For Immediate Release
March 8, 2011
MTI awards $1.033 million to three industry initiatives to boost strength and scale of Maine’s high-potential technology clusters
The Maine Technology Institute’s Board of Directors announced awards to three collaborative, industry-led activities to boost the strength and scale of Maine’s high-potential technology clusters at their February board meeting. Awardees are:
- The Manufacturing Association of Maine in collaboration with the Bioscience Association of Maine and the University of Southern Maine’s Manufacturing Application Center was awarded $50,000 to explore and create a strategic growth plan for the Medical Device Manufacturing cluster.
- The Maine Composites Alliance was awarded $489,468 in collaboration with the Maine Wind Industry Initiative and the E2Tech Council to organize, promote and expand Maine’s ocean and wind energy cluster.
- The University of Southern Maine was awarded $493,577 in collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Center at the University of Maine Orono to enhance the Precision Manufacturing cluster through applied technology research, development and commercialization.
A total of $1,033,045 was awarded with a collective match from industry of $1,394,032. Details of the awards follows.
MTI’s Cluster Initiative Program funds collaborative, industry-led activities to strengthen resources and connections between and among firms, service providers, research laboratories, educational institutions and other organizations and to tackle challenges within the industry. Eligible applicants include businesses, trade associations, universities and nonprofit research institutions across Maine. “We are working to reach the critical mass of innovation, growth-oriented companies, industry association support, and research center capacity to drive business growth,” said Betsy Biemann, President of MTI, when announcing the awards. “These collaborative, industry-led efforts can help companies and organization come together to create scale to help them succeed.”
The next deadline for application to the Cluster Initiative Program is March 21, 2011 for awards up to $500,000. Program and application requirement information can be found online at www.mainetechnology.org/fund/cluster-initiative-program. Applications for cluster feasibility and planning awards of up to $50,000 may be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Maine Technology Institute is a publicly financed, private nonprofit organization created by Maine’s Legislature to stimulate research and development activity leading to the commercialization of new products, processes and services in the state’s seven technology-intensive sectors. Visit www.mainetechnology.org for more information about MTI funding programs.
Cluster Initiative Award Projects
PROJECT: Medical Device Manufacturing Cluster
Award: $50,000 Match: $61,152
The Manufacturing Association of Maine in partnership with the Bioscience Association of Maine and the University of Southern Maine’s Manufacturing Application Center will explore growth potential in Maine firms engaged in the design, development and manufacturing of medical device technology and create a strategic growth plan.
PROJECT: Maine Wind and Ocean Energy Cluster
Award: $489,468 Match: $768,384
The Maine Composite Alliance, in partnership with the Maine Wind Industry Initiative and E2Tech Council will organize, promote and expand Maine’s Ocean and Wind Energy Cluster. This cluster initiative will strengthen the industry’s supply chain in Maine by growing companies, fostering collaboration between Maine businesses and global partners, and recruiting major suppliers and/or manufacturers to Maine.
PROJECT: USM and UMO Building Manufacturing Capacity
Award: $493,577 Match: $554,506
USM and UMO will collaborate to enhance the Precision Manufacturing cluster through applied technology research, development and commercialization. This is a multi-prong approach to leverage the University’s academic and research assets to increase business process efficiency and accelerate time to market for new product development
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