2027 Dirigo Labs Accelerator Application

Every successful startup story starts with great people. Applications close Friday, January 8, 2027.

Applications for the 2027 Dirigo Labs Accelerator are open

The program begins Monday, February 1, 2027. Applications close Friday, January 8, 2027, and the application takes about 15 minutes.

Apply Below

Applications are open now for a program that starts in February. The 2027 Dirigo Labs Accelerator runs from Monday, February 1 through late May 2027. We open applications early so we can build the cohort, match every company with mentors, and have everything ready for the first session.

Every successful startup story starts with great people. The Dirigo Labs Accelerator is a 16-week, founder-focused program run by the Central Maine Growth Council in Waterville for Maine startups with demonstrated traction. Over four months, a small cohort of companies works with mentors, investors, and industry experts to build a custom financial model, sharpen product-market fit and go-to-market strategy, and prepare an investor-ready pitch. The program ends on stage at the annual Dirigo Labs Pitch Competition, where every cohort company pitches to a panel of judges and a live audience for cash prizes.

Dirigo Labs by the numbers

$35.6M
in capital raised by Dirigo Labs alumni companies
$17.4M
in sales generated by alumni companies
18,000+
customers served by alumni companies
126
products and services launched by alumni

Cumulative impact of Dirigo Labs alumni companies, as reported in June 2026.

At a glance

What the program does

Magic happens when you start with great people and add world-class mentorship, a topically relevant curriculum, capital investment, and a coworking space where teams can innovate and grow. The Accelerator moves in three phases, each building on the last.

1
February

Dirigo Model

Nine one-hour virtual sessions with our Entrepreneur in Residence, working through your company’s numbers line by line.

You leave withA custom financial model you can put in front of lenders, grantmakers, and investors.
2
March into April

Dirigo Build

Five weeks on product strategy, customer discovery and product-market fit, marketing and brand, pricing and revenue streams, and go-to-market.

You leave withA six-month product roadmap and a one-page go-to-market plan.
3
April into May

Dirigo Raise

Five weeks on pitch deck architecture, capital strategy, building for scale, and investor targeting and outreach, ending in rehearsals with mentors.

You leave withAn investor-ready deck, a defined capital ask, a target investor list, and a polished pitch.
Late May

Dirigo Labs Pitch Competition. Every cohort company takes the stage in downtown Waterville to pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience for cash prizes.

It ends with the Pitch Competition

The program culminates in late May at the annual Dirigo Labs Pitch Competition in downtown Waterville, a free public event with a live stream. Every cohort company delivers a polished pitch to a panel of investors, lenders, and ecosystem leaders, and the audience and the cohort itself vote on their favorites. In 2026 the fifth annual competition awarded a $25,000 prize pool, with a $20,000 Judges’ Pitch Prize plus Cohort Choice and Audience Choice awards, in front of a packed room at Greene Block + Studios. For many founders it is their first investor-facing pitch, and they leave with a deck, a capital strategy, and a network to go with it.

The 2026 Dirigo Labs Pitch Competition winners holding their prize checks on stage at Greene Block + Studios in Waterville
The 2026 winners, left to right: Karen Getz of SobaSparkle (Cohort Choice), Melissa McHugh of Dooryard (Audience Choice), Vicki Alward of Skowhegan Savings Bank, the competition’s title sponsor, and Aidan Salisbury of Latis Materials (Judges’ Pitch Prize). Photo: Todd Hopkins Photography.

What you get

Wondering what we are looking for? Generally, the big three:

We would also like to see startups that have reached at least one of the following milestones: revenue, customers or users, funded research and development, awarded business grants, investor interest, or previous startup success. We welcome companies across Maine’s growth sectors, including artificial intelligence, the bioeconomy, the blue economy, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and clean technology.

Application

Tell us about you, your company, and your traction. The application takes about 15 minutes. Applications close Friday, January 8, 2027.

Founder

First, the basics about you. Short answers are fine throughout; a few sentences each is plenty.
Name(Required)

Your company

Tell us what you are building and who it is for.
Optional. Paste the full URL.
Is the company based in Maine?(Required)
Two to four sentences.
Your business model and pricing as it stands today. Two to four sentences.
Industry / sector(Required)
Select all that apply.
Who is on the team, what each person does, and how many are full time and part time.

Traction

The Accelerator is built for companies with demonstrated traction. Tell us where you are today.
Revenue, customers or users, pilots, grants, capital raised and from whom, or other evidence of progress. Numbers are welcome; a short list is fine.
Are you interested in federal SBIR/STTR funding?(Required)
Dirigo Labs is Maine’s SBIR/STTR Resource Center and can help eligible companies pursue federal R&D funding.

Fit and logistics

A few last things so we can match you with the right mentors and support.
What kind of help do you need most?(Required)
Select up to five.
What would make the Accelerator a success for your company by the end of May 2027? A few sentences.
Can you commit to the full program?(Required)
February 1 through late May 2027: Dirigo Model virtual sessions Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon in February, weekly Tuesday morning workshops, occasional Thursday evening sessions, and in-person events in Waterville, including the Pitch Competition.
If you have taken part in a Dirigo Labs program before, mention it here.
Confirmation(Required)

Program commitment

The Dirigo Labs Accelerator works because founders show up for it. By accepting a spot in the 2027 cohort, you agree to:

  • Attend as many sessions as you reasonably can, in person and online, including Dirigo Model in February, the weekly Build and Raise workshops, and the Pitch Competition in May.
  • Engage with your cohort, your assigned mentors, and Dirigo Labs staff between sessions, and respond to them in a timely way.
  • Complete the assignments that build toward your financial model, go-to-market plan, and pitch.
  • Share basic company metrics with Dirigo Labs during the program and in periodic alumni check-ins, so we can report on the program’s impact to the partners and funders who support it.
  • Let us know promptly if your circumstances change and you can no longer participate fully, so your spot can be offered to another Maine founder.
Agree(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How selection works

Every application is read and scored by the Dirigo Labs team against the same rubric. Finalists are invited to a short conversation with our staff in mid-January so we can learn more about the company and answer your questions. Accepted companies are notified by the end of January, and Dirigo Model begins on Monday, February 1, 2027. Everyone who applies hears back from us.

Not sure the Accelerator is the right fit?

If your company is still at the idea stage, the Dirigo Launch Incubator runs each fall. If you mainly need help with financial modeling, Dirigo Model is open to businesses statewide. If you are not sure where you fit, apply anyway or email jeff@centralmaine.org. We would love to talk with you.

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