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V O L . X X I X N O. X V J U LY 1 0 , 2 0 2 3 16 A U G U S TA / WAT E R V I L L E / C E N T R A L M A I N E I n Waterville, Genotyping Center of America is in growth mode. Founded in 2012, the company pro- vides genetic testing and colony planning services to accelerate preclinical and drug discovery research and improve laboratory animal welfare. In recent months, the company tripled its space and added equipment and employees — driven by new customers, expanded business and the launch of a non- invasive genotyping technique. In its early days as a startup, the company received grant funding from the Maine Technology Institute that provided valuable financial and business strategy support. It's engaged with SCORE Maine members who have helped the company develop better revenue forecasting and capacity projections. Most recently, the company participated in the Dirigo Labs accelerator program, which happens to be in neighboring offices at the Hathaway Creative Center in downtown Waterville. For the Genotyping Center of America's CEO and co-founder, Michael Greene, Dirigo Labs was attractive due to its focus on supporting businesses within the Waterville and Kennebec Valley region, its introductions to business mentors and tem- porary advisors, and the opportunity to interact regularly with other entrepreneurs. "In addition to gaining additional visibility within the local community by being a part of Dirigo Labs initial cohort of companies, GTCA realized improvements across many areas, including improved budgeting and forecasting, a clearer roadmap of key steps and milestones required for sustainable growth, and valuable introductions and relationships with advisors and mentors," Greene said. "e pitch competition at the conclusion of the program helped drive the development of a clear and compelling vision for GTCA's future success." Founders looking to scale Whether participants are more experienced companies like Genotyping Center of America or newer ones still working on product prototypes, the consensus is that Dirigo Labs is providing a valuable service to the Central Maine region — not just from the stand- point of individual businesses looking to accelerate their ventures but as a networking and support system where entrepreneurs, mentors and other interests work together to contribute to the local economy, innova- tion and job creation. "If you look at a company like Genotyping Center of America, which participated in our first cohort, you can see its direct impact on Waterville: skilled labor force creation, revenue generation to the local tax base, and potential for spinoff companies just to name a few," says Susan Ruhlin, Dirigo Labs' managing director. F O C U S P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D Genotyping Center of America's CEO and co-founder, Michael Greene, says Dirigo Labs helped the company to gain additional visibility within the local community and to realize improvements. In background are Lab Techs Daniel Lee and Lillian Lambert in the Hathaway Creative Center in Waterville. Susan Ruhlin, left and Sabrina Jandreau, at Dirigo Labs in Waterville. Ruhlin is managing director of Dirigo Labs and Jandeau is development coordinator for the Central Maine Growth Council. ACCELERATING THE ACCELERATOR Dirigo Labs recently gained national recog- nition as a growth accelerator with a U.S. Small Business Administration 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund prize of $50,000, to create a media lab for small business innovation research and small business technology transfer. The target market for the lab will be entrepreneurs and startups focused on science, technology, engineering and math- ematics, and research and development. Accelerator program helps companies grow — with benefits for the local region B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r SPURS INNOVATION DIRIGO LABS

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