Courtesy / CMGC
Susan Ruhlin has been named accelerator managing director of Central Maine Growth Council's Dirigo Labs.
August 20, 2021
Waterville startup hub Dirigo Labs gears up for its own startup with key hire
By Staff
Dirigo Labs, a startup incubator and innovation hub being created in Waterville, is getting closer to its own launch early next year with the hire of a top executive.
The initiative’s organizer, the Central Maine Growth Council, announced on Thursday it has named Susan Ruhlin as the accelerator managing director for Dirigo Labs.
Ruhlin comes to her new role from Introspective Systems LLC, a Portland developer of software for energy storage and microgrid systems, where she served as vice president of operations. She was instrumental in shaping business strategy, fundraising and general operational oversight for the software startup, CMGC said in a news release.
Previously, Ruhlin worked for eight years as program manager for the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs’ Top Gun program, the state’s first startup accelerator. Under her management, Top Gun has expanded to five locations across Maine and has served more than 150 companies, including Coursestorm, Bixby and Introspective Systems.
Ruhlin will be responsible for the day-to-day logistics and operations of Dirigo Labs and will lead the coordination of services including preliminary startup consultation, talent retention and recruitment, and performance metrics management.
“As our new managing director of CMGC’s Dirigo Labs, Susan will work closely with executive leadership, academia, statewide partners, and state and regional startups to elevate Dirigo Labs’ operations and impact,” said Garvan Donegan, principal investigator of Dirigo Labs and director of planning, innovation, and economic development for Central Maine Growth Council.
“Susan’s deep experience in Maine’s entrepreneurial landscape will be of significant importance to the regional economy, Waterville’s downtown district, and our growing innovation infrastructure.”
Ruhlin added, “The central Maine region is Maine's best-kept secret for launching new ventures. The commitment and support from the community is palpable, and I'm excited to be part of building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that's only going to keep growing."
Dirigo Labs is aimed at fostering innovation and Maine-based entrepreneurs by enhancing local resources for early-stage startups and creating curriculum and investment opportunities for maturing startups.
Colby College, Thomas College’s Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation, Kennebec Valley Community College and other regional and statewide education institutions will supply academic and workforce support. Bricks Coworking and Innovation Space, in Waterville, will provide event and work space, equipment and curriculum design assistance.
Applications for the Dirigo Labs’ accelerator will open in late fall and its launch is expected in early 2022, according to the release. The first cohort of innovation-based startups will participate in an entrepreneurship-focused curriculum, including targeted mentoring sessions and opportunities to leverage expertise from the accelerator's partner institutions, student interns, and the region’s general business community.
For more information about Dirigo Labs and Central Maine Growth Council, click here.
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