It’s gotten to be a cliche, but there was wisdom in the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” From it, we got the admittedly corny catch line, “If you build it they will come,” which has become a mantra for startups and businesses of all kinds.
This issue is filled with entrepreneurs, startups and people staking whatever they have on an idea.
There are actually two-issues-in-one in this print edition. The cover story and focus story inside are about emerging industries. The pull-out section is the second annual Startup Hub.
It’s gotten to be a cliche, but there was wisdom in the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” From it, we got the admittedly corny catch line, “If you build it they will come,” which has become a mantra for startups and businesses of all kinds.
Starting with Laurie Schreiber’s journey into all the new ways people are using one of Maine’s most common resources: wood, or “forest products” as the industry calls them. Laurie talked to people making houses with 3D printers, biochar for agricultural use, sustainably produced packaging that can be used in shipping, engineered wood siding, cross-laminated timber. The uses are endless. For more, the cover story, “A new act for forest products,” starts on Page 16.
Along a completely different line when it comes to emerging industries, Alexis Wells talks to a Portland startup, Alakazam, that creates virtual worlds that can transform business meetings and a host of different settings. See “Teleport your businesses into the virtual world,” which starts on Page 22.
Startup Hub
The journey of a startup can take many forms. It’s easy to get swept away in the stories of certain startups that seem to have it all going for them — the great idea, the polished elevator speech, a shelf full of awards from pitch competitions.
Rarely is it that neat and tidy. Most entrepreneurs have a messy road. There are false starts and stops. There is the uncomfortable business of asking for money from economic development organizations, TIF committees, angel investors — or worse, friends and family. Most true entrepreneurs have more stories of failure than success.
In this edition of the Startup Hub, our team of writers took a more in depth look at the stories of entrepreneurs and how their startups developed. See the pull-out section.
