MaineTech 2003
Maine
Governor John Baldacci officially proclaimed May 20, 2003 Maine Technology Day
in recognition of MaineTech 2003.
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"We need to make sure that students and
graduates recognize their opportunities here... in a business in Maine that's
starting up, attracting a customer base, and building opportunities for more
people in our state. Research and development, and technology-based businesses
represent one of the best economic development strategies for Maine." Governor
John Baldacci.
Photo by Larry Ayotte
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UMaine's most recent cooperative agreement with NSF EPSCoR came with $30,000
funding for an event that would help to promote university research as an
economic building tool.
Jake Ward, Executive Director of UMaine's Office of Research and Economic
Development, saw the opportunity to not only hold a statewide event, but make
the event statewide from the top down, starting with the planning.
The resulting team of event planners, now known as the Maine Technology
Consortium, included professionals from:
- The University of Maine
- UMaine's Target Technology Incubator
- Maine's Applied Technology Development Centers
- The Maine Technology Institute
- The Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership
- The Technology Law Center at the University of Maine School of Law
- The University of Southern Maine
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"... We're very excited that many of the
companies here today were formed out of university research or have worked with
the university to develop new products and new processes. The growth of these
companies will help Maine retain some of those really bright, young people that
we need to be a part of our society and part of our economy...." Dr. Peter S.
Hoff, President, The University of Maine.
Photo by Larry Ayotte
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Business to Business
Although the event was open to the public, the planning team never limited
themselves to building the event for a public audience exclusively.
MaineTech 2003 was about more than reaching a single audience.
Inventors got to meet manufacturers, manufacturers got to meet patent attorneys,
patent attorneys got to meet researchers, researchers got to meet legislators,
and so on, and so on.
Everyone was part of the audience, and that's just the way the MaineTech 2003
planners intended.
Exhibitors
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The first annual MaineTech event fills the
Augusta Civic Center with innovators, manufacturers and service providers.
Photo by Larry Ayotte
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Access Wellness Diagnostic Technologies Advanced Electronic Concepts
Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center, UMaine Aeration Systems Agent
Institute, UMaine Applied Technology Development Centers Applied Thermal
Sciences, Inc. Augusta, City of Avant Garde Corporation BioAnalyte, Inc.
BIODE, Inc. Biotechnology Association of Maine Brims Ness Corp. Buck &
Associates C&H Corp. CAPE Technologies, Inc. Center for Entrepreneurship
and Small Business, University of Southern Maine Center for Environmental
Enterprise Center for Innovation in Biotechnology Central Maine Growth
Council Clearpath Innovations, Inc. Common Census Composite Technology
Center Crucible Corporation Department of Economic and Community Development
Eastern Wireless, Inc. EchoVisioN Environmental & Energy Technology
Council of Maine Fast Hybrid Ship Development, UMaine Fluid Imaging
Technologies, Inc. Fogler Library, UMaine Foster, Vacirca and Associates
Foxtech Design, Inc. Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology Future Fuel
Technologies geekteam.com GHS Data Management Good Leads Holy Terra
Products Hulbert Design Hydro-Photon, Inc. Intelligent Spatial
Technologies Laboratory for Surface Science & Technology, UMaine Launch
Momentum Loring Applied Technology Center Madison Business Gateway Maine
Aquaculture Association Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center Maine
Association of Professional Consultants Maine Biotech Maine Department of
Environmental Protection Maine International Trade Center Maine
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Maine Patent Program Maine Small
Business Development Centers Maine Space Grant Consortium Maine Technology
Inst. Mainely Wireless Repair, Inc. Marine Composites, UMaine Market
Development Center McDougal Orchards Molding Tooling and Design, Inc.
Monroe Infrared Technology Inc. National Semiconductor New England Classic
New England's Environment Magazine New York Life North Atlantic Capital
NSF EPSCoR, UMaine Office of Research & Economic Development, UMaine Pearl
Information Services Process Development Center, UMaine Promising Futures,
Inc. Randome LLC Raven Technology LLC Red Rock Computer Design RF
Technologies Corp Rudman & Winchell Sagoma Technologies Seabait Maine LLC
SeptiTech, Inc. Shape Global Technology Small Enterprise Growth Fund
Spill Free Oil Drainage Products, LLC Stillwater Scientific Instruments
Target Technology Center Techniscribe, Inc. Technology Systems, Inc.
Telesyst Group TempGuard, Inc. Textile Forms Inc. The Lobster Institute,
UMaine Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center of Maine Vortechnics Inc.
The Business of Innovation
For MaineTech's lunchtime seminar, we asked Dean Kamen to talk about
innovation.
The dining hall was packed to the walls, as exhibitors abandoned their booths to
hear what Kamen had to say.
Dean Kamen is an innovator extraordinaire.
While still an undergraduate student in college, Kamen developed the first
wearable infusion pump, revolutionizing patient care in chemotherapy,
neonatology and endocrinology.
He went on to develop other infusion devices, including the first insulin pump
for people with diabetes.
He founded DEKA Research and Development Corporation and together with his
company, continued to innovate.
Achievements include the HomeChoice portable dialysis machine; the
Independence IBOT Mobility System for going where wheelchairs can't go,
including up and down stairs and over rough terrain; and the Segway Human
Transporter which enables people to carry more and go farther without giving up
their walking environment.
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"Innovation is difficult. Its
unpredictable. Its subject to failure. You cant have a company that doesnt
tolerate those things and expect innovation.... You can manage schedules and
budgets. You can manage a lot of things. You cant manage innovation. I think
innovative projects demand that you have real leadership." Dean Kamen
Photo by Larry Ayotte
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His presentation gave entertaining and insightful examples of how the process
of innovation runs counter to typical business practices like timelines,
deadlines, supervision, and the process of management, not to mention typical
business values like security and certainty.
Innovation is full of surprises, dark days, and bright spots, making it a
process that's palatable only to companies that are flexible, open minded, and
willing to make mistakes.
Sponsors
In addition to support from NSF EPSCoR, MaineTech 2003 received support from
the following:
- Maine Biotech Biotechnology Associate of Maine and Center for Innovation
in Biotechnology
- Mainely Wireless Repair, Inc.
- EchoVision
- Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership
- Maine Patent Program
- Applied Technology Development Centers / Department of Economic and
Community Development
- Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine
- Madison Business Gateway
- Rudman and Winchell Counselors at Law
- Small Enterprise Growth Fund
