Brunswick, MAINE – During a visit to bluShift Aerospace in Brunswick today, Governor Janet Mills highlighted the importance of the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan’s investment in innovation to spur economic growth as Maine recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Staff
Maine’s growing bioscience industry will get some additional support with the formation of a new “bioscience cluster” initiative.
Launched yesterday by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs in Portland, the initiative will aim to support bioscience innovators, entrepreneurs and startup companies involved in human and animal biology, pharmaceutical, marine and agricultural science, and healthcare innovations, according to a news release.
The cluster is made up of business incubators, accelerators and research partners committed to advancing the commercialization and scale-up of bioscience and health related businesses in Maine.
The Maine Bioscience Cluster is designed as a continuum of care, from the initial idea to the startup phase, including funding and talent development.
Island Briefs
Zoom meeting to gauge interest in supported living
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND ─ Do you have a family member with disabilities who lives at home but who wants to live more independently?
Join Janet Hamel, whose daughter Marty dreams of having her own place downtown, for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, Feb. 18, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. to explore what interest there may be in establishing a housing situation in Bar Harbor for those with disabilities to live independently, but with support.
For meeting details or questions, contact Hamel at [email protected] or (207) 460-7008.
Grant application approved for in-cruiser printers
BAR HARBOR A motion to authorize the police department to apply for a Maine Bureau of Highway Safety grant to facilitate the use of a statewide electronic citations system was approved by Town Council members at their Feb. 2 meeting.
Council backs off on limiting street vendorsÂ
ELLSWORTH â Council members approved amendments to three city ordinances and tabled changes to street vendor permit rules at their Dec. 21 meeting.
The changes proposed to the License and Permits Ordinance would raise the permit fee for street vendors selling food and other merchandise on public property from a $10 flat fee to $110 for 30 consecutive or non-consecutive days, but the discussion raised concerns among councilors.
âThat could cover Girl Scout cookie [sales],â Councilor Michelle Kaplan said, along with door-to-door sales. âWhat about the Snap-on Tool guy? The Schwanâs [Home Delivery] guy?â
And Chairman Dale Hamilton pointed out, âThis doesnât distinguish between when someone sold for one Saturday versus the entire summer. One day is less impactful than somebody whoâs going to do it every single weekday.â
Downeast Innovation Fund awards $95,000 in grants
ELLSWORTH The Maine Community Foundation’s Downeast Innovation Fund has awarded $95,000 in grants to 11 nonprofits located in or serving Hancock and Washington counties.
Launched in 2018, the Downeast Innovation Fund Grant program supports nonprofit organizations that provide programs to improve or increase entrepreneurship and innovation in business and the local economies in Hancock and Washington counties.
The 2020 grantees include:
City of Ellsworth, to enhance targeted programming and technical infrastructure aimed at graduating existing start-up companies, while attracting new, quality companies to the Union River Center for Innovation.
Four Directions Development Corp., Orono, to establish a new Native small business Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) serving Washington County and the Wabanaki tribes of Maine.