Incubator fosters UM grad’s business

ORONO – A recent University of Maine graduate has become one of the newest tenants at the Target Technology Innovation Center’s business incubator in Orono, launching a forest consulting business he hopes will help loggers, foresters and landowners make the most efficient use of their property and equipment.

Within the hub of startup enterprises in the center is R.E. Consulting, created by Rory Eckardt of Orono, a recent UM graduate with a degree in forestry operations science. Eckardt is in his second semester of a Master’s program, and already is signing on clients throughout Maine.

With a background in the industry, Eckardt has identified a need for improvement in the business aspect of forestry and forest product manufacturing companies.

“Forestry companies are lean,” Eckardt explained. “Many of these companies lack the resources to identify and predict changing trends, which can affect their viability in an uncertain marketplace.”

Eckardt’s plan is to provide access to the tools and information for forest industry businesses to make knowledgeable decisions to improve their bottom line. Eckardt focuses on market research, business plan consulting, operations and cost analyses and strategic development services.

While Eckardt is confident about the demand for a company like his, he said the idea of starting a business from the ground up can be overwhelming. The Innovation Center at the Target Technology Incubator provided the solution. The center provides a space where students and university faculty can find the tools they need to start a business.

On-site resources include the Maine Patent Program, one-on-one counseling and access to advanced technology equipment, business modeling software and data, as well as the ability to connect with other new entrepreneurs.

The incubator also offers an extensive network to connect students and other tenants with external industry experts or businesses. All of these tools are made available to serious students and faculty at no cost, said Debbie Neuman, director of the incubator.

Students also can receive guidance on how to find startup capital. Additionally, a partnership with the Maine Technology Institute may provide a seed grant, for as much as $10,000 to a promising startup company.

Incubators such as Target Technology help young businesses navigate the many startup challenges facing inventors and entrepreneurs.

They also help keep business in Maine, Neuman said. “If we introduce them to what Maine has to offer, they’ll be much less likely to leave. Eighty-four percent of businesses which started in incubators stay in the area.”

In this case, Eckardt had an idea, and the Innovation Center helped him create the company. After taking part in several of the center’s Lunch and Learn seminars, Eckardt was inspired to look into starting a business.

“The Innovation Center is awesome,” he said. “Without it, I couldn’t imagine going into this kind of thing. It really helps to have that kind of support.” The center was developed by the Bangor Target Development Corp. in partnership with the University of Maine, the state of Maine and the city of Orono. Target Technology was one of the first four designated Applied Technology Development Centers in Maine.

The mission of the incubator program is to stimulate the growth of early stage information technology companies in an environment that fosters information technology activity. UM sponsors the innovation program as a way to assist in the commercialization of university-based research, in addition to supporting the development of new technologies in the private sector.

The business incubator comprises one-third of the 20,000-square-foot facility and also houses established technology companies; University of Maine researchers, including the National Center for Geographic Information Analysis; and a super computer cluster developed in partnership with the Department of Defense and Applied Thermal Sciences.