Waterville Area Ventures

We support businesses from idea through accelerated growth as Maine’s first entrepreneurial ecosystem

How can we help you?

The Waterville and Skowhegan area is a hotspot of entrepreneurial activity within the state of Maine, and the host of Maine’s first of its kind entrepreneurial ecosystem established to assist early-stage entrepreneurs.

In partnership with

Waterville Area Ventures provides assistance to the entrepreneurial community at three critical stages; IDEATION, INCUBATION and ACCELERATION.

As an entrepreneur, you are on your own journey and need a specific level of assistance at each of these distinct stages.

Our world-class assistance providers working as a single unit that can help you where you are on that journey…you just need to choose where to start!

See what other entrepreneurs are saying about Waterville

Got an Idea?

Do you have an idea for a business but don’t know what to do? Need some guidance but don’t know anyone who has that expertise? Perhaps you need a mentor who has done this before? We’ve got you covered!

Choose where you think you need to enter the system based on your current needs and our talented staff will take it from there. Or, get matched to resources by filling out the form below.

Ideation

Individuals or businesses looking for assistance to come up with or validate an idea. This includes market identification, customer discovery and the framework for monetization.

Harold Alfond Institute
for Business Innovation

Incubation

Individuals or businesses looking for assistance in further molding an idea into a working prototype. Entrepreneurs looking to refine their business model and finding ‘paying customers’

Harold Alfond Institute
for Business Innovation

Acceleration

Individuals or businesses looking to be involved in an immersive cohort program that includes educational components and mentorship needed to take their business idea to the next stage.

Dirigo Labs

Already Have a Business?

Do you already have a business but need some help growing it? Or perhaps you need to find a new space for your business? Or are you struggling with a particular business issue and would like some help working through it?

The Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) can assist you and your business with all of those needs and many more.

CMGC provides a full array of economic and business development services for businesses looking to scale and grow their operations in the Waterville / Winslow / Fairfield / Oakland communities.

Central Maine Growth Council