UMaine encourages the creation of new companies based on UMaine research that has commercial potential. ORED works with faculty, students and entrepreneurs to identify resources that can help a company commercialize UMaine technologies. Many UMaine spin-offs are tenants or affiliates of one the state's technology business incubators.

The Corporation for Enterprise Development recently ranked Maine among the top ten states in the nation for the number of companies spun out of its university research endeavors.