Three Events in June that Shouldn’t be Missed
Mainers know full well not to try to plan events – – other than cookouts, lobster bakes and weddings – – in the months of July and August because these are the months that we spend taking full advantage of our pristine natural surroundings. We entertain friends, families and guests from outside of Maine and take well-earned and accumulated vacation time to enjoy our beaches, coastal villages, mountains, trails, lakes, camp sites, and, of course, the freshest and best seafood found anywhere.
Given this reality, we are generally forced to pack the months of June and September with work-related events and conferences. This June is no different and the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) is proud to play a prominent role in three upcoming events.
SCORE Success Awards Luncheon
For the past four years, MTI has partnered with SCORE to sponsor its Success Awards Luncheon. This year is the 5th anniversary of the event and MTI is, once again, honored to serve as the sponsor. The event takes place on June 14th at the Portland Regency Hotel at 12P. SCORE, as you probably know, is a volunteer network of certified mentors who provide business education, assistance, guidance and resources to entrepreneurs starting and growing a business in Maine. Each year they meet with and counsel 2,500 – 3,000 clients, conduct 150 – 200 workshops around the state, and volunteer thousands of hours of their time and expertise. In 2017 alone, SCORE helped start 356 new businesses in Maine and played a vital role in the creation of 594 jobs. The annual awards luncheon is an opportunity to recognize the great work of the mentors and counselors and highlight some of the successful businesses that benefited from SCORE assistance. Space is limited at the luncheon so please register today. For more information, email [email protected].
Mainebiz Executive Insights Forum
The 14th is a popular day for events as Mainebiz is also holding an Executive Insights Forum that day from 11:30AM – 6 PM at the Double Tree Hotel in Portland. The forum is designed to provide ideas and advice to entrepreneurs and startup businesses. MTI is serving as a sponsor of the forum and will participate in one of the many panels that will occur. Joe Migliaccio, MTI’s Director of Business Development, will join John Burns of the Maine Venture Fund and Sandra Stone of the Maine Angels to share how best to raise and attract capital to help start or expand a business. For more information or to register, visit Mainebiz Executive Insights Forum
Startup Maine
Maine Startup & Create Week has been rebranded under a new name, Startup Maine, and is operating under new leadership. Katie Shorey of People’s United Bank now holds the positions of President and Chairwoman of the Board. According to its rebranding announcement earlier this spring, Startup Maine will have a different approach to its format – packing all the content into three days from June 21 to June 23. Further, Startup Maine will expand its workshops and will create more opportunities for community members to network.
Ben Shaw, Founder and CEO of Vets First Choice, will be Startup Maine’s first keynote speaker on Thursday, June 21. Vets First Choice, as you may recall, was the recipient of MTI funding back in 2010 when the company was a startup entity with its two founders as the sole employees. The company has grown exponentially since then and recently announced a major expansion in Portland and a merger with Henry Schein that will make it Maine’s newest publicly traded company. Last summer, when the company announced that it had raised $223 million to fuel its continued growth and expansion – – which by the way was characterized by MaineStartupsInsider as the “single largest round of venture funding for a technology company the state has ever seen” – – Vets First Choice provided MTI a generous return on its investment that will be used to help grow and support other innovative Maine companies. At the time, Ben Shaw stated that, “The funding MTI provided helped us test our value proposition, technology systems and commercialization plans. MTI played a key role in our company’s growth and its funding has led to hundreds of jobs and significant economic impact in Maine.”
\His keynote address at Startup Maine will be a terrific way to kick things off. As with the two events noted earlier, MTI serves as Presenting Sponsor of Startup Maine and will have a visible presence at all its functions. Please mark your calendars, help spread the word, and stay tuned for a great event. For more information, visit www.startupmaine.org.
Best,
Brian