UpStart Maine

08/21/2026

Meet Terry Johnson! Terry is the Mentor Network Manager at the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs , where he's built a career on connecting founders with mentors because it moves Maine’s economy forward. He believes that making introductions is as much about gauging chemistry between founder and mentor as it is about the expertise provided. The visibility and referrals that come back to him are real, but they're the byproduct of the service, never the reason for it.

He brings that same instinct to his work as Director of Strategy & Operations at OPTImind Labs and as an independent consultant to mid-size product companies where the real work of earning trust happens long before a proposal ever gets written.

Terry's take: Reputation isn't a transaction you make; it's a deposit you keep making, and you don't get to control when or how it comes back to you.

Get your tickets to Blitz:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blitz-2026-tickets-1991059445399?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=social&utm_medium=Blitz2026&utm_campaign=Aug&utm_id=Blitz

08/19/2026

Ali Lane is the Central & Northern Maine Center Director and a Certified Business Advisor with the Maine SBDC, where she has supported entrepreneurs since 2019. She holds an MBA and a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Maine.

A former—and perhaps future—entrepreneur herself, Ali successfully started, grew, and sold a restaurant in the Greater Bangor region. Her accomplishments include receiving the Maine SBDC’s State Star Award in 2021 and EMDC’s Community Partner of the Year Award in 2025. ⭐

Ali is especially passionate about helping entrepreneurs develop marketing strategies and tactics rooted in consumer behavior. She lives in Eastern Maine with her husband, their 1-year-old daughter, and their 11-year-old black lab.

🎟️ Get your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blitz-2026-tickets-1991059445399?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=social&utm_medium=Blitz2026&utm_campaign=Aug&utm_id=Blitz

08/17/2026

We’re excited to welcome our keynote speaker, Michael Duguay, to Blitz on September 23!

Michael is the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and a proud native of Fairfield.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from him at Blitz 2026. Save your spot today!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blitz-2026-tickets-1991059445399?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=social&utm_medium=Blitz2026&utm_campaign=Aug&utm_id=Blitz

08/01/2026

Before she owned a restaurant, Anik Derphilibossian was a nurse.

She traded hospital shifts for a folding table at local markets in Bangor, selling shawarma and toum to strangers curious enough to try something new. That folding table became a food truck. The food truck became Dreamer Food, a full restaurant at 97 Allen Street.

The instinct never changed. Just the setting.

Anik's story is this month's UpStart Maine Founder Spotlight, persistence over perfection, one loyal customer at a time.

Read the full story 👇
https://upstartmaine.org/turning-dreams-into-reality-how-anik-derphilibossian-built-dreamer-food/

07/23/2026

We love seeing new business grow in our region! 👏👏

NALDIS' Sign arrived today, compliments of our Host - Upstart Maine!

07/21/2026

Congratulations to Thriving Proof on your Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting!

UpStart Maine Vice President Biguita Hernandez-Smith and Program Manager/Entrepreneur in Residence Lisa Liberatore were honored to celebrate this exciting milestone with the team.

Building a business takes vision, resilience, and an incredible amount of hard work. We love showing up for entrepreneurs during these defining moments and celebrating the people who are helping strengthen Maine's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Congratulations to the entire Thriving Proof team-we're excited to watch your continued success!

07/01/2026

Reputation in the food industry doesn't come from marketing. It comes from showing up.

Balfour Farm shows up year-round at Portland farmers market. They're transparent on YouTube. They share what they've built. And after 15 years, they're known statewide.

If you're building a food business in Maine, here's how Heather and Doug actually did it: https://upstartmaine.org/how-balfour-farm-became-maines-most-intentional-food-producer/

06/24/2026

Great turnout last night for AI for Small Business, bringing together entrepreneurs eager to learn, connect, and grow.

Thank you to Dan Reed of SCORE Mentors for delivering practical AI strategies that business owners can use right now.

Shoutout to Heart of Maine United Way for hosting us, KeyBank for sponsoring, and Dreamer Food for an incredible spread.

This is what a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem looks like: knowledge, connections, and action—all in one room.

06/19/2026

Yoga teacher to founder of 70. All because she missed a bagel.

Five years ago, Tiffany Lopes was a stay-at-home mom and yoga teacher. She was also missing something, a real New York bagel.

So she taught herself sourdough fermentation and started in her kitchen. That became Sunrise Bagel.

Today, 4 locations across Central Maine. 70 employees. An anchor business built on strategy, conviction, and the right community.

Read her full story,it's proof that big things start small.
https://upstartmaine.org/from-stay-at-home-mom-to-70-employees-how-tiffany-lopes-built-sunrise-bagel/