Maine Startup Challenge awards $12,000 to entrepreneurs of all ages to grow their concepts!
News
On October 26, Maine Venture Fund hosted the first annual Maine Startup Challenge, a business plan competition to encourage entrepreneurial thinking across all ages and stimulate the next generation of innovative Maine companies.
With 44 applications, the competition was fierce! Below are the 13 finalists and their concepts. Of these, the top 6 businesses were recognized and awarded prize money at the showcase event.
Do you want to relive the fun? Or maybe you missed it?
Maine Venture Fund is excited to do it again in 2023, so start preparing your ideas!
K-8 Tier - $500 prize
(Winner) iearnedapet.com, Hunter Murphy of Waynflete School - We provide a guaranteed set of tools, templates, and coaching services to help kids get the pet of their dreams! See pitch here
A.S.C. (Assistance, Support, Companionship), Lucy Russell and Olive DeSimio of Brunswick Junior High - ASC provides companionship for the elderly by providing healthy and pleasant experiences and decreasing the gap between generations. See pitch here
High School Tier - $1,000 prize
(Winner) Aoife, Julia Twomey of Baxter Academy - Aoife is a free app that uniquely analyzes and compares fashion and beauty products to ensure that users are buying the most suitable products for the best prices available. See pitch here
Arsenault Auto Repair, John Arsenault of Morse High School - An automotive repair shop that specializes in quality work and affordability. See pitch here
Landscaping, Evelyn Filatov, Scarborough High School - Mowing lawns on Maine properties.
College Tier - $1,500 prize
(Winner) Waved Medical, Kendra Batchelder and Andre Khalil, UMaine - WAVED Medical provides risk counselors at breast centers with an image-based breast cancer risk assessment to identify more high risk patients to increase preventative care and improve patient outcomes. See pitch here
ChitoCharge, Liam Hornschild-Bear, University of Groningen - Rechargeable batteries made from invasive green crabs that are environmentally friendly and affordable, produced and sourced in Maine.
Mycoworks, Matthew and Karoline Ellis, UMaine - Mycelium is sustainable, biodegradable and renewable. Our mycelium boxes and planters will replace existing plastic and cardboard solution. See pitch here
Open Tier - (3rd) $1,500, (2nd) $2,500, and (1st) $5,000 prizes
(Winner) Maine-Lee Technology, Lee Thibodeau and Bill Kimball - MLTG has designed a novel, bifunctional, fluid management sleeve that will solve the CDC-identified problem of fluid transfer at the surgical glove-gown interface and transform surgical gown technology. See pitch here
(2nd place) Nkenne, Michael Odokara-Okigbo - NKENNE is the first dedicated African language learning app. See pitch here
(3rd place) Bijou Build, Amanda Lacy - The world's first collapsible, expandable and adaptable play structure. See pitch here
Kind Mind, Lee Sowles - Kind Mind offers a social-emotional learning curriculum and resilience toolkits for elementary schools. See pitch here
Orange Bike Brewing, Neil Spillane and Tom Ruff -Portland Maine's first dedicated gluten-free brewery. See pitch here
Thanks again to our generous sponsors who made the Maine Startup Challenge possible:
About Maine Venture Fund
Maine Venture Fund invests in dynamic businesses that have the potential for significant growth and impact in Maine. For more information, visit maineventurefund.com.
Inquiries:
Terri Wark
Maine Venture Fund
(207) 924.3800
terri@maineventurefund.com
