Jean Hoffman makes first post-Putney angel investment, state grants $100K to support co-working, and more...
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Feb. 24, 2017
By Whit Richardson (@whit_richardson)
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Jean Hoffman launches family foundation, makes first angel investment in Portland startup
It's been 10 months since Jean Hoffman led her former company, Putney Inc., through a $200 million all-cash acquisition. In that time, she's launched a family foundation, dabbled in real estate, and recently invested in and joined the board of MedRhythms, a healthcare startup in Portland.
Read more at Maine Startups Insider >>
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State awards $100K to support co-working spaces
The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development has made preliminary awards to five co-working spaces in the state:
Open Bench Project, Portland - $12,500
Fork Food Labs, Portland - $25,000
Our Katahdin Properties, Millinocket - $25,000
Think Tank, Portland - $25,000
The Gem, Bethel - $12,500
The funds come from the Maine Co-Working Development Fund, created to "strengthen opportunities for entrepreneurship" and "stimulate innovation in the state by increasing the availability of collaborative workspace environments." The fund, which is budgeted to provide $100,000 per year, is on the chopping block in Gov. Paul LePage's proposed biennial budget.
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Roster report
Johann Sabbath has joined IDEXX as senior manager of talent strategy and corporate social responsibility. Johann previously worked at WEX in corporate development and strategic planning roles.
Has your startup hired anyone new? If so, send me a note with a few sentences about your new hire (and a headshot, if available), and I'll try to feature them in the next edition of MSI.
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Briefly mentioned...
+ Cobbler Technologies in Bangor is just months away from announcing a major partnership in the shoe industry that will allow it to beta test its custom, multi-material 3D printer, according to a company profile published in Mainebiz. The Cobbler Atomized Particle Deposition 3D printer will help shoe manufacturers be more efficient because it can manufacture a shoe's sole using multiple materials without the need for a human to intervene, stop the machine and add a new material and printer head. CEO Andrew Katon told Mainebiz that the company plans to have 12 to 14 patents filed or granted in the next five years and has sold about 20% of the company to angel investors in return for capital. Read the article.
+ Mike Sobol at Venture Hall writes about the value of welcoming "outsiders" and their divergent ideas in the pursuit of innovation in 5 Ways Outsiders Create Breakthrough Insights.
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Calendar
Send me your event or calendar item for possible inclusion.
Wed., March 1 — Start your morning at 1 Million Cups, a monthly event that features two entrepreneurs presenting their businesses for constructive feedback and discussion. 7:30-9 a.m. at Cloudport CoWorking at 63 Federal St. in Portland. Sponsored by Venture Hall. For more details and to apply to present.
Wed., March 8 — Maine Accelerates Growth hosts the State of the Ecosystem event, which will be a recap of everything that happened in Maine's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in 2016, and offer glimpses of what to expect in 2017. 5-8pm at Cloudport CoWorking at 63 Federal St. in Portland. For more details and to register.
Tues., March 21 — Applications close for Venture Hall's inaugural summer accelerator program focused on healthcare-focused startups. Here are the details.
Thurs., March 23 — Maine Startup & Create Week hosts it's now-annual event in Boston. 6-9 p.m. at Steelcase's showroom in Boston. Tell your Boston friends. For more details and to register.
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Jobs
Seeking a full-stack engineer? A technical co-founder? A sales or biz dev superstar? Send me your job postings to make this a great resource!
+ MedRhythms is hiring a data engineer and music algorithm engineer in Portland. Both positions pay $50k-$80k and come with the potential for equity. More details on AngelList.
+ BlueTarp Financial in Portland is hiring a senior software engineer.
+ Wellomics, a science-based natural product developer that recently moved to Portland from Massachusetts, is seeking a CEO to help finish the launch of the company. The CEO will be responsible for the conceptualization, development and implementation of Wellomics’ corporate vision, programs, and services. Contact Suzanne@wellomics.com for more information.
+ Academic Merit, an educational software startup in Portland, is hiring a software engineer and a head of product design.
+ Coria, a Maine-based data science and marketing consulting firm, is currently seeking an experienced UX developer with Axure experience to join its team. To apply, or for more information, send CEO John Hobart an email at jhobart@coria.com.
+ Flyte New Media, a digital marketing agency in Portland, is hiring a WordPress developer.
+ Environetix Technology Corp., a wireless sensor manufacturer in Orono, is hiring a RF engineer/RF technician.
+ Dream Local Digital in Rockland is hiring for a host of positions.
+ Likeable Local is hiring a "customer success associate" in its Portland office.
+ Vets First Choice still has job listings for several positions at its Portland office, from a UX/UI design to a director of e-commerce.
+ CashStar is hiring a full-stack software engineer, among other positions.
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