Drones to doggy treats among startup products at Bangor innovation event
FILE PHOTO / LAURIE SCHREIBER
UpStart Maine, a coalition of entrepreneur-support organizations in the Bangor region, will bring together a variety of companies during its upcoming showcase, Maine Innovation Night.
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UpStart Maine is again bringing together a variety of companies during Maine Innovation Night.
The purpose of Maine Innovation Night is to quickly spread the word about new products and services through social media and other channels. The annual showcase allows companies to show off Maine-based innovation by connecting startups and established businesses launching new products or services with customers, social media influencers and investors.
The showcase is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, in Eastport Hall at 120 Texas Ave. in Bangor on the University of Maine Augusta’s Bangor campus. The free event will include demonstrations, presentations, prices and selfie stations.
Among the contenders is Drone Your Own, founded by Anthony St. Peter and Jack Davis, and started in Belfast. The startup seeks to connect FAA-certified pilots with clients and to create a community for pilots to connect and share ideas. A prior participant in Maine Innovation Night, they have made major changes to their business model.
Other innovators range from pet treats to a marine safety system:
- Rileys Recipes Pet Bakery makes a line of treats using ingredients free of preservatives, byproducts, additives and sugar or substitutes, as an alternative to big-brand pet food companies. They are also vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free for the 15% of U.S. dogs that suffer from adverse food reactions.
- Profit Decoder launched in 2023 to solve the top reason for small business failure — entrepreneurs fear financials. Its step-by-step web app provides a simple way for entrepreneurs to understand profitability and achieve business success – no math or accounting required.
- REDDE Marine Safety Systems is a full-service safety system company founded in Deer Isle by a professional merchant mariner with over a decade of experience on commercial tug boats and a former commercial fisherman who has dedicated his career to community education. The founders recognized a universal need for safety equipment compliance and training that is accessible to rural communities and puts occupational safety at the forefront of vessel operations.
- Balfour Farm is a certified organic dairy making farmstead cheeses in Pittsfield with cave-aged raw milk cheeses. The old-fashioned style of their products reflects the heritage of dairy and cheesemaking in New England.
- River Basin Farms in Passadumkeag was founded in September 2021 and produces local, natural and chemical-free food, including maple syrup and honey. The farmers' goal is to educate people about the importance of knowing where food comes from and understanding food labels.
- Stone Fox Farm Creamery was launched in 2009 as an ice cream business. The founders began cranking out ice cream using local milk and cream in a converted garage. It is launching an ice cream sandwich.
- Gert & Lils in Augusta makes desserts for people with dietary restrictions.
- The Hungry Gains is a healthy prepared meal service focused mainly on sourcing in Maine while providing a variety of cuisines.
The event will also host other startups and established businesses with new or re-launched products, showcasing their products or services.
It will also showcase a "proof of concept" version of the new UpStart Navigator resource guide. With the help of UpStart partner SlicPix's imagery platform, the resource uses technology that allows users to interact with support services, finding them and enabling access to stories, images, videos and information about the service, with calls to action and direct links to the resources' websites. UpStart is seeking feedback on the product as it moves toward a full prototype.
Maine Innovation Night is modeled on Mass Innovation Nights in greater Boston. Since 2009, Mass Innovation Nights has used social media to help launch more than 1,500 new products, which have collectively received more than $4 billion in funding in the Boston region.
UpStart Maine brings together the Bangor region's entrepreneurial programs. From the earliest networking and idea formation stage, through incubation and acceleration, UpStart’s coalition members are focused on supporting entrepreneurs. Programs include Big Gig, a business pitch competition; Top Gun, an entrepreneurial accelerator; ScratchPad, a smaller, more intensive seed accelerator; the UpStart Center for Entrepreneurship, a business incubator for scalable start-up companies; CaVort, a coworking space in Downtown Bangor; the Foster Center for Student Innovation, a UMaine facility for student entrepreneur and innovation support; and the Bangor Innovation Center, an incubator with "flex" space for offices and manufacturing. Learn more at UpStartMaine.org.
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