Anthony Durante

Anthony Durante currently serves as the Director of New Ventures for the Office of Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Resources, and Engagement at the University of Maine. In this role, he is responsible for the development and implementation of strategy, initiatives, and programs that advance the commercialization of innovations developed within the University of Maine System and partner research organizations.

His previous roles in the entrepreneurial ecosystem include having served as the Manager of Entrepreneurial Support for the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where he managed Ben Franklin TechVentures, a 129,000-square-foot technology-focused business incubator. Prior to that, Anthony served as the Program Manager for the Allentown Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), where he managed the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center, a 64,000-square-foot manufacturing business incubator.

Anthony has been a long-time member of the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) and earned his Entrepreneurship Center Management Certificate. Anthony has presented at multiple conferences and is part of the teaching cadre for the Entrepreneurship Center Management (ECM) Certificate Program. Anthony joined the InBIA Board of Directors in 2022 and leads the Awards Task Force. 

Before his endeavors in business incubation, Anthony spent more than 20 years fulfilling various technical and managerial roles in the electronics and measurement science fields supporting the aerospace, defense, automotive, and medical device industries. Anthony previously served in the United States Marine Corps, supporting Marine Corps aviation and attaining the rank of Sergeant, before being honorably discharged in 2003 after 12 years of service.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics Management from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration degree with a Certificate in Corporate Entrepreneurship from Lehigh University.

Anthony is originally from Queens, New York, and resides in Bangor, Maine with his wife Tara, while his stepson Sam is blazing his own successful path in Philadelphia. He is an avid bicycler, cat wrangler, and hobby photographer in his spare time.