Introducing Maine Innovation Nights

Our mission is to help Maine entrepreneurs get more visibility for their new products and connect members of the local innovation community.

Boston is the home of the original Innovation Nights events. Started in 2009 as Mass Innovation Nights, the event is designed to help local innovators increase the buzz around new products and companies.

Each Innovation Nights event brings new products and services, and the social media community turns out to blog, tweet, post pictures and videos, add product mentions to LinkedIn and Facebook statuses, and otherwise help spread the word.

In the last seven-plus years, the Innovation Nights have helped to:
— Launch over 1500 new products for startups who received more than $4B in funding
— Connect dozens of job seekers and hiring managers
— Profile dozens of local experts

Maine Innovation Nights allow companies to show off Maine-based innovation by connecting startups and established businesses launching new products or services with customers, social media influencers, and investors.
We call an Innovation Nights event a “stone soup” event. Remember the folk story of Stone Soup? A stranger or small group of travelers chance upon a poor village. The travelers are hungry, but everyone claims to have nothing to share. So the travelers create a fire, hang a pot of water over it, and place a stone inside, telling one and all that they are making “stone soup.” Of course, it will taste better with a little something for flavoring, a carrot, a potato, maybe even a little piece of meat. Soon everyone in the village has contributed “just a little something,” and everyone sits down to enjoy the wonderful feast.

Innovation Nights are like stone soup. Someone has a space to hold an event, with tables and wireless. Companies have new products to promote. Social media mavens create buzz. Others donate a few hours of their time and expertise.

Soon, everyone is benefiting from the wonderful event we create together.