By Zack Anchors

Staff Writer



After ten years of nurturing fledgling companies on the Southern Maine
Community College campus, the Maine Center for Enterprise Development
(MCED) is moving to the University of Southern Maine. The center, which
provides space for new companies as well as help with seeking financial
assistance and developing business partnerships, is expecting the new
location at USM’s Bioresearch Wing to offer stronger ties with Maine’s
research and business communities.



“We have an opportunity to partner with a four-year research and
development university and partner with more student entrepreneurs,”
said MCED Executive Director John Ferland. “We became one of the most
successful business incubators in northern New England [while at SMCC]
and now we need to grow beyond this location.”



MCED, which was initiated in the mid-1990s by members of the Greater
Portland Regional Chamber, is designed to increase the success rate of
start-up companies. Since its inception companies at MCED have raised
more than $6 million in early stage capital, received 30 patents, won
more than 20 business grants and have formed partnerships with
organizations throughout the world, including eight universities.



MCED chooses companies for participation that show scientific and
technical innovation and show potential for growth, job creation and
entrepreneurial strength.



Until last year, MCED leased two floors of a wing of Hague Hall, a
building that also hosts SMCC’s technology center. SMCC president Jim
Ortiz said that last year MCED moved out of the second floor, allowing
the college to renovate and reclaim the space. The move to USM, Ortiz
said, is a development that serves the needs of both organizations. At
the same time MCED was planning to expand and form stronger ties with
USM, SMCC was experiencing a shortage of classroom and office space,
Ortiz said.



“We’re going to consolidate some of the faculty offices—right now they
are spread over the campus—and we’ll have a few more classrooms.” Ortiz
said.



One of the reasons MCED originally moved to SMCC—which was then a
technical college—was to create collaborations between programs at the
college and the incubator.



“They would have internships for some of the companies” said Ortiz.
“They would also be working with students who are with our
entrepreneurial center.”



Ferland said that although their will continue to be a relationship
between MCED and SMCC, the new location at USM will proved increased
opportunities for his organization.



“The relationship with SMCC is an example of a partnership that has
been positive but has changed over time as the institutions changed,”
he said. “But we’ll continue working with the community at large.”



At its new location MCED plans to strengthen ties with several programs
at USM including the School of Business Entrepreneurship, the Maine
Patent Program, the School of Applied Science, the Engineering and
Technology departments and the Research Computing Group.