Business Incubator
Chris Davis has served as Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, since 2004. His responsibilities include overseeing 15-20 ongoing research projects funded by the Center, conducting an annual research grants program, conducting outreach and education activities and managing two aquaculture business incubators. Davis also serves as a director of the Maine Technology Institute, Maine Innovation Economy Advisory Board, Maine Aquaculture Association, Maine Department of Marine Resources Aquaculture Advisory Council and recently completed a two term as president of the National Shellfisheries Association.
Hosting/Sponsoring Organisation: In 2001 with financial support from the Maine State Legislature, MAIC and the University of Maine established the Maine Aquaculture Business Incubator Program with facilities at the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research in Franklin and the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. Working principally with start-up firms in need of land-based pilot-scale research and culture facilities, the business incubators provide tank space with flowing and recirculating fresh and salt water culture systems to test new culture methods or products. The incubators also provide office space with high speed connectivity, direct access to University researchers and students interns, business councilors, access to workshops and entrepreneurship training programs such as the Top Gun entrepreneurship accelerator program. PARTNERS : Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center has limited funds to support innovative research that will help advance the Maine aquaculture industry. Grant opportunities generally occur on an annual basis Maine Sea Grant Grant manages several grant funding opportunities for NOAA’s National Sea Grant Program Maine Technology Institute offers a variety of financial support options through grants, loans and equity investments NOAA Office of Aquaculture provides multiple funding opportunities in support of aquaculture research & development Northeast SARE offers a variety of grants for graduate students, farmers, educators, and resource managers NOAA Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants Program provides financial assistance (grants or cooperative agreements) for research and development projects to benefit the U.S. fishing (and aquaculture) industry. USDA Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center provides funds for multi-state research initiatives working to solve issues in NRAC’s targeted research areas.
List of projects they are working on: 1.Sampling of 20 ongoing research projects: -Pioneering GIS for shellfish site selection -Developing a low cost environmental data buoy -Optimizing seaweed culture methods -Sea scallop commercialization -Developing rapid detection methods for oyster MSX disease
2.Increasing Maine’s aquaculture and marine research capacity: -Constructed an algal production facility at the Darling Marine Center -Oceanographic instrumentation lending program to assist aquaculture enterprises -to identify optimal culture sites along our coast -Enhancements to the aquaculture business incubator at the CCAR -Improvements to the DMC Marine Culture Laboratory for business incubation3.
3.Business incubation: -750K establishment grant to construct two incubator facilities at Darling and CCAR -Provide business development and support services to incubator tenants (with support from the DECD) -Recently renovated laboratory space for business incubation at the Darling Marine Center
4.Training and education: -Partnered with the Aquaculture in Shared Waters Project fisheries retraining program -Developing an electronic aquaculture curriculum -Host the Northeast Aquaculture Conference & Exposition, held biennially throughout New England since 1998.
