Roux Institute names 10 startups from Maine to Spain for next Founder Residency
File Photo / Jim Neuger
Members of the next Roux Institute's Founder Residency cohort include Integrated Reality Labs, led by co-founder and CEO Lauren Steidl.
From kelp for bioplastics films to immersive reality technology, 10 startups from a range of industries have been named to the fifth cohort of the Roux Institute’s Founder Residency program.
The year-along program, at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute in Portland, will start this month. The residency targets founders from historically underrepresented backgrounds, including women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We’re creating opportunities for startup founders who are building and diversifying Maine’s economy,” said Santiago Zindel Mundet Cruz, the program’s director. “Through the Founder Residency, we’re able to build cohorts that support each other, and we’re thrilled to welcome these startups to the Roux community.”
The lineup included Integrated Reality Labs, a Wayne, Pa.-based company that’s developing a platform to power real-life play, whose co-founder and CEO Lauren Steidl hails from Cape Elizabeth.
Cohort members
Algas Organics, Wilmington, Del.: Developer of a patented extraction technology to turn cellulose and novel compounds from invasive seaweed and agricultural waste into cost-effective, deforestation-free pulp fiber alternatives.
Brief, Seattle: Online platform to help small businesses understand contracts and other documents before signing them.
Dirigo Sea Farm, Kittery: Women-founded materials company using Maine kelp to produce bioplastic films to replace single-use and non-biodegradable plastic.
Drip Labs, Portland: Membership and loyalty platform for small businesses.
Integrated Reality Labs, Wayne, Pa.: Developer of a patent-pending platform that aims to power real-life play, as explained in a Mainebiz On the Record interview earlier this year.
Kind Mind, Falmouth: Provider of practice-based curriculum design to lower anxiety, conduct problems, and ADHD symptoms while increasing children’s ability to regulate independently and have a strong sense of belonging.
Myorbit, South Portland: AI-powered app to help people reconnect with their loved ones and create more in-person interactions.
Pulse, Madrid, Spain: Consumer mobile app designed to streamline the coordination of spontaneous plans.
Quill & Pigeon, Yarmouth: Online marketplace for eco-friendly, artistically unique greeting cards sourced from local artists.
Wellsort, Kennebunk: Platform to help students prioritize their mental health and well-being.
Meet the founders
The Founder Residency will officially kick off at a Sept. 19 event at Rising Tide Brewing Co. in Portland. Find out more and register here.
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