WATERVILLE – Five organizations in central Maine — Dirigo Labs, Main Street Skowhegan, Colby College, Thomas College and Kennebec Valley Community College — have announced a collaborative effort aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs and cultivating innovation throughout the region. Together, they are hosting a series of pitch contests designed to provide founders with a platform to showcase their ideas and receive valuable feedback and support.
The series will kick off with Colby College’s Halloran Lab $40K Venture Showcase scheduled for 1-3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond Building. It is open to the public for in-person attendance, and will also be streamed live. Innovators and entrepreneurs will take center stage to compete for a $25,000 first-place grant and $40,000 in overall funding. Register here.
The Top Gun Regional Pitch for Waterville will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, at Thomas College, providing another avenue for local innovators to pitch their ideas and connect with potential investors and mentors. Register here.
Dirigo Labs will host its pitch competition at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, at Greene Block + Studios, featuring 12 startups with innovations in cleantech, medTech, AI, and manufacturing, all eyeing a $25,000 cash prize made possible by Skowhegan Savings Bank. Registration for this free event is available here.
Kennebec Valley Community College will host its Entrepreneurship Pitch Night at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, at King Hall, providing a platform for local Maine businesses to fine-tune their pitch and showcase months of work on their business ideas. For more information, visit here.
The series will culminate with Main Street Skowhegan’s Business Lab Pitch Contest and Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge at 5 p.m. on June 5, at 185 Water St., Skowhegan. It will showcase the creativity and ambition of aspiring and young entrepreneurs while offering valuable support and guidance to help them succeed. Registration is available here.
Through these collaborative efforts, Dirigo Labs, Main Street Skowhegan, Colby College, Thomas College, and Kennebec Valley Community College are committed to building a region that is supportive of business and innovation. By providing entrepreneurs and founders with access to resources, mentorship and funding opportunities, they aim to foster a thriving ecosystem of innovation that drives economic growth and prosperity in Central Maine.
For more information about each event, contact:
• Dirigo Labs: Susan Ruhlin, managing director, at susan@centralmaine.org
• Main Street Skowhegan: Patric Moore, director of entrepreneurship, at patric@mainstreetskowhegan.org
• Colby College: Jeremy Barron, director of Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship, at jebarron@colby.edu
• Thomas College: Kerry Smart, program coordinator for Harold Alfond Institute for Business, at smart@thomas.edu
• Kennebec Valley Community College: Joseph Musumeci, director of Workforce Training & Professional Development, at jmusumeci@kvcc.me.edu.
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