on technology solutions to climate change, to the BioPILOT Lab, a partnership with the University of Southern Maine that fuels the growth of early-stage life sciences companies, we provide the expertise and access to resources that startups need to scale.

Whether you’re looking for talent, training, or technology, our solutions-driven model will address your organization’s most pressing challenges. Explore how some of Maine’s leading businesses have invested in their teams and future success:

PHOTO Courtesy of Northeastern University’s Roux Institute
Generous, need-based scholarships for all learners from the Alfond Scholars Initiative directly support the next generation of talent that Maine needs.

Meeting the AI moment with workforce development and digital innovation

As data and AI become integral to financial services, Bangor Savings Bank recognized the importance of equipping its entire workforce with the skills needed to adapt and innovate. To support this vision, the bank partnered with the Roux to launch an exciting, in-house education program to enhance employees’ data fluency and responsible AI adoption. Staying competitive required more than just adopting new technology – it meant investing in people and expanding team members’ use of AI-driven tools within its existing IT infrastructure.

To achieve this, the bank launched Accelerating Insights, a two-year initiative focused on workforce assessment and development. “By expanding the bank’s capabilities, we are ensuring that our ‘You Matter More’ promise remains at the heart of everything we do,” said Bob Montgomery-Rice, President and CEO. “Providing employees with education focused on data fluency and the responsible, ethical use of AI enables us to continue delivering the exceptional experience our customers across Northern New England expect.”

Bangor Savings Bank has already taken steps to integrate forward-thinking solutions through its collaboration with Northeastern’s Experiential AI (EAI) Solutions Hub. As one of the first partners to work with the AI Solutions Hub, the bank has worked closely with the Institute for Experiential AI and the Roux Institute to develop a customized recommendation engine. This engine supports Bangor Savings Bank’s strategic initiatives and operations by empowering employees to deliver personalized recommendations and enhance customer engagement. It uses AI-driven insights to support employees in their roles as trusted advisors, offering guidance tailored to individual customer needs.

Experiential Learning: Cultivating new talent for Maine

Our experiential learning model is a grow-your-own talent strategy – one where Maine organizations work with graduate-level talent in high-growth fields like AI, data science, and advanced life sciences. Project-based courses enable organizations to tackle specific business challenges, while Northeastern’s unique co-op model enables partners to hire graduate students to work full-time for months-long periods. More than 150 Maine companies have benefitted from partnering with Roux students on 89 experiential learning projects and 768 co-ops – and we’re just getting started.

Here’s how leading Maine organizations are partnering to grow Maine’s next generation of talent:

Collaborating to solve a retail challenge

When L.L.Bean decided to tackle a complex supply-chain challenge, five of their employees teamed up with Roux learners to develop practical solutions. The Roux learners used the skills and knowledge gained throughout the course of their analytics degree program, while the L.L.Bean employees provided helpful insights and knowledge spanning analytics, inventory management, forecasting, merchandising, and online retail. The student and employee teams delivered analytic methodologies and dashboard prototypes that L.L.Bean could use in production. The success of the project led to a second collaboration and resulted in a number of the L.L.Bean employees pursuing graduate degrees at the Roux.

Helping Mainers get life-saving care, faster

LifeFlight of Maine, the state’s only air ambulance service, teamed up with students in the Roux’s master’s in analytics program to identify how they could shorten the time it takes for one of its flight crews to take off once an emergency call has been received. The students analyzed variables that contribute to how long it takes for a helicopter to get into the air and created dashboards that would enable LifeFlight to better track which combination of variables yielded the best results.

“We’re already incorporating the data analysis and dashboards the students produced into our operational decisions,” said Bill Cyr, COO of LifeFlight of Maine. “For many LifeFlight patients, every minute matters, and these insights from the Roux students will help save lives here in Maine.”

Classroom learning leads to enhanced operational efficiency on the job

Roux learner and cPort Credit Union team member Marcus Cady was in an analytics class when he saw an opportunity to use what he was learning to drive efficiencies at work. Cady engaged stakeholders from both organizations, which led to a project that identified how cPort could harness advanced data analytics to gain deeper insights, streamline processes, and deliver greater value to its customers. “Diving deeply into our data and analyzing it in innovative and creative ways has unlocked exciting opportunities for both cPort and our members,” said Charlie Emple, cPort’s Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis. “I eagerly anticipate the positive impact this model will have on our credit union and community.”

PHOTO Courtesy of Northeastern University’s Roux Institute
A rendering of Northeastern’s new Portland campus, one building of a multi-building complex that will foster breakthrough moments and transform inspiration into action.

Scholarships launching the careers of the future

By providing $100 million in scholarships via the Alfond Scholars Initiative, the Harold Alfond Foundation is directly supporting the next generation of talent that Maine needs. Generous, need-based scholarships for all learners support people from all backgrounds and at all points of their careers, whether they’re looking to gain new skills or deepen existing ones.

Graduates drive progress across Maine

The Alfond Scholars Initiative empowers students like Rachel Sukeforth, who was working for the State of Maine when she realized that she was lacking the data skills to advance her career. She enrolled as a part-time student, taking classes at the pace that suited her life. “I love to learn and had been thinking about taking a class here and there,” she explained. “The scholarship helped me see that doing a full degree was possible.” Sukeforth now leads a team at the Office of Behavioral Health.

Or Philip Mathieu, who uses the skills he gained in the data science master’s program as a data scientist at IDEXX. “It really was a no-brainer to do the program at the Roux once I understood what the program looked like because it meant I didn’t have to make any sacrifices in terms of the type of education, the quality of the instruction and the opportunity of having such a large network to work with through Northeastern,” he said. “And I could still put down my roots and, as I was in the program, already be seeing the impact I was having in the city that I live in.”

A permanent home for Northeastern’s Portland campus

As we look to the future, excitement is building for Northeastern’s permanent Portland campus. The 13.5-acre site will feature state-of-the art buildings and serve as a hub for education, research, and entrepreneurship. It will also include new public green space, waterfront access, and pedestrian and bicycle connections for all to enjoy.

Ready to explore how Northeastern University’s Roux Institute can help you meet your organization’s most pressing challenges? We can’t wait to partner with you.

Northeastern University’s Roux Institute

100 Fore St., Portland, ME 04101

Sector: Higher education

Joseph Aoun, President, Northeastern University

Chris Mallett, Chief Administrative Officer, Roux Institute

Founded: 2020

Maine employees: 170

roux.northeastern.edu