UMaine Showcase Day
Outdoor Products R&D Edition
In partnership with Maine Outdoor Brands
UMaine Showcase Day: Outdoor Products
UMaine Showcase Day
Join us Sept. 8 & 9!
Join us for a two-day event designed to connect Maine’s outdoor product companies with cutting-edge research, resources, and partnerships at the University of Maine.
AGENDA AT-A-GLANCE
MONDAY, SEPT. 8
- 10AM – 10:30AM: Welcome at Wells Conference Center
- 10:30AM – 12PM: Guided tours of UMaine’s state-of-the-art manufacturing and product development labs
- Tours will include the Advanced Manufacturing Center, Process Development Center, VEMI Lab, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and the NEW Textiles Lab!
- 12:15PM – 1:15PM: Lunch at Wells Conference Center (World Cafe style)
- 1:30PM – 4PM: Tours continue
- 4:15PM – 6:15PM: MOB Scene cookout at Maine Bound Adventure Center
- 6:30PM: MOB Scene continues at Orono Brewing Company
Optional lodging is available at no cost at Hotel Ursa. Please indicate whether you’d like a room on the registration form and email Taylor Boucher [taylor.boucher@maine.edu] with any questions.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 9
- 8 – 8:30AM: Breakfast at Wells Conference Center
- 8:30AM – 12PM: Morning Workshops
- 12PM: Lunch at Wells Conference Center [eat in or grab & go]
more on the mob scene
For September’s MOB Scene, Maine Outdoor Brands is heading to Orono and the University of Maine. We’ll be having a BBQ at Maine Bound, getting a tour of their outdoor center, and then heading over to Orono Brewing Company to continue networking and connecting.
MOB Scenes are the perfect place to connect with others in Maine’s outdoor industry, learn about what everyone is up to, and perhaps even forge a lasting relationship, partnership, or collaboration with another brand.
WORKSHOP: SMART MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR MAINE’S OUTDOOR BUSINESSES
Jim Hauptman (he/him) is the managing director at Blaze Partners, an employee-owned, B Corp Certified, advertising/digital marketing agency. Blaze serves a wide range of clients in Maine and beyond, and was responsible for the creation of Maine Outdoor Brands in 2017. Since that time, Blaze has worked persistently to strengthen Maine’s outdoor recreation economy and the companies in it.
Katie Wolitarsky (she/her) is a PR and brand consultant based in Portland, Maine. Katie brings her 15+ years in PR, events, and national brand experience to deliver thoughtful communications strategies to local brands and initiatives – from active lifestyle to outdoor to small business
WORKSHOP: STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS RESILIENCE AND GROWTH MINDSET
Jason S. Entsminger, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and State Extension Specialist for Small Business at the University of Maine. His research explores how businesses leverage networks, institutional environments, and collective strategies for success. Dr. Entsminger teaches courses on new venture creation, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and business strategy, emphasizing practical applications for rural entrepreneurs. He has received national recognition for his integrated research and outreach education programming related to agritourism, outdoor recreation economies, and community and economic development planning facilitation. Holding a joint appointment between the Maine Business School and Maine Cooperative Extension, Dr. Entsminger bridges research and practice to help communities and firms build rural entrepreneurial support systems and develop sustainable rural ventures.
Jens Kaus, Ph.D., is Postdoctoral Fellow within the Maine Business School at the University of Maine. His work focuses on how firms build sustainable business models, integrate place-based strategies, and how to create business-friendly community environments. Dr. Kaus has previously supported entrepreneurs in Munich and San Francisco scale their ventures and build innovative approaches.
Jason Harkins, Ph.D., is an experienced entrepreneurship educator and ecosystem builder, currently serving as Executive Dean of the Maine Business School and Dean of the Graduate School of Business at the University of Maine. He designs and delivers programming that equips entrepreneurs with critical competencies for success, including business model development, strategic growth planning, and cultivating a resilient, opportunity-focused mindset. As Managing Director of the Scratchpad Accelerator, Dr. Harkins has supported dozens of early-stage companies through technical assistance, mentoring, and applied research. His work emphasizes practical, action-oriented approaches that empower entrepreneurs to launch, adapt, and scale ventures in complex environments. A published scholar in entrepreneurship and strategy, Dr. Harkins is also an active advisor to economic development organizations and entrepreneurial ventures throughout the Northeast.
This project was funded in part using Federal funds under Award from the US EDA, of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and administered by the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation.