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Maine start-ups present their pitch at Techstars 'Demo Day'

Thursday's presentation event wrapped up the 13-week accelerator program based at Northeastern University's Roux Institute in Portland.

PORTLAND, Maine — Thirteen weeks of hard work for 10 entrepreneurs came down to five-minute presentations Thursday afternoon. 

The Techstars Accelerator program held its second demo day in Maine after launching in Portland last year. 

Tech companies from around the world, including two already based in Maine, pitched their ideas to potential investors.

 "I'm just really excited. I feel so supported by my team," Hey Freya founder Helkin Berg said before her pitch.

Held at the Portland Ocean Gateway terminal, one theme of the event was how these innovative companies can help our state and the world in the future.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills opened the event with some remarks that focused on the growth of the state's start-up industry.

Techstars Managing Director Lars Perkins said the pitch event is "inspiring. It never gets old."

In its second year at Northeastern's Roux Institute in Portland, Perkins said the program ran a little more smoothly than its rollout last fall.

The start-ups met for the first time this fall and followed the program for more than three months as they met with mentors, potential investors, and industry experts tailored to meet their needs.

A goal of the program is to help these companies grow at their individual pace.

Credit: NCM

Vinko Buble has been working to build his company, Torque, in Maine for a decade. He said he is ready to close on some new financing in the new year and Torque will continue to be headquartered in the state.

For the second year in a row, a founder from Chile participated in the program. Rogers Escalub came to Vacationland with his company, Cicla. 

His business works with larger companies to help recycle old printers, laptops, and computers, and give them back new devices made from 100% recycled material.

“The program is just a life changer for us," Escalub added.

After spending the last few weeks in Portland, Escalub announced today he is moving his company to Maine.

"We think it’s the right place for us," he added.

Like the nine other founders, Escalub said it's tough to describe how the Tech Stars program helped his company.

"This process is really, really hard so to have all the right people around you, helping you, to make your life easier is priceless," he added.

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