MBSTL Business - Growing a Business - Overview: Home

Programs that help accelerate growth:

• Maine MEP helps business owners through the following programs to grow their businesses.
  Maine Manufacturer Acceleration Program - helps improve products, reduce costs and get products to market faster.
   
• Scratchpad Accelerator (University of Maine; MTI)
  The Scratchpad Accelerator is a seed accelerator that helps startups explore, pivot, and grow their companies.  
   
• SCALEUP (SBA)
  ScaleUp provides structured discussions, one-on-one business support, and networking opportunities to aid growing businesses in their efforts to effectively scale up. The program is funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
   
• Top Gun Track (Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development)
  Top Gun is a five-month program that combines mentoring with high-impact weekly gatherings.
   
• Innovate for Maine Fellows program (University of Maine)
  Companies that are selected to participate in this program are able to get the help they need to accelerate projects and grow their business. 
   
• Entrepreneur In Residence Program (CEI)
  The Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program was created to fill a distinct gap in resources for entrepreneurs looking to grow or start a business. It allows businesses to consult with an entrepreneur that has the industry or area-specific knowledge needed to help address a specific need, challenge or question.
   
• TechPlace, Brunswick Landing’s Technology Accelerator (Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority)
  Support the business development needs of early stage companies in a shared workspace. TechPlace will give entrepreneurs a place to network with others, research and develop ideas, build prototypes, test products, assemble, grow, and become successful manufacturing and technology companies.
   
• Business Services Division (Manufactures Association of Maine)

• MassChallenge Accelerator Program
  4-month programs: mentorship, office space, education, network & community, and other resources.
   
• TIESCALE UP Boston
  Creates a new model for entrepreneurs looking to grow their business beyond seed financing. Based in Boston, it works closely with select companies and mentor them to refine their business model, obtain access to capital and tap into a peer network for ongoing support.
   
• Maine Community College System 
  Maine's community college system offers affordable customized training and continuing education that gives businesses and employees the skills they need to compete. Maine Quality Centers provides grants to help cover costs of customized training; Put ME to Work program offers $500,000 in new grant funding to create & enhance training programs across Maine. It covers 50% of the costs to create new training programs or enhance existing ones at Maine’s community colleges.
   
• Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc
  Business service representatives provides information on no-cost employee training options, applicant assessment and recruitment services. They working with partner agencies, can assess your workforce training needs and provide eligible employers with workforce development services free of charge.

Maine Technology Institute works with entrepreneurs, innovators, established businesses and institutions conducting research and development to Fund, Connect and Grow, providing connections to resources that will help them commercialize their technologies.

Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development helps entrepreneurs re-invent the Maine economy by providing them with resources to build innovative world-class companies.
 

Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Maine MEP) provides the Maine Manufacturer Acceleration Program, a business development program designed to generate innovative growth through collaboration.

• SCORE Events in Bangor, Augusta, Auburn, Ellsworth, Portland, and Oxford Hills.
• Maine SBDC Workshop
• MaineStream Finance Workshops
• University of Maine Foster Center Events
• Women’s Business Center Events
• Eastern Maine Development Corporation Events

Growing your Business (SBA)

SCORE Webinars on Growing your business by:

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal agency that aims to help small businesses succeed. It offers courses, workshops, publications, information and other programs designed to help start or expand your business. Maine District Office of the SBA can provide you more guidance in access to capital, counseling and government contracting.

The Maine Small Business Development Centers (Maine SBDC) should be a first stop on your journey to self-employment. This partnership program with the State of Maine, the SBA and the University of Southern Maine provides one-on-one counseling to existing and startup entrepreneurs on such topics as cash flow and marketing. They also offer an interactive on-line business start-up course.

SCORE is a network of entrepreneurs, business lenders and executives, who volunteer as mentors to the small business community providing assistance to help entrepreneurs start businesses, grow companies and create jobs in local communities. It offer workshops and mentor programs. SCORE Maine offers some local resources; SCORE Bangor, Augusta, Auburn, Ellsworth, Portland, and Oxford Hills offer local workshops and mentoring services.

The Women’s Business Development Center provides business training, coaching and mentoring and other assistance geared toward women. 
 

• Maine Stream Finance Start Your Business Series – Self Start/Study Course
• SBA Learning Center
• SCORE Workshops
• National Federation of Independent Business Webinar
• Women’s Business Development Center Workshops

More free online courses from universities:

• Open Education Consortium
• Coursera
• Udacity
• edX

Contact Us

Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
fogler.mbstl@maine.edu
Reference Desk: 207-581-1673