Named for Maine’s premiere entrepreneur and innovator, the Harold Alfond® Institute for Business Innovation has been established to spur economic vitality in Central Maine by nurturing the very talent that will assist in the creation of both jobs and wealth for the area.
The Institute provides early-stage entrepreneurs with free assistance to help them in the Ideation and Incubation stages of their entrepreneurial journey. More specifically, HAIBI staff provides the following services:
Ideation
Individuals or businesses looking for assistance to come up with or validate an idea. This includes guidance in the areas of market identification, customer discovery and the framework for monetization
Incubation
Individuals or businesses looking for assistance in further molding an idea into a working prototype or Minimum Viable Product. HAIBI can provide insight on how to refine their business model and find ‘paying customers.’
For one-on-one in-person or remote counseling sessions, please contact Mike Duguay at 207-859-1151.
The Institute in the News
- Thomas College Hosts 2020 ‘Thomas College Plugged In’ WABI
- The Institute hosts 3rd Annual Central Maine Converge and Create Weekend & Preliminary Round of Greenlight Maine: College Edition Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal
- Thomas College Students Win National Business Awards Bangor Daily News.
- Thomas College’s Harold Alfond® Institute for Business Innovation helps to fund WI-FI in Downtown Waterville: Maine Biz
- Thomas College Innovates its Offerings to Build Workforce: New England Board of higher Education and Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal
- Executive Director Mike Duguay tells how the Institute came to be: WGAN’s Maine Points
- The announcement of Harold Alfond’s $5.3 million commitment: Co, Maine Startups Insider, Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal, Bangor Daily News, and MaineBiz
