WATERVILLE, MAINE, October 2021 – Calling all entrepreneurs and innovators! The 5th Annual Central Maine Converge and Create Weekend will be hosted virtually by The Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation at Thomas College on Friday, November 19, 2021 from 1 to 4:45 p.m., as well as on Saturday, November 20, 2021, from 1 to 5 p.m. for the Greenlight Maine Collegiate Business Pitch state-wide college competition.
The two-day event is for individuals interested in entrepreneurship and stories about how ordinary people took ordinary ideas and turned them into extraordinary businesses. This year, attendees will have the opportunity to learn through interacting online with entrepreneurs and several industry experts who provide assistance and early-stage capital to grow and scale businesses.
Register online at www.thomas.edu/create. Cost is FREE for both the public and for students.
“I’m once again delighted to be able to bring such a talented group of experts in the field of entrepreneurship to the public,” said Executive Director of Thomas College’s Harold Alfond® Institute for Business Innovation Mike Duguay. “These entrepreneurs are developing and scaling the businesses that will help drive our economy forward in the near future. In addition, the industry experts that we will hear from on how to foster and grow entrepreneurial ventures are some of the best at this in the country.”
Friday’s lineup will include Jake Warn, Founder of SledTrx, Dylan Veilleux, Founder of Tree Free Heat; Christian Krohg, Founder of Easy Eats; Nick Rimsa, Founder of Tortoise Labs and Eariously; Joe Powers, Maine Venture Fund; Sandra Stone, Chair of Maine Angels; Sarah Joy Chaples, Small Business Development Manager for the State of Maine; Susan Ruhlin, Managing Director of Dirigo Labs; Thomas Kittredge, Investment Officer for MTI; Chandler Jones, Principal at CEI Ventures; and Chris Wolfel, Director of Entrepreneurship for the Roux Institute.
On Saturday, November 20, attendees can listen to live business pitches as the Emmy-nominated television show Greenlight Maine conducts its preliminary business pitch competition with college students throughout Maine. Competitors are vying for the opportunity to appear on Greenlight Maine’s televised show later in the year and to compete for prize money.
About Thomas College: Thomas College has been preparing students for success in their personal and professional lives for over 125 years. Thomas College nurtures the unique potential within each student. Our Guaranteed Job Program, 3-year accelerated offerings in all undergraduate degrees, individualized advising, career counseling, and our Innovation Centers in Business and Education meet a student’s determination to succeed with the direction, confidence, and tools to realize the highest version of themselves. Our graduate degree offerings fit your lifestyle ranging from in-person and on-campus to 100% online degree programs. From the classroom to community activities, or on the athletics field with our 19 varsity sports, Thomas College provides a personalized experience that prepares you for the workplace of tomorrow. Data reported by the New York Times ranks Thomas in the top 13 percent of all higher education institutions in the U.S. for upward mobility of its graduates, and U.S. News & World Report ranks us #7 among colleges in the Northeast. For more information, visit www.thomas.edu or contact MacKenzie Riley Young at pr@thomas.edu or 207-859-1313. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.