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Sponsored by: Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE)
Updated: September 26, 2022 2022 Giving Guide

Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE)

2023 Goals

  • Continue to provide relevant and impactful business training, mentoring, workshops and visibility to businesses across the state, in multiple industries through our Top Gun and Cultivator & MarketShare Food Accelerator programs.
  • Expand our Food Accelerator programs to include more seafood and aquaculture businesses.
  • Launch a new FoodTech pilot to support emerging technology companies in the food industry.
  • Grow the Maine Bioscience Cluster to include additional academic and business partners across the region to increase technology transfer and commercialization.
  • Collaborate closely with the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center to offer our third Visionary Leadership Program to founders and CEO’s seeking to enhance their personal leadership skills.
  • Recruit a second cohort of outdoor recreation businesses to participate in our MCE Compass program to support the growing $3 billion outdoor industry in Maine.
  • Increase outreach and marketing to traditionally underserved people and geographic areas to support greater business diversity, equity and inclusion in the state.

Fundraising/Event Opportunities

Sponsorship levels and benefits are outlined on our website at: https://www.mced.biz. MCE holds several signature events that showcase our client companies. These events are made possible through a combination of grants and sponsorships. Each May we conclude our 15-week entrepreneurial training program with the Top Gun Showcase and Pitch Competition. In June we bring together food and beverage client companies for the Maine Food Producer Showcase & Golden Fork Awards. In the fall we hold the Maine Bioscience Venture Summit focused on emerging life science businesses. In addition, we seek sponsorships to cover educational workshop series and the day-to-day operations of our various programs.

Giving Opportunities

MCE is always looking for in-kind donations of large meeting space for our various events, in-kind services such as marketing and human resources support, and for sponsors who are interested in underwriting the important work we do to grow and diversify Maine’s economy.

Volunteer Opportunities

Our Maine Mentor Network consists of over 200 volunteer mentors with deep business experience and subject matter expertise. While most of our members are industry generalists, in recent years we have focused on building our bench of expertise in several target industries including: food, beverage, aquaculture, biosciences and outdoor recreation. The Maine Mentor Network is managed by a seasoned business veteran who carefully matches mentors with our client businesses. In addition to new mentors, we are always seeking new volunteer board members who bring experience in business incubators and scale up, technology commercialization and venture capital.

Leadership

Board officers

Thomas Rainey : Executive Director

 

Andrea Suter : Board Chair

 

Andrea Suter , Board Chair: Partner, Pierce Atwood

Skip Bates, Board Treasurer: Director of Main Street Banking, Bangor Savings Bank

Becky McKinnell, Board Secretary: President, iBec Creative

 

Board members

Susan Ahern: Vice President, Innovation, MaineHealth

Stuart Davies: CEO, Ocean Renewable Power Company

Carolie Hancock: Founder & Past President, Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co.

Todd Keiller: Director of Technology Transfer, MaineHealth

Dr. Susan MacKay: Senior Program Manager, UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center

Anthony Perkins: MCE Chair Emeritus, Shareholder, Bernstein Shur

Daniel Piltch: Managing Partner, Board Sound Partners

Burak Sezen: Co-Founder, Partner, 6IXTH Event

Cory Vargo, CPA: Partner, Wipfli, LLP

Brian Whitney: President, Maine Technology Institute

At a glance

Established: 1997

Employees: 3 FTE, 1 PT, 4 Contractors

Annual revenue: $1,000,000

Top funding sources

59% Foundations/educational institute grants

19% State agency grants

15% Federal grants

4% Corporate sponsorships

3% Program participant fees

Contact

P.O. Box 8628, Portland, ME 04104

(207) 405-1667

https://www.mced.biz

https://www.facebook.com/maineentrepreneurs

https://www.twitter.com/maineentrepreneurs

https://www.instagram.com/maineentrepreneurs

Accolades

Based on its 25-year track record of results and statewide outreach, the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs has been awarded several highly competitive Federal and State grants to support its economic development mission. These include grants to support the bioscience industry, the outdoor recreation industry and the food and beverage industry.

Mission Statement

MCE’s mission is to build and lead a community of growth-oriented businesses in Maine by providing the training, connections, coaching and mentorship they need to successfully grow their ideas, products and services. MCE has accelerated the growth of hundreds of businesses, and established a mentor network of over 200 members.

Service locations

The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs is a statewide economic development organization with offices in Portland and Brunswick, with partners in Orono, Ellsworth, Waterville and Lewiston/Auburn.