Maine tech startups arise from increased interest in great outdoors

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 27, 2021

Investors, entrepreneurs and outdoor industry professionals have taken notice of the growing interest in the great outdoors and the new technology-driven ways people are connecting with it. With ample outdoor recreation opportunities and with a growing number of resources for entrepreneurs, they believe Maine is well positioned to carve out a place in the field. Brian Whitney, president of the Maine Technology Institute in Brunswick, has seen “a precipitous increase” in technology-based startups seeking funding and other assistance from the business development engine since the start of the pandemic. Outdoor recreation in Maine generated $2.3 billion in gross output in 2020 – $260 million of that from the manufacturing of outdoor recreation gear and equipment.