Innovate for Maine program matches interns with growing companies
The University of Maine’s Foster Center for Student Innovation is seeking motivated, innovative Maine companies that want to make a difference for the state through the Innovate for Maine Fellows program.
The Innovate for Maine Fellows program connects the best and brightest Maine college students with the state’s most exciting, growing companies as a way to create and sustain jobs in Maine through innovation and entrepreneurship.
The program, which is now accepting applications for companies, offers paid internships that place students with businesses to receive real-world job experience and training in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Innovate for Maine interns are able to conduct tasks such as develop market research, write marketing messages and innovation descriptions, and run “fail fast, fail cheap” experiments, such as prototyping and sales forecasting.
“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.”
Trained innovation experts guide and mentor the student and company for the duration of the project. UMaine handles all recruiting, screening, matching, hiring, and initial innovation and workplace training.
The Innovate for Maine program will match interns with companies that are developing innovative new products or services, and seeking to significantly grow revenues and employment. The initiative is part of Maine Accelerates Growth, and assists companies with matching funds, according to company size, to support the cost.
Maine Accelerates Growth (MxG) aims to create jobs and economic development in Maine through entrepreneurship and growth. It works with partners to create statewide programs with coordinated, focused activities to accelerate companies, connections and the next generation of Maine entrepreneurs.
The application deadline for companies is March 30.
Fellows can work full or part time during the summer with the possibility of continuing part time during the academic year.
More information and applications for the Innovate for Maine program are online.
Contact: Angela Marcolini, 581.1429