đ Maine ranks poorly for innovation, says new report
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Few things brewing, but light on news this week so I decided to take a look at the recent WalletHub report that ranks states on their level of innovation. Maine didn't fare well. I don't usually like covering these reports becauseâlet's be honestâthey're WalletHub's marketing content rather than report from a research, education, or governmental organization. But it does draw data from legitimate sources. Plus, I don't want to always be a cheerleader and I believe we should highlight where we need to improve.
Before we get to the news, I want to thank Maine Startups Insider's newest Sustaining Member: Mike Sobol, co-founder and CRO of Torque, an open source tool for developing and deploying complex cloud software without devops, on any cloud.
If, like Mike, you appreciate what MSI is trying to do and have the financial wherewithal to support my efforts, please consider becoming a Sustaining Member via a monthly contribution on Patreon or, if you'd prefer, you can make a single annually recurring contribution of $60 or $120 ($5/month and $10/month respectively), in support of MSI.
Keep creating, keep innovating, keep curious.
-Whit Richardson
/ News
Maine lags in innovation, says new report
Maine received low marks for innovation, ranking No. 39 in the country, according to a new report from WalletHub, a personal finance website
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, âhuman capitalâ and âinnovation environment,â which were evaluated using 22 relevant metrics, including share of STEM professionals, R&D spending per capita, and tech-company density. We ranked even worse in the "innovation environment" categoryâNo. 47 in the country.
Rather than just report the ranking without context, I asked two veteran observers of Maine's innovation ecosystem for their take.
Is it concerning or clickbait?
Read more at Maine Startups Insider >>
MSI is sponsored by Eaton Peabody
/ Briefly Mentioned
đ„š Fork Food Lab, a shared commercial kitchen and food startup incubator in Portland, is one step closer to moving to a new facility in South Portland that is eight times the size of its current space. Mainebiz reports that the Finance Authority of Maine has approved 90% pro rata insurance on a $3.6 million loan from Lebanon, N.H.-based Mascoma Bank that Fork will use to buy the new facility, which is 42,000 sq. ft.
đ±Â ConnectMaine has received a $28 million grant to help expand broadband services in many of the state's rural communities. The federal grant, awarded as part of the Department of Commerceâs National Telecommunications and Information Administration Broadband Infrastructure Program, will be used on last-mile broadband deployment in seven distinct areas of rural Maine that is expected to bring quality broadband to 11,746 unserved households. Two local tech companiesâTilson and VETRO FiberMapâassisted in the grant application.
đ A team of students representing Portland's Baxter Academy for Technology and Science won the recent Thomas Cup, an IT and innovation competition held at Thomas College. More than 100 Maine high school students gathered for the overnight competition. Each member of the winning team receives $10,000 scholarships to Thomas College.
đ« The Roux Institute at Northeastern University is facing neighborhood concerns about its 20-year plan to create a mixed-use campus in Portland's East Deering neighborhood that would include classrooms, laboratories, housing, hotels, restaurants and retail space. Mainebiz has more.
MSI is sponsored by Gorham Savings Bank
/ ICYMI
Here are some recent articles from Maine Startups Insider you may have missed:
Dirigo Labs selects 12 startups for inaugural accelerator cohort
BluShift Aerospace turns its focus from Maine to Florida for next launch
Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator opens applications for 2022 cohort
Commentary: A roadmap for a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem
/ Classifieds
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Have an idea for an e-commerce business but don't know where to begin? Launching an innovative product but don't know how to market it? Need assistance with Amazon FBA? Brickyard Collective, a DTC product lab and growth marketing firm in Portland, is actively looking to partner with entrepreneurs to launch and grow their businesses. Get in touch for a free consultation.
 Have a product or service and want to reach Maine's startup community? Purchase one or more classified ads for $25 each.
/ Jobs
If you apply for a job you see here, let them know you saw the opportunity in Maine Startups Insider.Â
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+ The Maine Technology Institute is hiring an Investment Officer and a Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps Coordinator.
+ The University of Maine is hiring a Technology Business Development Administrator.
+ Circa, a startup developing rent-payment software that recently graduated from the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator, is hiring a Mobile App Developer, a System Integration Analyst Intern, and a Field Integration Engineer.
+ Pumpspotting, a femtech startup in Kittery, is hiring a product manager.
+ ElleVet Sciences, which sells CBD products for pets, is hiring for several roles.
+ EnergyCircle, a digital marketing and lead-gen agency in Portland, is seeking a Digital Marketing Account Manager.
+ CourseStorm, an Orono-based EdTech startup, is hiring a Software Engineering Manager, among other positions.
+Â MedRhythms is hiring for several positions, including a VP of Engineering, a Senior Full Stack Engineer, and a VP of Product.
+ Defendify, a cybersecurity startup in Portland, is hiring a SaaS Software Engineer.
+ HighByte, an industrial software startup, is hiring a Finance Operations Manager, an Account Executive, and a Sales Development Representative.
+ Strimo, a local startup developing an ERP SaaS product for the legal cannabis industry, is hiring an API engineer.
+Â Theory and Principle, a legal-tech product design and development startup in Portland, is hiring a product manager.
+ VETRO Inc., a SaaS company in Portland, is looking for a senior software engineer and a product manager.
+ Guideline, the fintech company with offices in California, Texas, and Portland, is hiring for several software engineering positions.
+ AskGMS, a Portland-based company that provides benchmarking and data analysis tools to the insurance industry, is hiring a full-stack developer.
+ Arkatechture, a Portland-based company that provides business intelligence and data analytics services, is hiring for a host of positions.
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!Â
MSI is sponsored by E2Tech
/ Calendar
Cleantech Open 2022 Virtual Reception
Tues., March 29, 11 a.m. â Online
This event, sponsored by E2Tech, is an opportunity for founders to learn more about the Cleantech Open, the world's oldest and largest cleantech accelerator. Hear from past Maine success stories and learn how E2Tech & MTI can cover your company's participation fee, a $1250 value. This event is free for interested startups. Learn more and register here.
Big Gig Finale Event
Tues., April 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m. â Online
Watch the three finalists pitch their early-stage businesses or business ideas to a panel of judges and the virtual audience for a chance to win $5K. RSVP.
Crypto x Maine: Jumpstarting Your Journey into Web3
Thurs., April 21, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. â The Roux Institute
The Roux Institute and Chainlink Labs hoss a panel discussion and networking event for anyone interested in learning about Web3 and the growing innovation happening in Maine today. RSVP.
Maine Start Summit
April 29 - May 1 â Thomas College, Waterville
The Maine Start Summit, presented by the Roux Institute in partnership with Thomas College, is an annual series of four, three-day-long hackathons, designed to lower the barrier of entry for aspiring founders and startup curious individuals to join Maineâs entrepreneurial ecosystem. Learn more and register.
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Symposium on Risks and Opportunities of AI in Clinical Drug Development
Mon., June 6, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. â Ocean Gateway in Portland
The Roux Institute at Northeastern University is hosting a symposium that will convene scientists, regulators and other professionals to address the challenges and opportunities of AI in pharmaceutical medicine; to foster collaboration among industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and professional associations; and to propose recommendations with policy implications for proper implementation of AI in promoting public health. More info or to register.
Please send me your event or calendar item for possible inclusion.
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