Success stories and testimonials from past MCE participants.
About Our Alumni
MCE alumni members have included twenty-somethings, AARP-demographic entrepreneurs, and every age in between. Companies who have participated in our past programs have included technology companies, innovative food companies, as well as service companies with a unique twist.
What binds our participants together are their high aspirations to achieve growth through innovation.
Alumni Testimonials
MCE programs and workshops have enabled many companies to achieve their goals and go beyond their dreams. Hear what our alumni have to say about MCE:
“When we (Ocean Renewable Power Company) first decidedto make Portland the headquarters for ORPC, we had little (actually no)money and needed to start our base of operations. MCE provided us thatand more, including credibility. And as a huge bonus, we got to knowJohn Ferland, who was running MCE at the time, and John is now our VicePresident of Project Development and has been a key to our success todate.”
— Chris Sauer, CEO, Ocean Renewable Power Company, Portland
ORPC incubated at MCE and has gone on to become a global leader in tidal power generation, and has generated about 100 Maine jobs.
“The Top Gun Program provided us with extraordinaryguidance and professional advice. We are on course to achieve ourbusiness goals because of the Top Gun program. This is incrediblyimportant to us.”
— Steve Shaffer, CEO, Black Dinah Chocolatiers, Westbrook
Black Dinah Chocolatiers is nationally recognized. Top Gun Prep graduate, Top Gun 2013 class.
“Having MCED as a resource has been a God send to ourcompany’s development and our ability to stay headquartered in Maine.Not only have we been given direct support that has been extraordinarilyvaluable to us in our growth plans and funding, but we have found anetwork of other businesses, peers, resources that have made an immensedifference to us.”
— Shannon Kinney, Founder and Chief Success Officer, Dream Local Digital, Rockland
Shannon is a “boomeranger” who grew up in Maine, started a dot.com in Chicago, worked for a corporate venture capital firm in Silicon Valley but came home to start her company. MeBIS client.
“The programs offered by MCE are a great combination ofcurriculum and connections. For curriculum, MCE understands the rangeof experience and knowledge of its participants and does a nice jobpresenting information that is beneficial to everyone involved. Forconnections, there is no better network that I am aware of in Maine withsuch a strong interest in fostering business success. Those involvedoffer input ranging from passive suggestions to full scale mentoring.This combination of curriculum and connections, offered at warp speedsis not something you can find in traditional education or other formats.It has been a great help to our organization.”
— Mike Davis, CEO, IRC Solar Roof Systems, Lewiston
IRC Solar Roof Systems is a fast-growing division of a successful, long time, family owned roofing company in Lewiston and was a Top Gun 2012 graduate.
“I just wanted to write and personally thank you foryour level of professionalism and attention to detail in your Top Gunprep course. I’ve just finished my first few classes for my MBA throughWPI’s cohort program and I have to say, you are both operating out ofthe same playbook. I’m really impressed so far. WPI’s biz school faculty(and staff, actually) are all Babson ex-pats so the program has somesimilarities to what you may be familiar too. But I kept thinking, when Iwas down there, what an amazing program you put together that spannedso short an amount of time.”
— Alexander Sargent, Founder, Roadcollect.com, Portland
Alex is a Marine veteran and USM graduate. He won our “Back of the Napkin” contest and with it, a Top Gun Prep scholarship.
“Being part of the Top Gun program was a greatexperience, not only was it informative and educational but alsoinspiring. It was great to get to work among fellow industry peers thatare all passionate about what they do and so driven to grow. The valueof the program far exceeded my expectations.”
— Jonathan Turcotte, Founder, Glidden Point Oyster Farms
Glidden Point Oyster Farms participated in the 2018 Aquaculture focused Top Gun class.
“I’m compelled to write a thank you to you as I seethat it looks like RHEAL will be up 10% gross sales over last year. It’squite possible my mentor connections through Top Gun helped us getthere.”
— Rhonda H. Nordstrom, Founder, RHEAL Day Spa
Rhonda was a graduate of the 2016 Top Gun class
“Top Gun gave us tools, community, and, mostimportantly, lots of opportunities to practice, utterly screw up, butultimately forge what evolved into a pretty decent business pitch. Itwas a valuable experience that put Rapport on the road toward viability.”
— John Rooks, Founder, Rapport
Rapport was a 2015 graduate of the Top Gun Class.
“Top Gun was an incredible learning experience for usat Bangs Island Mussels. The classroom time was very helpful, but theaccess to an army of skilled mentors was priceless!”
— Matthew Moretti, MS & President, Wild Ocean Aquaculture, LLC/Bangs Island Mussels, Portland
Bangs Island Mussels participated in the 2018 Aquaculture focused Top Gun class.
“Direct experience is the best teacher, and I hadseveral excellent mentors during both the Top Gun program as well as atMassChallenge. I learned firsthand the most efficient ways for mentorsand mentees to communicate with each other on a regular basis, whatadvice is most helpful, and most importantly, useful and constructiveways to give advice.”
— Dr. Susan MacKay, CEO, Cerahelix, Orono
Dr. MacKay participated in the first Top Gun class in 2009 with her first startup, and is now working on her second company.
“The connections with people we’ve met through the (TopGun) mentor program and the events is easily the most valuable aspect.If you look at what makes places like Silicon Valley so fertile forinnovation, it’s basically a critical mass of people building companiesand trying new things, and a culture where cross-pollination is thenorm. So in trying to accelerate entrepreneurship in Maine, gettingenergetic, smart people together has got to be the top priority.”
— Ben Polito, CEO, Pika Energy, Gorham
Ben Polito is a “boomeranger” – he grew up in Maine, went to MIT, worked in Arizona on the market leading wind turbine, and came home to build his startup. 2012 Top Gun graduate.
“We had an idea and a company when we started MCEDincubation. Over the last 4 months the events, seminars, and personalmentoring provided has progressed our company and idea into a businessviable for investment both within Maine and nationally (California). Theadvice and expertise “on-call” through MCED is indispensable tostarting entrepreneurs as they navigate the very complex landscape oftheir individual industry. MCED has connected AboGen with institutionswithin Maine in legal and finance and has given us leverage to get thebest value for our money and obtain free advice and counseling,indispensable to bootstrapping startups.”
— Stephen Andrews, CEO, Abogen, Portland
Stephen Andrews is a “boomeranger” who grew up in Maine, went away to get his Ph.D. in molecular biochemistry, then returned home to start his biosciences company. MeBIS client.
“Thanks for an amazing class. This idea of mine hasprogressed so much in the last two months and I don’t think it would beas far along without your insights.”
— Rocco Sbardella, CEO, Mobile Magic, Portland
Rocco is a USM grad, software developer and cancer survivor who took Top Gun Prep and is in the Top Gun class of 2013. He is developing augmented reality software for local business marketing.
“I so much appreciate all you have provided for me andCloud 9, LLC last year. Without folks like you our effort would be somuch more difficult. I am sincerely fortunate to have benefited greatlyfrom your support and guidance.”
— Gordon Monk, Founder, Cloud 9 LLC, Portland
After a successful career writing software for others around the country, Gordon Monk is collaborating with a USM linguistics faculty member and a number of USM students to build an innovative software company here in Maine.
“Top Gun was great opportunity to get out of thebusiness owner bubble and bounce ideas off/solve problems with otherentrepreneurs.”
— Sara Rademaker, Founder, American Unagi
American Unagi was a graduate of the 2015 Top Gun Class.
“For the past four months I have been in Top Gun’sentrepreneur accelerator program in Portland. I have been working on aneasy/accessible way to bring mindfulness and self-regulation strategiesinto the classroom and beyond-ultimately sharing tools for stressmanagement and creating a trauma informed approach for the whole child.
TopGun’s program has given me deep insight, connection and clarity on howto make this vision become a reality. Deep gratitude for all theattention that was put into this program by the top gun staff. It wasclearly thought out and well executed. The participants consistentlyshowed determination, drive and grit which was truly inspirational.”
— Julie Campilio, Director & Founder, Radiant Beginnings Yoga
Radiant Beginnings was a graduate of the 2017 Top Gun class.
“The experience of participating in Top Gun, includinghelpful feedback, allowed me to keep improving and refining the visionand pitch, culminating in a 25 page business plan I completed inJanuary, and a set of 7 years’ worth of financial projections.Top Gun isa key program, without which I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
— Carter Newell, President, Pemaquid Mussel Farms