As the organization starts a new chapter at Cloudport Coworking in Portland and seeks a northern Maine hub, Mainebiz checked in with MTI President Brian Whitney.
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Since the Maine Technology Institute was founded by the Maine Legislature 25 years ago, the nonprofit has awarded $372 million across more than 4,000 projects. As the organization starts a new chapter at Cloudport Coworking in Portland and seeks a northern Maine hub, Mainebiz checked in with MTI President Brian Whitney.
Mainebiz: What prompted the move to Portland, and how do you like the coworking setup?
Brian Whitney: MTI’s staff has largely worked remotely since 2020, so our large Brunswick office was no longer needed. Pre- and post-pandemic, we have also utilized coworking memberships to allow the team access to other office and meeting locations in various parts of Maine. Our new space at Cloudport in Portland is well-equipped, collaborative and teeming with entrepreneurial energy.
MB: What are your plans for a second location, in northern Maine?
BW: We are finalizing an agreement to join the UpStart coworking space in Orono, where we plan to hold occasional board and staff meetings, as well as MTI office hours, to better serve that region.
MB: Where were you in your career in 1999 when MTI was created?
BW: I was working in the Statehouse and had the unique opportunity to observe Maine’s innovation ecosystem taking shape. While I was working there, the Legislature convened two joint select committees on R&D over a four-year span that established the basic framework for Maine’s research and development programs and resulted in the creation of MTI. Other vital entities like the Maine Venture Fund and Maine & Co. were founded during that pivotal period.
MB: What sectors of Maine’s economy are growing the fastest and why?
BW: We are witnessing exciting growth in information technology, life sciences and bioproducts, specifically forest bioproducts and their conversion into new types of fuel, packaging and building products that are reducing our reliance on petroleum-based products.
MB: On the flip side, what are the weak spots in Maine’s economy?
BW: Access to workforce talent and capital continue to be challenges that restrain business growth.
MB: What does MTI’s Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps do?
BW: MERC essentially matches vetted consultants with companies needing outside expertise to tackle short-term, impactful projects. MTI picks up half the cost of the engagement and tracks the performance of the consultants based on client ratings.
MB: Any [MERC] success stories that stand out?
BW: ReMo is a good one to highlight. It’s a software-as-a-service-based education tech company that received four small MERC grants to assist with business development, marketing and strategic planning that helped foster company growth and sustainability.
Overall, MERC has been an incredibly popular program, far surpassing our projections. Nearly 200 projects have been completed or are still in progress, and 155 are in various stages of applying. The average grant award is $5,000. The most sought-out services have been marketing, financial and legal.
MB: What can you share about your plans for a MERC Artificial Intelligence program?
BW: MERC AI is designed to help demystify AI for Maine organizations and expose them to the productivity and efficiency benefits associated with employing it. Due to businesses’ varying AI needs, we plan to offer a variety of opportunities to access training, from one-hour introductory courses, to one-week, one-month and more tailored hands-on support to be facilitated through MERC’s standard program. Again, MTI will pick up half the cost.
MB: How will MTI expand its reach to a more diverse group of Maine businesses?
BW: MTI has done a great deal of work, and continues to explore new opportunities, to reach underserved entrepreneurs and businesses by financially supporting the programming of our ecosystem partners and launching our own business initiatives to promote inclusive entrepreneurship.
MB: What’s ahead for MTI in 2025?
BW: Optimistically speaking, MTI will begin fleshing out a competitive funding program early next year to deploy $25 million in research and development bond funding. Those funds can be accessed to support facility construction, renovations, land purchase, equipment acquisition and certain technology upgrades.
Other priorities include refreshing MTI’s strategic plan; helping to attract and develop a life sciences incubator; fostering a more diverse business ecosystem; managing the Maine Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub; increasing legislative outreach; and attracting more quality deal flow.