Internship Program Matches Students with Growing Maine Companies

The University of Maine’s Foster Center for Student Innovation is seeking motivated, innovative Maine college students and Maine companies that want to make a difference in the state through the Innovate for Maine internship program, supported by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.

The Innovate for Maine internship program connects the best and brightest Maine college students with Maine’s most exciting, growing companies as a way to grow and create jobs across Maine through innovation and entrepreneurship. The program offers paid internship positions that place students with companies to receive training in innovation and entrepreneurship and real-world job experience. Other benefits include potential academic credit and networking opportunities with Maine businesses and other students.

Applications are also available for Maine companies looking for summer interns. Companies that are selected to participate in this program are able to get the help they need to accelerate projects and grow their business. Trained innovation experts guide and mentor both the student and the company throughout the duration of the project.

The application deadline for student internships is March 15. The deadline for companies to apply for interns is March 23.

Innovate for Maine is open to students who are matriculated in a degree program attending any college in Maine or who are Maine residents attending college outside the state.

Interns can work full- or part-time during the summer, part-time during the academic year, and, in some cases, may be able to work for the summer and continue their internships during the academic year.

More information and applications for the Innovate for Maine program are online.

Innovate for Maine will match interns with companies developing innovative new products or services, and seeking to significantly grow revenues and employment. Based on company size, the initiative will assist companies with matching funds to support an intern.

Innovate for Maine interns participate in an intensive week of preparation before beginning their internships. The mandatory “boot camp” includes training in UMaine’s cutting-edge program in Innovation Engineering, a systematic process for developing and testing breakthrough innovations. In addition, students will learn more about Maine’s entrepreneurial landscape and the Blackstone Accelerates Growth project and network with entrepreneurial leaders.

Blackstone Accelerates Growth promotes entrepreneurship, growth and a culture of success in Maine to strengthen the ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Maine. Thanks to decades of deliberate effort, Maine has many great companies and is becoming one of the best places in the country to start a business. But now those businesses need to grow. Maine has both the talent and resources to support high-growth companies, yet even firms with significant potential stay too small to become significant job engines for their community. This compelling dichotomy motivated the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to launch a $3 million initiative to spark Maine’s high-potential businesses.

“There are a number of Maine companies developing new innovations that are eager for talented students who understand the innovation process,” says Renee Kelly, co-director of the Foster Center. “By matching students trained in innovation engineering with these companies, we hope to help the companies grow while helping Maine students see that there are great opportunities to work and stay in Maine after they graduate.”

For more information about UMaine’s Innovation Engineering program, go to foster.target.maine.edu/students/what-is-innovation-engineering.

Contact: Renee Kelly, 207.581.1401