W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 9 S E P T E M B E R 8 , 2 0 2 5
F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P
Small businesses, generally defined as firms with
fewer than 500 employees, are key to Maine's
economy, representing 99.2% of all Maine businesses
and employing over half of the total workforce,
according to the U.S. Small Business Administration's
Office of Advocacy.
SMALL-BIZ CACHET
Employment expanded
at 11,218 establish-
ments and contracted
at 10,137.
MAINE SMALL BUSINESSES TOTALS
160,215 small businesses
99.2% of Maine businesses
290,518 small business employees
54.5% of Maine employees
Construction is the largest
small business employer,
with 5,602 companies.
Between 2023 and 2024, 6,444 Maine establishments
opened and 5,717 closed, for a net increase of 727.
Small businesses
accounted for 6,025
establishment
openings and 5,248
closings.
