Introduction to Startup Maine & the Startup Ecosystem (November 04, 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Maine has a growing network of founders, investors, and support organizations, but for many consultants it's not obvious how that startup ecosystem fits together or where they can plug in. In this interactive session, Sarah Smith, Executive Director of Startup Maine, will introduce the state's leading nonprofit advancing Maine's startup ecosystem, share what's happening across the startup community statewide, and explore practical ways consultants can engage with Startup Maine and the startups it serves.

Key Takeaways

Get an overview of the startup ecosystem throughout Maine.
Learn how to engage with Startup Maine and with startups.
Understand what Startup Maine does to advance the state's startup community.

Sarah Smith is Executive Director of Startup Maine and brings nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community building. She began her career as a Venture for America Fellow in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she scaled a global fintech accelerator and became deeply engaged in the city's startup community. She then joined Ernst & Young, where she launched and led an innovation center, EY wavespace™, partnering with corporations, startups, nonprofits, and the City of Charlotte to align innovation initiatives with the region's economic development goals. After relocating to Maine, Sarah continued her work through VentureFuel, a business innovation consultancy, where she led the team supporting Comcast NBCUniversal's LIFT Labs Enterprise Accelerator, connecting high-growth AI startups with company business leaders. A graduate of Georgetown University and a Startup Maine board member since 2024, Sarah is passionate about building community, strengthening local economies, and helping founders turn bold ideas into impact.

You Are the Intelligence in Your Business. Time to Make AI Work for You. 2027 AI Strategy: Working Roundtable Session. (December 10, 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Most businesses aren't short on AI tools. The problem is that they don't know where AI actually fits in their business, or what to simplify before they add it. Many businesses end up integrating AI backwards, layering new tools on top of old processes and founder bottlenecks. This working roundtable helps consultants and business owners step back and map the business they want to build in 2027. Participants will look at where too much still depends on them, cut what isn't adding value, and find where AI, systems and automation can create real gains in time, profit and revenue. Participants will receive a short pre-session playbook to get a head start and to capture their own ideas, opportunities and next steps.

Key Takeaways

Understand the difference between building a business the "old" way and the new "intelligent" way in the AI era.
Learn why most businesses integrate AI backwards (the "mapping problem" identified by INSEAD, Harvard Business School and the AI Institute) and how to avoid it.
Identify where you may be the bottleneck, and how to streamline through ruthless subtraction before adding AI.
Explore where AI customization, systems and automation can create exponential time, profit and revenue gains across your business and team.
Learn how to choose AI platforms, guardrails and guidelines, and how to equip your team so AI supports continuity and more independent work.
Leave with specific AI opportunities and use cases for your own business.

Megan Flinn is Founder & CEO of M|Fusion Strategic. She founded and exited her first technology company in her twenties, providing software solutions trusted by organizations including Nike, Vogue, NASA, Northrop Grumman, American Greetings and RR Donnelley. Across three decades, her throughline has been helping businesses leverage strategy and emerging technology, now AI, to achieve exponential time, profit and revenue gains. Today, Megan helps founders and consultants streamline to a lean-scale business and use AI strategically to equip and empower their teams, working a fraction of the time. Learn more at mfusionstrategic.com.

This program will be held virtually via Zoom on Thursday, December 10 at 12:00 PM.

Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) upcoming events

Introduction to Startup Maine & the Startup Ecosystem (November 04, 2026)

You Are the Intelligence in Your Business. Time to Make AI Work for You. 2027 AI Strategy: Working Roundtable Session. (December 10, 2026)