Maine Technology Institute Announces $1.47 Million in Four New Awards to Boost Maine’s High-Potential Technology Cluster

(BRUNSWICK, MAINE) – The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) approved four new awards from its Cluster Initiative Program (CIP) for collaborative projects that boost Maine’s high-potential technology-intensive clusters.  Awards made under the CIP program support the success of Maine businesses by funding joint work of companies, service providers, research laboratories and educational institutions and expanding the infrastructure that helps them to thrive.  This round of CIP awards leveraged $3,225,100 in matching contributions from the award recipients.

Cluster Initiative Program awards were issued to the following entities:

• TechPlace at Brunswick Landing
• The University of Southern Maine Cybersecurity Cluster
• The Composites Engineering and Research Lab at Southern Maine Community College
• The Forest Bioproducts Research Institute at the University of Maine at Orono

“These MTI investments will advance and stimulate economic activity in high-potential clusters in the State of Maine,” said Brian Whitney, MTI’s President.  “These projects will enhance collaboration and innovation between public and private sector entities and will lead to the development of new businesses, products, processes, skilled workforce, and jobs.”

TechPlace received $299,040 which was matched by an additional $306,500 to support the biotech and tech shop areas of the facility to accelerate the growth of small manufacturing companies in the sectors of advanced materials, aerospace/aviation, biotechnology, and renewable energy.

The University of Southern Maine received $496,174, matched by $2.1 million, to collaborate with public and private entities to further develop the research and development (R&D) cybersecurity infrastructure at the University’s Portland campus and also a Cyber Range at Brunswick Landing.  The project focuses on protection of critical infrastructures and related computation and communications-dependent operational information systems for the maritime and intermodal transportation sectors, and will be the only cyber range in the country with this focus and scope.

A partnership between Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and the Maine Composites Alliance received $496,056, matched by $618,600, to expand the capabilities of the Composites Engineering Research Laboratory at the SMCC Brunswick Campus.  The lab is an industry owned research center focused on applied research and development, product development, process improvement and manufacturing support for the composites and advanced materials industry in Maine. The award will equip and validate the lab with additional unique analytical capabilities and provide high end commercial software capabilities available on a share basis to Maine composites companies.

The final award was made to the University of Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute for $179,000 and matched by private industry contributions of $200,000 to purchase and relocate the existing pilot plant for biomass hydrolysis at the Old Town mill to the University’s Forest Bioproduct Research lab co-located on the same site.  Saving this asset for the forest products cluster will allow Maine to have an operating facility that can process biomass at one dry ton per day scale, thus helping the forest products cluster explore new ways to use wood.

For more information on MTI funding programs, please visitwww.mainetechnology.org.

MTI is a publicly financed, private, nonprofit organization created by the Legislature in 1999 to stimulate research and development activity leading to the commercialization of new products, processes and services in the state’s seven targeted technology sectors. MTI programs are either loans, equity investments, or grants designed to enhance the competitive position of those sectors and increase the likelihood that one or more of these sectors will support clusters of industrial activity and create quality jobs across Maine.