ELLSWORTH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Union River Center for Innovation in Ellsworth is a new way for small businesses to get their feet on the ground and create more jobs for Maine.
The idea is to create more jobs that will make Maine's younger population want to stay in the state, rather than look for a job elsewhere.
There was a ribbon cutting ceremony held Tuesday with members of Maine's legislature. Senator Angus King, Senator Susan Collins and Congressman Bruce Poliquin are all in favor of this new development. The building has given research companies, like GenoTyping Center of America (GTCA), the chance to process and use their data like never before. "We’re working to help in the early stages of research, to move it along faster and more efficiently" Carrie LeDuc said. LeDuc is a works for GTCA. "It helps cure diseases".
She and her co-workers know how hard it is to start a business. "When you’re in startup, you’re alone. You have no funding, you have no knowledge of what’s available for you" LeDuc said. "We have a lot of people pulling for us here and it makes a big difference. It makes us more confident and that important".
The center can hold up to 4 small businesses, once they are stable enough, they will move onto a bigger space. "We support them, we educate them through business support services and we move them on" Micki Sumpter said. Sumpter is the Director of Economic Development in Ellsworth. She was humbled to have the support from legislature at the event and for what the future holds for the center.