As we are eagerly ramping up for Maine Startup Challenge (MSC) 2024, we took some time to catch up with previous winners from our 2022 and 2023 Maine Startup Challenge competitions. 

We are so impressed with the talent in this cohort of entrepreneurs and are feeling inspired by the below progress they have all made with their ideas since competing in MSC!

MSC 2022

High School Tier Winner – Aoife

Although Julia Twomey is no longer pursuing Aoife, she is excited to share that she will be declaring her major in Quantitative Economics at Smith College this fall. She also learned a lot about the key questions to ask customers as you develop a business idea, and is excited to apply those skills in her future endeavors. 

College Tier Winner – WAVED Medical

Kendra Batchelder is continuing to work on WAVED Medical – a medical software company developing technology to enhance breast cancer screening. They have been funded by the National Institutes of Health over the last year to perform a feasibility study and they have established an office in New York City to help facilitate clinical collaborations. They leveraged the MSC funds to obtain an exclusive license to their IP. 

Open Tier Runner-up – Nkenne

Michael Odokara-Okigbo is also continuing to work on Nkenne and they have made significant strides in advancing their traction and expanding their impact. They have over 155,000 users with 5000 paying customers, and were recently named one of Apple’s Apps of the Day! They have also secured a SBIR NSF Phase 2 contract which will enable them to elevate their African language AI translations database, enhancing the accuracy and accessibility of the Nkenne platform. 

 Open Tier Runner-up – Bijou Build

Since competing in MSC, Amanda Lacy has launched Bijou Build’s truly disruptive product to the Outdoor play category. They have seen sales continue to grow over the past two years (you can start your Bijou journey here), and have been granted their two main patents that protect their innovative products. They will be celebrating their 2 year anniversary this Thanksgiving, and are excited to go into the Australian market this year.

MSC 2023

K-8 Tier Winner – Dynamite June Art

Dynamite June Art has continued to develop her beautiful and inspirational art since MSC. She recently released a new art design in stores, and used the MSC funds to buy a high quality scanner for her business. Dynamite June was also selected as a featured artist in the SailMaine regatta. Looking to the future, she is excited to study abroad in Japan to learn about comics, manga, and anime art and stories including making a graphic novel. 

K-8 Tier Runner-up – Happy Hotline

As a follow-up to their success at MSC, the class behind the Happy Hotline created a Happy Hotline Pop-Up at their school. Students created over 100 positive affirmation cards and handed them out to everyone on campus. The MSC prize money allowed them to create friendship bracelets that were also handed out at the Happy Hotline pop-up. 

High School Tier Winner – Starboard

Seabren Reeves IV has paused his progress on Starboard for now, but plans to re-engage with the idea in the future. He is currently focused on two math classes, computer programming, and ASL in his sophomore year of high school. He shared that he really enjoyed learning how to structure a business plan and think about the customer experience as part of this application for MSC. He is excited to help other students build their business plans this year so they can submit to MSC for funding and support!

College Tier Runner-up – Speak AI

Since competing in MSC, James Strong has graduated from Dartmouth with his Masters in Engineering Management,  and is currently working for a startup based out of the Bay Area in California. He has created the MVP of the Speak AI app and is hoping to launch it on the iOS app store in Q4 2024.

Open Tier Runner-up – awen Recovery

Brinn Flagg has also continued to progress awen Recovery. She was accepted into the Dirigo Labs accelerator program and leveraged the MSC funding to finish their website and hire a marketing agency to help with social media. Reflecting on MSC, she recalls being so impressed by the wealth of good business ideas in Maine, especially from the younger generations!

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Feeling inspired by all the innovation and progress the previous MSC finalists are sharing?!

Applications for MSC 2024 open on October 7th, so head to the website to get a template and get started.

The deadline to apply is October 25th, and the Showcase Event will be on Wednesday November 13th at the Maine Center in Portland. 

If you are an educator who wants to bring MSC to your school, complete this form, and we will be in touch! 

Maine Venture Fund invests in Maine businesses that have the highest potential for growth and impact. For more information, visit maineventurefund.com. 

Inquiries:
Terri Wark
Maine Venture Fund
(207) 305-0006
terri@maineventurefund.com