Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps (MERC)
Empowering Maine Business Owners with Expert Support
Running a small business comes with big challenges—and MERC is here to help. Whether you need hands-on business guidance or you’re ready to explore artificial intelligence (AI), MERC is here to help you grow, adapt, and stay competitive. Through this program, eligible businesses can access:
- Subsidized consulting, connecting you with experienced Maine-based professionals to tackle key business challenges
- Free AI training through Coursera to help you work more efficiently and grow your business. Read about our AI training opportunities.
Hands-On Consulting Tailored to Your Business Goals
Consulting and technical assistance are vital to businesses, especially those just starting out. Although many startups are eager to enlist the help of experienced consultants, it can be challenging to find assistance that is both dependable and within budget. To help overcome these two challenges, MTI created MERC.
MERC maintains a database of vetted, Maine-based consultants to facilitate short-term projects (three months or less) with eligible businesses. If a business submits a project that is approved by MTI, MERC covers 50% of the project fee, up to $15,000 annually or $30,000 over the lifetime of a business’s participation.

What Kind of Expert Consulting Can MERC Provide?
Our most popular projects fall into the following categories:
- Marketing
- Financial
- Legal
- Custom Software Development
If you don’t see your need on the list, don’t worry! MERC can provide a range of business support. If you have a need that can be addressed by a third party, we can likely turn it into a MERC project. Reach out to the MERC Coordinator to learn more.
Funding Structure
Types of Funding
Grants
Typical Funding Amount
Half of the project fee, up to $15,000 annually or $30,000 over the lifetime of a business’s participation (cumulative across all MERC projects)

Critères de financement
Your organization or project must meet the following criteria to be eligible for MERC.
- Under $5 million in annual revenue
- You must be a Maine-based organization
- Your innovation must fall within one of the seven targeted technology sectors
- Your organization must have an innovation
- Your innovation must enable your organization to create additional Economic Impact in Maine
- You must have access to matching funds
How to Apply
Step 1: Fill out the interest form
Step 2: Meet with the MERC coordinator
Step 3: Application
Step 4: Choose your consultant
Step 5: Scope of Work

Curious About How AI Can Support Your Business?
Free AI Training Through Coursera
MERC offers free, self-paced AI training to help Maine businesses build foundational knowledge and explore practical ways to use AI. Through a partnership with Coursera, you’ll get access to the full Generative AI course catalog—plus a learning path curated by MTI specifically for Maine’s small businesses. Learn how AI can streamline your marketing, customer service, operations, and more.

Are You Interested in Becoming a MERC Consultant?
Joining our MERC consultant database is a great way to connect with a potential pool of clients while supporting Maine entrepreneurs. Click the button below to find out if you’re eligible to be a MERC consultant and how to apply.
MERC Innovator Spotlights

Gestion numérique éthique
MTI a été un véritable catalyseur pour les efforts de notre équipe. Leur financement et leurs conseils ont été essentiels pour nous aider à passer de la preuve de concept au MVP, puis aux partenariats d'entreprise. En restant ancrés dans le Maine tout en construisant pour le monde, nous démontrons que l'impact mondial ne doit pas nécessairement se faire au détriment des liens locaux. – Thomas Law,…
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Earth-Friendly Prefab Building Panels
Nous voyons un avenir où les bâtiments se régénèrent plutôt que de s'épuiser ; où la construction est une force pour la restauration du climat, la résilience économique et le bien-être humain. –Croft Team Une révolution préfabriquée enracinée dans les forêts et les champs du Maine Face au déficit de 84 000 logements du Maine, Croft est le pionnier d'une approche révolutionnaire de la construction qui est écologiquement régénératrice, rentable,…
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Advancing Sustainable Marine Protection
Le soutien de MTI a joué un rôle clé en nous aidant à étendre nos opérations, à embaucher un consultant en vente, à entrer en contact avec les principaux acteurs du secteur et à développer notre stratégie de marketing et de distribution. –Bernard Hidier, Innovation et développement commercial Des solutions écologiques pionnières pour la protection marine Le vaste littoral et le patrimoine maritime du Maine en font le point de départ idéal pour Finsulate USA,…
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