Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1516036
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z M A R C H 4 , 2 0 2 4 C O N T E N T S F RO M T H E E D I TO R I N N O VAT I O N F O C U S T H U M B N A I L O N PA G E 6 » 5 Copyright 2024. All rights reserved. Mainebiz® (ISSN# 1530-0749) is published bi-weekly 29 times a year, including special issues published in July, September, October and December by New England Business Media LLC. Periodicals postage paid (USPS# 018-715) at Port land, ME and at additional entry points. Postmaster: Please send changes to: Mainebiz, PO Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-0330. Annual subscriptions are available for $84.00 and include Fact Book and Book of Lists. To subscribe, please visit our website at www.mainebiz.biz, email circulation@mainebiz.biz or call our circulation department at 845-267-3008. Mainebiz® accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and in general does not return them to the sender. PUBLISHER Andrea Tetzlaff EDITOR Peter Van Allen MANAGING EDITOR / DIGITAL OPERATIONS William Hall SENIOR WRITERS Renee Cordes Laurie Schreiber STAFF WRITER Alexis Wells CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mark Jeanneret Carrie Yardley RESEARCH DIRECTOR Stephanie Meagher RESEARCH ASSISTANT Heide Martin ART DIRECTOR Matt Selva HOSPITALITY Buster, Malcolm, Zoey (emeritus) A division of New England Business Media LLC C E O / GROUP PUBLISHER Peter Stanton P R E S I D E N T Tom Curtin DIGITAL DIRECTOR Jan Holder SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Ken Hanson Kerry Rasor Betsy VanderPloeg MARKETING/OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Alison Nason OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Allison Spies AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Leah Allen 8 Pumped up Breastfeeding support platform pumpspotting is a fast-growing 'femtech' startup 10 Born of retail A software company that 'eats, sleeps and breathes retail' 12 UMaine rolls up its sleeves Innovation at the heart of university's growth plans 14 Breeding innovation A Rarebreed grows out of Maine's animal-health hub 16 Adding fun and games to the workplace GoodGames helps make Zoom meetings more effective 18 Not so simple Simply Homes uses AI tools to boost affordable housing 21 Resource Guide Maine's resources for innovators 30 The List Maine's largest patent holders T his year we've broadened the scope of this publication, which for two years was the Startup Hub. is year, reflecting the desire to encompass more of the innovation community in Maine, including start- ups, we're calling it Innovation Hub. Innovation can take on many forms, from the brainstorming that goes on in giants like WEX Inc. and IDEXX Laboratories to the projects that emerge from garage workshops. I've been particularly interested in the ideas and inventions that are coming out of higher education, and for this issue went to visit University of Maine's Ferland Engineering and Education and Design Center. e building is literally structured so that the downstairs is devoted to wood- working and machine shops. As you go up to the higher floors you see more lab space, till the top floor is devoted to clean biotech labs. Inno- vation is part of a broader strategy to educate students in meeting spaces that are adjacent to lab spaces, so they're combining theoretical learning with hands-on training. As UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy says, "You're an innovator as soon as you get in the door." is issue also stays true to the entrepreneur culture by looking at innovations coming out of startups. We talk to principals at Rarebreed (which came out of the IDEXX fam- ily tree), as well as Simply Homes, FieldStack, pumpspotting and GoodGames. Innovation Hub includes a direc- tory of resources for businesses at different stages of development. ere's also a list of Maine's larg- est patent holders. — Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz In Maine, innovation comes in many forms A broader scope, with an eye for detail. Dan Espinal, left, and Sean Miller, of Rarebreed Veterinary Partners Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the UMaine College of Engineering P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D Pumpspotting founder and CEO Amy VanHaren 8 12 14