(Portland, Maine) The Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development (MCED) announced today that Steve Blank, a renowned entrepreneurship educator in Silicon Valley, would speak via video conference on Wednesday, February 15 at 6:00 PM to Maine libraries and University campuses throughout the state as part of Maine Entrepreneurship Week and MCED’s Top Gun Maine program.

The event presented by MCED and supported by Blackstone Accelerates Growth is free and open to the public. During the program, local entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to listen, ask questions, and discuss his presentation alongside Top Gun Maine program participants. For a complete list of participating locations, please visit the Top Gun Maine web site.

Steve Blank spent 21 years in eight high technology companies. Since 1999, he has written about and taught entrepreneurship at Stanford, Berkeley and Columbia Universities respectively. He developed a new model for startups and worked with the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps. as well as engagements in Chile, Finland, and Russia. Steve Blank has been featured in the New York Times, Nature magazine, and National Public Radio. His book Four Steps to the Epiphany has been translated into Russian, Japanese and French.

Maine Entrepreneurship Week, part of National Entrepreneurship Week, is February 11-18. Now in its 5th year, EWeek Maine has events scheduled throughout the state including panel discussions, workshops and networking events. For a complete list, please visit: www.eweekmaine.org/.

MCED and the University of Maine Foster Center for Student Innovation have partnered to expand the Top Gun program statewide. Top Gun Maine teaches emerging entrepreneurs what they really need to know to manage and grow a successful growth-oriented business. The formal program runs for five months but the mentoring relationships can extend well beyond the confines of the program. For additional information about MCED, please visit: www.topgunmaine.biz

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ABOUT MCED The Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development (MCED) is a private non-profit founded in 1997 that assists entrepreneurs building scalable innovation based Maine businesses. Historically a traditional incubator that offered entrepreneurs space located on an academic campus, MCED is now a leading edge virtual resource for the most promising startups, regardless of their Maine location.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin 774-8111

sruhlin@mced.biz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Portland, Maine) The Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development (MCED) is pleased to announce that its newest Top Gun Sponsor is The Bank of Maine.

Since 1834, The Bank of Maine has been serving the citizens of Maine. With 33 offices, including a new branch and headquarters in Portland, over 400 employees, and almost $1 billion in assets, The Bank of Maine provides loans to homeowners and businesses, personal and business deposit accounts, and a wide variety of additional services.

“The Bank of Maine is honored to be a part of the Top Gun Program.  For 177 years, we have assisted small to large businesses in Maine with our unique product offerings and incredible customer service.  Partnering with Top Gun is an excellent way to incubate the entrepreneurial spirit living in Maine,” said John W. Everets, Chairman and CEO of The Bank of Maine.

Top Gun teaches emerging entrepreneurs what they really need to know to manage and grow a successful growth-oriented business.  The formal program runs for five months but the mentoring relationships can extend well beyond the confines of the program.  For additional information about MCED, please visit http://www.mcedtopgunmaine.biz

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

774-8111

sruhlin@mced.biz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

(Portland, Maine) The Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) announces the opening of the application process for its Top Gun program, Class of 2011.

This year, in collaboration with the University of Maine’s Target Technology Center and the Foster Center for Innovation, and with funding from Maine Technology Institute (MTI), the program has expanded statewide to reach even more Maine based companies.

The program model has been so successful that Past Top Gun graduates have received over $1.1 million dollars in grant funding from the Maine Technology Institute alone. Additionally, since 2009, Top Gun graduate companies have created over 95 Maine jobs.

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ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Top Gun is a seven-month program that accelerates the progress of Maine’s most promising early stage, scalable, innovation-based businesses through a combination of curriculum, mentoring and community. First offered in 2009, it will run simultaneously in Portland and Bangor beginning in September 2011.

An advisory board made up of private sector professionals and successful entrepreneurs will carefully consider each application looking to indentify the state’s “best of the best” innovative entrepreneurs and partner them with Maine’s most seasoned professionals.

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

Additional information about Top Gun, including a complete list of guidelines and the online application may be viewed at http://www.topgunmaine.biz.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

May 23, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Portland, Maine) The Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) is pleased to announce the Bangor and Portland Advisory Boards for the Top Gun Maine Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program. These advisors help choose which entrepreneurs will participate in the program, recruit mentors and ensure that Top Gun complements and cooperates with other area economic development efforts.

Top Gun Maine is guided by the able assistance of a team of advisors in each location where the program is provided. These advisors help choose which entrepreneurs will participate in the program, recruit mentors and ensure that Top Gun complements and cooperates with other area economic development efforts.

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Maine Center for Enterprise Development provides an experiential learning environment to start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs for the creation and growth of quality companies through incubation, entrepreneurial development and education.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

(Portland, Maine)  The Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) is pleased to announce the statewide expansion of its Top Gun program.

In collaboration with the University of Maine’s Target Technology Center and the Foster Center for Innovation, and with funding from the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), the seven-month statewide program will run simultaneously in the central and southern parts of the state.

“After two successful years in the southern Maine area it was apparent that the Top Gun model was both viable and successful. It was a natural progression to bring the program to the other parts of the state,” says Don Gooding, Executive Director at MCED.

Top Gun is a seven-month program that accelerates the progress of Maine’s most promising early stage, scalable, innovation-based businesses through a combination of curriculum, mentoring and community. The formal program runs for 15 sessions- approximately every other week, but the mentoring relationships will extend well beyond the confines of the program.

Applications and information about Top Gun are available at http://www.topgunmaine.biz.

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

(Gorham, Maine) Maine Office of External Programs is hosting a symposium for small businesses and entrepreneurs on May 19^th at 5:30 PM in the John Mitchell Center on USM’s Gorham Campus, entitled “Leveraging University Resources For Your Startup.”

Campus Ventures is a grant-funded collaboration between the University of Southern Maine and the Maine Center for Enterprise Development, a Portland-based business incubator. This technology commercialization program sponsors four small companies and entrepreneurs with technology & manufacturing development needs per fiscal year. The purpose of this sponsorship is to support Maine-based entrepreneurs with targeted business and technology development services.

The event will begin at 5:30 pm with an hour for networking and refreshments. Following the networking hour, there will be two panel discussions. The first discussion will include a panel of business development and technology commercialization experts who will lead a discussion about partnering with the University System for business and technology development. The second panel will include current Campus Ventures entrepreneurs and project managers who will speak of their experiences working within the program.

The application process for the 2011-2012 program year will also be discussed. The Campus Ventures program will be accepting applications for the 2011-2012 year up to June 15^th at 4:30 PM. Award notices will be issued on July 8^th, 2011.

Presenters at the symposium will include Don Gooding, the MCED Executive Director; Mike Wing, the Director of External Programs at the University of Southern Maine; Leonard Agneta, University of Maine School of Law; Stan Farrell, Wizbe Innovations; Michael Kasputes of Maine SBDC; Karen West, SBIR/STTR Consultant; Lyndsay Grace-Sanborn, Ruby Moon Laundry; Michael Goldman of Wealth Gathering; Joe Migliaccio of Maine Technology Institute; and Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh, the Associate Vice President of Research at the University of Southern Maine.

Contact: Gregory Cavanaugh

Program Coordinator, Office of External Programs

(207) 780-5450

gcavanaugh@usm.maine.edu

The University of Southern Maine Office of External Programs develops programs and direct projects with entities outside the University,  while creating  experiential learning opportunities for students in science, engineering, health and technology fields.

Artistically innovative entrepreneurs can attend “Calling all Creative Entrepreneurs” on February 14 while technology and innovative entrepreneurs can attend “Calling all Entrepreneurs” February 19. Student and faculty entrepreneurs are also invited to set up meetings to discuss their ideas for the USM Student Business Plan Competition or the new Campus Ventures Program.

Individuals or teams meet one-on-one with investors and experienced entrepreneurs to discuss their business idea, learn more about resources for Maine businesses, and find out what investors look for in start-up companies.

Both events will be at MCED’s offices (USM)-2nd Floor Bio Science Research Wing, 70 Falmouth St., Portland, ME.  Sessions are free of charge and by appointment only between 10:00AM and 2:00PM and will be limited to a maximum of 20 minutes.  Please call 780-4627 or email info@mced.biz for an appointment.

For a complete list of National Entrepreneurs Week, events taking place statewide please visit www.eweekmaine.org.
 

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

For additional information about MCED, please visit http://www.mced.biz.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

(Portland, Maine) The Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Don Gooding as Executive Director. 

“We are pleased and excited that Don is leading MCED.  His enthusiasm and collaborative approach will be critical as we continue to expand our services and programs to Maine’s entrepreneurial community,” says MCED Board Chairman, Ed McKersie.

For over 20 years, Don has been at the forefront of new business ventures working as a telecommunications market analyst and venture capitalist.  As Research Partner for Accel Partners, a leading global venture capital and growth equity firm with offices in Silicon Valley, London and Asia, he investigated new telecom and networking markets by finding and evaluating new investment opportunities.  Later, he founded a global specialty music business and most recently, the EnterPrize Institute, a resource publication for business plan competitions. 

Don is a member of the Maine Angels and is currently the Manager of the USM Student Business Plan Competition.  As a member of Maine Angels, he has invested in early stage technology companies, including Ocean Renewable Power Company, Emergent Music, Axon Labs, Neuroptix and IW Financial. 

Don received his B.A. from Yale University cum laude with distinction in Economics in 1981, concentrating on the economics of data transmission.

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin, Media Coordinator

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

The event marked the culmination of a comprehensive 15-week program that emphasized targeted mentoring, experiential learning and topic-specific work sessions.  The following entrepreneurs participated in the 2010 Top Gun program:

• Janet Eugley – EchoHeart, LLC
• Kevin Grant – VetEnvoy, Inc.
• Tom Hall – Hall Web Services
• Amy Ireland – Zum Sport, LLC
• Ogden Morse – AcademicMerit, LLC
• Christopher Stickney – MTK-Technology Group
• Sergei Breus and Mary Alice Hurvitt – Maine Blue Stream Power
• Beth George – Spelt Right, Inc.
• Steve Jordan and David Hinson – Benevoltek, Inc.
• Scott Moffat – VFG Energy Systems
• Adrianne Zahner – Turtle Love Co.

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ABOUT MCED

MCED is a private, not-for-profit 501-c-3 organization created to establish an environment where small companies, start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs can grow, prosper and successfully commercialize their technology in southern Maine. As Maine’s first business incubator, MCED was created out of the Portland Regional Chamber in 1997 to be a model of excellence for nurturing entrepreneurs, launching successful start-up companies and implementing innovation as an economic development tool for Maine.

 For additional information about MCED, please visit http://www.mced.biz.

CONTACT:

Susan Ruhlin

780-4627

sruhlin@mced.biz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Portland, ME) Some of Maine’s most promising entrepreneurs will be presenting their companies at the Top Gun program’s Showcase Event on Thursday, November 18  at the Woodland’s Club, Falmouth, ME.

The by-invitation-only event begins at 5:00 with networking at a cocktail reception and will conclude with each entrepreneur pitching his or her company to potential stakeholders.

The occasion, for this year’s class, marks the completion of a comprehensive 15-week curriculum that emphasized targeted mentoring, experiential learning and topic-specific work sessions.

For more information about the Top Gun Program, the Maine Center for Enterprise Development, or the class of 2010, please visit the Top Gun section of our website at www.mced.biz.

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CONTACT:

Steven Bazinet, President

228-8525

SBazinet@mced.biz

“Making the connections that build businesses”