Invest

Impact

Maine Startup Challenge

Invest

Impact

Maine Startup Challenge

Resources

Whether your company is a fit for MVF or not, we aim to connect you to the resources that are relevant to your business.

KEY RESOURCES
Maine Technology Institute

Provides grants, loans and support services for business driving innovation in Maine.

Maine Funding Network

A network of alternative funding partners to help businesses grow and scale.

Nexus Maine

A community of business and entrepreneurial leaders who share a vision of building Maine’s future together. 

All Stage

A platform where investors and companies can connect and engage directly.

Maine Technology Institute

Provides grants, loans and support services for business driving innovation in Maine.

Maine Funding Network

A network of alternative funding partners to help businesses grow and scale.

Nexus Maine

A community of business and entrepreneurial leaders who share a vision of building Maine’s future together. 

All Stage

A platform where investors and companies can connect and engage directly.

GENERAL RESOURCES FOR ENTREPRENEURS
GENERAL RESOURCES FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Business Guides

All

Fundraising

Business Best Practices

MVF Investment Criteria

Often it can be challenging for entrepreneurs to understand individual investor preferences and requirements. This guide demystifies our unique approach.

VIEW GUIDE

Priced Equity Term Sheet Explainer

The following guide is provided to help explain priced equity terms and why they are important for both investors and companies.

VIEW GUIDE

Convertible Note Term Sheet Explainer

The following guide is provided to help explain convertible note terms and why they are important for both investors and companies.

VIEW GUIDE

MVF Investment Process Overview

An in depth overview of MVF's investment process.

VIEW GUIDE

Board Evaluation Scorecard

A scorecard developed by MVF to help rank board evaluation performance.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Board of Directors

In this Business Guide, we look at how a Board of Directors can play a central role in putting and keeping your company on track for success.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Key Performance Indicators

In this Business Guide, we look at Key Performance Indicators and how to use them to understand, monitor and improve your business performance.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Reporting

In this MVF Business Guide, we provide a template for private companies to use when reporting to investors, board directors or advisors.

VIEW GUIDE

All

Fundraising

Business Best Practices

MVF Investment Criteria

Often it can be challenging for entrepreneurs to understand individual investor preferences and requirements. This guide demystifies our unique approach.

VIEW GUIDE

Priced Equity Term Sheet Explainer

The following guide is provided to help explain priced equity terms and why they are important for both investors and companies.

VIEW GUIDE

Convertible Note Term Sheet Explainer

The following guide is provided to help explain convertible note terms and why they are important for both investors and companies.

VIEW GUIDE

MVF Investment Process Overview

An in depth overview of MVF's investment process.

VIEW GUIDE

Board Evaluation Scorecard

A scorecard developed by MVF to help rank board evaluation performance.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Board of Directors

In this Business Guide, we look at how a Board of Directors can play a central role in putting and keeping your company on track for success.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Key Performance Indicators

In this Business Guide, we look at Key Performance Indicators and how to use them to understand, monitor and improve your business performance.

VIEW GUIDE

Business Guide: Reporting

In this MVF Business Guide, we provide a template for private companies to use when reporting to investors, board directors or advisors.

VIEW GUIDE

Helpful Books

Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist

Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson

2019

The new edition of Venture Deals continues to show fledgling entrepreneurs the inner-workings of the VC process, from the venture capital term sheet and effective negotiating strategies to the initial seed and the later stages of development.

GET THE BOOK

Startup Boards, A field guide to building and leading an effective board of directors

Brad Feld, Matt Blumberg, and Mahendra Ramsinghani

2022

Startup Boards draws on the authors' experience and includes stories from board members, startup founders, executives, and investors. Any CEO, board member, investor, or executive interested in creating an active, involved, and engaged board should read this book―and keep it handy for reference.

GET THE BOOK

Startup Boards, A field guide to building and leading an effective board of directors

Brad Feld, Matt Blumberg, and Mahendra Ramsinghani

2022

Startup Boards draws on the authors' experience and includes stories from board members, startup founders, executives, and investors. Any CEO, board member, investor, or executive interested in creating an active, involved, and engaged board should read this book―and keep it handy for reference.

GET THE BOOK

Same as Ever, A Guide to What Never Changes

Morgan Housel

2023

Every investment plan under the sun is, at best, an informed speculation of what may happen in the future, based on a systematic extrapolation from the known past. Same as Ever reverses the process, inviting us to identify the many things that never, ever change.

GET THE BOOK

Same as Ever, A Guide to What Never Changes

Morgan Housel

2023

Every investment plan under the sun is, at best, an informed speculation of what may happen in the future, based on a systematic extrapolation from the known past. Same as Ever reverses the process, inviting us to identify the many things that never, ever change.

GET THE BOOK

The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

Eric Ries

2011

The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively.

GET THE BOOK

Who: Solve your #1 Problem

Jeff Smart & Randy Street

2008

In this instant New York Times Bestseller, Geoff Smart and Randy Street provide a simple, practical, and effective solution to what The Economist calls “the single biggest problem in business today”: unsuccessful hiring.

GET THE BOOK

Who: Solve your #1 Problem

Jeff Smart & Randy Street

2008

In this instant New York Times Bestseller, Geoff Smart and Randy Street provide a simple, practical, and effective solution to what The Economist calls “the single biggest problem in business today”: unsuccessful hiring.

GET THE BOOK

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Theil

2014

The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

GET THE BOOK

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Theil

2014

The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

GET THE BOOK

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Theil

2014

The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.

GET THE BOOK

Helpful Videos

Startup Secrets

Inside advice from Underscore VC investors on how to raise a Seed round

WATCH NOW

Small Business Resources

Learn about business basics from CEI’s Womens’ Business Center

WATCH NOW

Board Room Confidential

Learn more about boards and board meeting dynamics with Firas Raouf, Co-Founder and GP, Companyon Ventures

WATCH NOW

MAINE RESOURCES

Funding

Business Assistance

University of Maine

Funding

Business Assistance

University of Maine

P.O. Box 63, Newport, Maine 04953

Values and Anti-Discrimination Policy

Privacy Policy

© 2026 Maine Venture Fund. All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 63, Newport, Maine 04953

Values and Anti-Discrimination Policy

Privacy Policy

© 2026 Maine Venture Fund. All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 63, Newport, Maine 04953

Values and Anti-Discrimination Policy

Privacy Policy

© 2026 Maine Venture Fund. All rights reserved.