Programas completados

MTI established the Pandemic Recovery for an Innovative Maine Economy (PRIME) Fund to distribute $39M in federal funding approved through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This initiative provided grant funding to help Maine businesses recover from the harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected business development and innovation in our state’s technology sectors. The PRIME Fund was released in two phases.

The 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided Maine with significant discretionary funding to help businesses and organizations recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. In July 2021, the Maine State Legislature passed the Empleos y plan de recuperación de Maine, allocating these ARPA funds to various programs and industries across the state. As part of this effort, the legislature designated $8M to improve electricity grid access, supporting economic recovery for businesses—particularly those in rural areas and heritage industries such as food processing, forestry, and manufacturing.

The Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) initially allocated $1.5M for technical assistance planning grants to communities across the state. In partnership with GEO and the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), MTI launched the Electric Grid Upgrade Program (EGUP), funding projects that improved electric grid infrastructure for businesses engaged in the permitting process. MTI awarded approximately $6.5M to the highest-scoring applicants, with funds available for use in 2024 and beyond.

EGUP was intended to support Maine-based businesses, although organizations from outside the state could apply as long as the projects benefited Maine. Applicants needed to demonstrate how their projects would create significant economic impact and quality jobs for Maine residents, with additional consideration given to rural communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Projects also had to show substantial progress in the permitting process.

EGUP grants had to be expended by March 2026. MTI could award less than the amount requested and distribute funds in phases based on project performance. The program required matching co-investments from applicants and followed a competitive process. MTI allocated $6.5M for this round of funding.

The 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided Maine with discretionary funding to support businesses’ recovery from the pandemic. In response, the Maine State Legislature passed the Empleos y plan de recuperación de Maine, allocating nearly $40M to support technology businesses through private investments in research, development, and innovation. This funding helped Maine organizations boost revenues and create or preserve jobs.

MTI initially disbursed $23M through the Pandemic Relief for an Innovative Maine Economy (PRIME Fund I), offering direct support to businesses across the state. Building on that success, MTI launched the PRIME Ecosystem Fund, which made approximately $5M available to partner organizations within Maine’s startup community for use in 2023 and beyond.

The PRIME Ecosystem Fund aimed to address the economic impacts of the pandemic while fostering innovation in Maine’s technology sectors. While organizations outside of Maine could apply, all funds had to support Maine-based projects that benefited local entrepreneurs. Applicants were required to demonstrate how their project would mitigate pandemic-related impacts and foster startup growth. Successful applicants had a proven track record and measurable outcomes, with additional consideration given to strategic partnerships that expanded reach and impact across the state.

Grants could support multi-year projects, with MTI reserving the right to release funding annually based on project performance. All funds had to be used by December 2026. The program was competitive, requiring matching co-investments from applicants. MTI allocated $5M in total, with individual awards capped at $750,000 per project or program.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 provided Maine with significant discretionary funding. In July of the following year, the Maine State Legislature passed the Empleos y plan de recuperación de Maine, allocating these funds across a wide range of programs and industries throughout the state. Maine’s forestry industry received $20M to mitigate the economic damage caused by the pandemic. Of this amount, approximately $6M was designated for Phase 1 of the Forestry Recovery Initiative (FRI-1), which MTI administered and deployed in early 2022. The remaining $14M was allocated for Phase 2 of the Forestry Recovery Initiative (FRI-2).

FRI-1 was designed to provide immediate relief to small businesses within Maine’s forestry industry. A total of 219 businesses applied for and received grants through FRI-1, with an average award exceeding $27,000.

FRI-2 focused on strategic projects that addressed significant challenges and long-term threats to the industry, as well as facility improvements that enhanced productivity and competitiveness. These projects aimed to counter global market shifts in supply and demand, supply chain disruptions, and emerging technologies affecting the growth, processing, and utilization of natural resources within this key sector of Maine’s economy.

FRI-2 sought applicants from companies developing new technologies, exploring new markets, and implementing innovative solutions for the forestry industry. Companies from outside Maine were also eligible to apply if they planned to develop a significant project within the state.

On behalf of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, MTI administered the Maine Seafood Dealer and Processor Covid-19 Response and Resilience Grant Program (SDPP) to distribute approximately $16M in federal funding, including $10M from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) allocated through Governor Mills’ Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP). This initiative provided grant funding to help Maine’s wholesale seafood dealer and processor businesses recover from negative impacts resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Domestic Trade Program for new-to-MTI businesses demonstrated exactly what we hoped—that providing Maine businesses with access to high-quality consulting services can drive real growth and productivity improvements. Every single business that participated in our follow-up survey reported increased growth as a direct result of their MERC project.

Demonstrated Success

• Support 174 consulting projects across 16 Maine counties
• Contribute $897,307.12 in vital business support
• Achieve a remarkable 100% success rate in driving business growth
• Maintain an exceptional consultant performance score of 9.7 out of 10

We want to thank all the Maine businesses who participated in this program and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) for their funding and support through the Domestic Trade Program. 

Together, you’ve demonstrated the powerful impact of targeted consulting support on business growth and shown just how valuable these resources are to our state’s economic development.

MTI supported various industry clusters through our Cluster Initiative Program, helping to strengthen Maine’s innovation ecosystem. Following the 2014 Battelle study that identified eight well-performing technology clusters in Maine, our funding has primarily focused on these key areas. We encourage companies and organizations working in these clusters to get involved in these projects, learn and connect to the various efforts to strengthen these clusters in Maine. 

Notable Impacts

• Creation of specialized research facilities serving multiple industries
• Development of business incubators and accelerators statewide
• Strengthened connections between Maine industries and research institutions

MTI administered Maine Technology Asset Fund (MTAF) 2.0 and 2.5 to support infrastructure, equipment, and technology upgrades for Maine-based organizations. MTAF 2.0 allocated $45 million in competitive grants, funding 18 projects projected to generate over 5,350 jobs and $1.4 billion in economic impact. MTAF 2.5 later awarded an additional $2 million to 10 innovative projects, creating and retaining over 1,600 jobs. These investments helped advance research, innovation, and commercialization across multiple sectors in Maine.

Read the MTAF 2.0 report and the MTAF 2.5 awardees’ press release aprender más.

Recognizing Maine’s commitment to clean energy and climate goals, MTI launched the Maine Clean Energy Innovation Challenge with $500,000 in grant funding. This initiative aimed to accelerate the development of advanced clean energy technologies and services, such as renewable energy generation, energy efficiency solutions, and clean transportation. The program supported startups and small businesses innovating in Maine’s growing clean energy sector.

SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program

MTI received a FAST Award to increase the number of SBIR/STTR proposals submitted by Maine small businesses, with a focus on women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals, and underrepresented businesses. The award supported outreach, technical and business assistance, and financial aid to strengthen Maine’s SBIR/STTR ecosystem.

Efforts included awareness-building, applicant mentoring, and proposal development support, helping businesses submit stronger, more competitive applications to federal agencies. MTI hosted Train-the-Trainer workshops, provided coaching and mentoring, and offered funding for subject matter experts and grant writing assistance. These initiatives aimed to expand opportunities for Maine entrepreneurs in securing federal innovation funding.

Funded [in part] through a cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration