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V O L . X X I X N O. X V J U LY 1 0 , 2 0 2 3 18 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 F O C U S duplicating work other organizations were already doing, and the type of founders it would to aim to serve; followed by logistics planning, securing space, building a mentor network and developing a curricu- lum rooted in a Vermont rural tech economy nonprofit called Center on Rural Innovation. Now Dirigo has 25 strategic partnerships; 100 mentors; eight funders, including the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Maine Technology Institute, Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation; and several sponsors. Dirigo Labs has dedicated space in the Hathaway Creative Center at 10 Water St. and participant work- space at Bricks, a coworking space across the hall. A plan and a pitch "Dirigo made me realize what an amazing scale-up I have," says Lisa Jones, founder of Black Travel Maine. Jones participated in Dirigo's recently completed sec- ond cohort. She has a 30-year career in the corporate dig- ital marketing and travel industries. In 2006, she founded a proprietary booking engine, Worldwide Group Travel & Events, to help meet the needs of a growing market for group travel. With a mission to provide a blend of travel and event-planning services, she's been featured in media outlets including Black Enterprise Magazine and Contemporary Bride Magazine. In 2020, Jones, a global traveler, moved with her daughter from New York to Maine at the urging of a friend. "We were blown away," she says. e three explored Maine. "We said, 'Why don't people of color know about Maine?'" she recalls. at started her on a mission "to expose Black and multiethnic travelers and organizations to the cultural beauty, richness and delightfully friendly people of the gorgeous state of Maine" through custom curated cultural tours. She created a website called Black Travel Maine. e goal? To "help dispel the age-old myth of 'Why go there? It's too cold and too white,'" as the website says. Jones needed a funding and marketing plan. Her friend suggested she contact Dirigo. e program connected her with an advisory board and the Maine Small Business Development Centers. She developed a plan and a pitch, and connected with professionals such as a software developer. "Being paired with someone like that is invaluable," she said. "He showed me exactly what I need to do to commercialize." Additional connections included an intern, video team, attorney and financing. Jones received free work- space at Bricks. Going live on Feb. 1, she now has her first Maine tour scheduled, a growing Instagram fol- lowing, and plans to expand marketing. "We're starting in Maine, then moving into Vermont and New Hampshire, states that don't tradi- tionally have the diversity within tourism," she says. New leads With years of experience as an occupational therapist visiting and treating the elderly, Heather Desjardins is the founder and CEO of i-Tell Alert, developing and patenting a reminder technology that includes two "smart" components — a module to be installed on walkers and a wristband. If the user walks away from her walker, the walker module sends a digital signal to the wristband. A Presque Isle native, Desjardins has worked for MaineGeneral for 16 years. A couple of years ago, she realized there was an unmet need among patients who had falls or near-falls. e technology idea came from a virtual dog fence installed at her home. She tapped into Maine Small Business Development Centers, SCORE advisors, FocusMaine, CEI Women's Business Center, Maine Technology Institute grants matched by personal funds, a market feasibility study through the University of Maine and an engineer who developed a proof of concept device, which is now patented. A 2019 finalist in Top Gun Lewiston, she connected with a Michigan engineer- ing consultant for prototype development, now in final tests, and a Winthrop manufacturer. From what she heard, Dirigo seemed like a good next step. She recently completed the program. "ey connected me with some really great mentors who helped with a variety of things," she says. For example, one suggested submitting a request to determine if the device needs U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and connected her with other entrepreneurs in the medical device space. An engineer has been integral in helping Desjardins communicate technical specifications to the development team. "It was pretty comprehensive. at was a big plus," she says. Developer introductions For Croft — a Rockland-based maker of carbon-neg- ative prefab buildings launched in 2021, and this year's pitch competition winner — Dirigo resulted in impor- tant outcomes, including developer introductions, new factory space leads, research on Maine's tax incentive programs, mentorship on strategic decisions and intro- ductions to Maine's investment community. "For example, in a session with Phoenix McLaughlin, tax incentive policy manager with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, we conducted a deep dive on Maine's incentive programs," says Co-Founder Evan Ryan. "is single workshop brought clarity to a very com- plicated policy landscape and helped Croft identify multiple cost saving opportunities that will lead to thousands in savings for the company." Navigating pitfalls Kris McKenna, founder and CEO of Skowhegan armored eyewear maker Tardigrade Industries, recalls meeting with Ruhlin and her colleague Emalee Couture. "I got the feeling that they had resources and con- nections that would ultimately reveal, 'I don't know what I don't know,'" he says. McKenna worked over two decades in law enforce- ment. In 2017, he started working with a colleague who was developing a helmet system for military and industrial use. e missing component was an eyewear component tough enough to withstand high-speed projectiles and other extreme conditions. McKenna put in five years to develop goggle prototypes, now patented and third-party-validated. McKenna employs a CAD engineer and has several equity partners filling other functions. "Once it's finalized, we'll be able to scale manufacture it," he says. "We've hit trade shows. ere's a lot of buzz." Dirigo Labs offered key next steps. "One of the most challenging lessons in the realm of business is the realization that possessing a remarkable product or a groundbreaking invention alone will not guarantee sales without effective networking," he says. One mentor — a retired member of the military with experience in the regulatory space — reviewed certain regulatory matters for McKenna. Dirigo's network, he says, has the diverse abilities and resources needed to assist startups like his — help- ing entrepreneurs navigate potential pitfalls and avoid mistakes inherent to growth. "is support system promotes a more sustainable and balanced approach, benefiting the well-being of business owners on both physical and mental levels," he says. Vital role Dirigo has further plans, including adding a month to the program, so it will be 16 weeks. It will host its sec- ond Better Maine DEI Conference in early October. "Generally, I think accelerators play a vital role in supporting and nurturing the growth of early-stage ventures within a community," says Ruhlin. "ey pro- vide the necessary resources, mentorship and networks to help startups succeed, thereby contributing to the local economy, innovation and job creation." L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t l s c h r e i b e r @ m a i n e b i z . b i z » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F I -T E L L A L E R T i-Tell Alert is a "smart" walker reminder technology. Kris McKenna, founder and CEO of Skowhegan armored eyewear maker Tardigrade Industries, says Dirigo Labs revealed, 'I don't know what I don't know.' Tardigrade's Ocellus armored eyewear is designed to withstand high-speed projectiles. P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F TA R D I G R A D E I N D U S T R I E S

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