Photo / Courtesy Dirigo Labs
Jonathan Godbout
Updated: August 17, 2023
Dirigo Labs alum named entrepreneur in residence
Dirigo Labs, a Waterville-based startup accelerator, has named program alumnus Jonathan Godbout as its next entrepreneur in residence.
Godbout, a graduate of the program’s first cohort in 2022, succeeds Jeremy Barron, who left Dirigo Labs earlier this year to become the director of Colby College’s Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship.
Like Barron, Godbout is both a Colby graduate and a serial entrepreneur, bringing a decade of experience in social entrepreneurship and technology.
"As a member of the first cohort, I've seen firsthand the tremendous impact Dirigo Labs has on startups in central Maine,” Godbout said. ”I look forward to paying it forward by assisting future cohorts of entrepreneurs as they turn their ideas into successful ventures."
After completing his degree in economics and international studies at Colby, Godbout joined IBM’s Global Business Services consulting division, where he served customers in both the private and public sectors.
'Battle-tested insights'
In 2015, Godbout co-founded iBUILD, a startup focused on building technology solutions for the construction industry. Under his leadership, iBUILD attracted high-profile clients and investors, such as Habitat for Humanity.
“With a trailblazing journey through the startup landscape, Jon brings a wealth of firsthand knowledge on navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship,” said Emalee Couture, Dirigo Labs’ program manager. "His battle-tested insights, honed through the trenches of founding and scaling startups, will be the compass guiding our cohort towards conquering challenges and unlocking unprecedented growth,” she added.
In 2020, Godbout co-founded Prospector, a startup that uses human-centered artificial intelligence data analytics to help investors gain insights into the mining industry's environmental, social and governance impacts.
Today, Godbout leads technology and operations at Prospector, whose clients include BHP Group Ltd., a mining and metals behemoth based in Melbourne, Australia, and Newmont Corp., an American gold mining company based in Greenwood Village, Colo.
In his new role at Dirigo Labs, Godbout will provide coaching to entrepreneurs involved in the accelerator program and advise Dirigo Labs staff on the curriculum.
Dirigo Labs, led by Managing Director Susan Ruhlin, is based at the Hathaway Creative Center in downtown Waterville. The accelerator operates under the Central Maine Growth Council and is supported by several organizations, academic institutions and investment firms. Ruhlin is a 2023 Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree.
The next edition of Dirigo Labs' accelerator program will begin in early 2024 and finish with a pitch competition in May.
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