The Definitive Guide to Maine’s Startup Ecosystem
At Nexus Maine we are building a community to connect entrepreneurially-minded Mainers. Whether you are wondering if Maine is the right place to start your business, just launching your venture, or actively scaling… you’ve come to the right place!
In this post we’ll cover:
Start Here! The fastest way to get plugged into Maine’s startup ecosystem
A primer on why Maine is the best place to start your business
Maine state and affiliated funding resources
Accelerators, mentor programs, and co-founder matching
Co-working spaces
Extra credit and bonus resources
Start Here! The fastest way to get plugged into Maine’s startup ecosystem
Startup Maine
Startup Maine is the hub of Maine’s entrepreneurial ecosystem bridging private sector and state-sponsored resources.
Signup for their email list to attend networking events and get plugged into the community
Register for their flagship event Startup Maine Week
Nexus Maine
If you found this post, maybe you know who we are, but if not… Nexus Maine is a community built to unite entrepreneurially minded Mainers. We host informal happy hours, send out bi-weekly emails including events, job postings, and a whole lot more. We also host an open slack community where members trade advice, organize events, and talk about everything from volunteer activities to the latest advances in AI.
Subscribe to the email list
Join the slack community and say hello in the #intros channel!
Check out the homepage
Networking & Events Calendars
At Nexus Maine we host an aggregated event calendar for any and all business, networking, and educational related events around Maine. It’s a great way to get a view of all the activities happening in the ecosystem.
View the Nexus Maine Event Calendar
View the Maine Angels “Of Interest” events calendar
A Primer on Why Maine is the Best to Start Your Business
We interviewed Mayor of Biddeford, Marty Grohman on why Maine is the best place to start your business. He provides an overview of resources available to entrepreneurs and personal insight on the past, present, and future of Maine’s startup ecosystem.
Accelerators and co-founder matching
Dirigo Labs Accelerator
Dirigo Labs is a prominent investor, advisor, and incubator in Maine with a 12 week accelerator program.
Maine Center For Entrepreneurs (MCE)
A 25 year old institution in the Maine business ecosystem providing entrepreneurs with tools and resources to accelerate their businesses with a variety of programs including:
Roux Institute Founder Residency Program
A one-year program that supports high-growth technology ventures and founders. The program includes a $25,000 grant in non-dilutive funding for each company, with curated programming, mentorship, joint research opportunities, a network of expert advisors, and a peer community.
Roux Institute Co-Founder Matching
If you are looking for a co-founder or want to be connected with an early-stage team then enter the mix with the Roux Institute’s founder matching program
Signup for the co-founder matching database
Roux Institute ClimateTech Incubator
A regional hub for startups working on technology solutions to climate change based at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute. Members have access to desk and prototyping space as well as to a curated network of mentors, investors, professional services, and the Roux Institute’s academic and research expertise.
GMRI BlueTech Boost
The BlueTech Boost is a 10-week, hybrid incubator program designed to help founders overcome hurdles and reach specific milestones. The program provides direct mentor support, and connects founders to Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s subject-matter expertise.
CEI Propeller Program
An accelerator program to help creative, problem-solving women develop tech-based businesses and form a network that supports the participation of women in technology.
Scratchpad Accelerator
Gain access to top-notch mentorship, connect with investors, and build lifelong partnerships.
Mentor Programs & Resources
Focus Maine
FocusMaine’s series of programs are offered to entrepreneurs in the food and bio economies who are seeking to grow their businesses or locate their businesses in Maine.
Foster Center for Innovation
Hub of innovation-focused activities at the University of Maine and the state’s leading resource for innovation and commercialization, serving both the campus community and outside businesses and organizations.
Greenlight Maine
An entrepreneurial pitch contest offering a $100,000 prize
Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership
MEP is an Economic Development Organization for Manufacturers helping small and medium-sized manufacturers in Maine with everything from safety credentials to product development to cyber security.
Maine Development Foundation
MDF is a non-partisan, statewide driver of sustainable economic growth in Maine. We connect people, decision-makers, and communities though trusted research, leadership development, and creative partnerships to stimulate new ideas, solve problems, and improve lives
Union River Center for Innovation
Union River Center for Innovation provides a wide variety of programs and services to grow and develop your business.
Maine State and Affiliated Funding Resources
Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
Below is a helpful overview of Maine’s funding ecosystem, courtesy of Maine Venture Fund.
Co-working Spaces
Portland & South Portland
Anchorspace Bar Harbor (Bar Harbor)
Bricks Coworking & Innovation Space (Waterville)
BugTussle Annex Co-Working (Waldoboro)
Cloudport CoWorking (Portland)
CoVort (Bangor)
coworkHERS (Portland)
Engine Room (Portland)
FreeportWerkes (Freeport)
LocalHost Coworking (Westbrook)
Midcoast CoWor (Damariscotta)
Munka Coworking (Lewiston)
Open Bench Project (Portland)
PelotonLabs (Portland)
SoPoCo.Works (South Portland)
Steel House (Rockland)
Techplace (Brunswick)
Think Tank CoWorking (Portland, Biddeford, Yarmouth)
The Public Works – Coworking Space (Portland)
Union + Co (Bath)
Extra Credit & Bonus Resources
Maine.gov’s exhaustive list of incubators, accelerators, and pitch competitions
Gorham Savings’ Complete Guide to Resources for Maine Entrepreneurs
Maine.gov’s Resources for Diverse Entrepreneurs and Under-represented Business Owners
Live and Work in Maine is a non-profit dedicated to providing information and resources to talented people who want to relocate, move within, or stay in Maine.
UpStart Maine is an innovation hub in the Bangor region
Maine Accelerates Growth (MxG) is a network of organizations and individuals committed to building an inclusive ecosystem to support innovators and businesses to scale in Maine and beyond.
Maine Tech and Startup Meetup A monthly meetup for people in the tech and startup space to get together to network and meet other like-minded individuals. It rotates between Brunswick, Freeport, Portland, and Kennebunk.
Still Have Questions? Did we miss anything?
How’d we do? If you found this guide helpful or feel like we missed anything we’d love to connect.
Email us at Hello@NexusMaine.com
Join the slack community