“When summer opens, I see how fast it matures, and fear it will be short; but after the heats of July and August, I am reconciled, like one who has had his swing, to the cool of autumn. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Like Emerson, I am looking forward to the cool mornings and evenings of fall. Perhaps it’s because I occupy one of two offices at MTI that lacks air conditioning and perhaps it’s because I simply love the crisp, bug-free days of autumn, the superior sleeping weather, football season, and the sights of colorful mums and vibrant foliage.That said, we had an incredible summer here in Maine. The weather was awe-inspiring and our days and weekends were consumed by trips to the coast, lakes, or swimming pools, terrific food enjoyed at barbecues and lobster bakes, and frequent visits to festivals, fairs and concerts.
“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.” ~ Harper Lee
Summer 2016 in Maine was, indeed, our best season. While I didn’t get the opportunity to sleep on a cot or in a treehouse, I did have an opportunity to attend some amazing events in Maine’s flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem. In June, the incredibly successful Maine Startup & Create Week (MSCW) kicked-off its third year of operation. Coordinated by a multitude of dedicated volunteers, it featured dozens of panels, forums, and networking events. June also featured MTI’s signature annual celebration – TechWalk. Each year, TechWalk brings together Maine entrepreneurs, investors and innovators for a unique networking opportunity. Over 45 companies exhibited the products and services that they successfully developed with MTI’s assistance and the networking reception drew close to 400 people. Our website now features photos from that fun-filled event at https://www.mainetechnology.org/make-connections/techwalk-2016/
There were several exciting ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremonies this summer at places like the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor and Ellsworth, the Union River Center for Innovation in Ellsworth, and at Bigelow Labs in East Boothbay. A new Top Gun Final Showcase winner was crowned, Revolution Research of Orono, and the first winner of Greenlight Maine was revealed, Garbage to Garden of Portland.
Again, it was a terrific summer in Maine on a number of levels. And, autumn is gearing up to be action-packed as well. Be sure to check out the following events in October:
October 3: Portland, Maine will host the Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) Meeting of the Arctic Council at the University of Southern Maine. For more information, visit: http://www.mitc.com/event/maine-arctic-forum/
October 6: New England Regional Innovation Summit in Boston, MA. The conference is focused on engaging entrepreneurs and business leaders from throughout New England and sharing vital information about how best to win federal Small Business Innovation Research dollars to bring technology from lab to market. For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-new-england-small-business-innovation-research-summit-tickets-27047839817?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
October 13: National Science Foundation Day. The University of Maine in Orono will host National Science Foundation (NSF) Day at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. NSF Day offers instructions on how best to compete for federal NSF funding. For more information, visit: www.umaine.edu/epscor/nsf-day
Have a great fall!
Best,
Brian
Brian Whitney
President