| The Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Jeff Frank as Program Manager of Dirigo Labs. In this new role, Jeff will lead and support the design and delivery of Dirigo Labs’ programs, including the 12-week startup Accelerator, the Dirigo Launch Incubator, and the Dirigo Model financial-readiness course, which equips founders to attract capital and scale successfully. Early applications for both the Accelerator Program and the finance-specific Dirigo Model are now open.“Dirigo Labs is a driving force for startups and entrepreneurs in downtown Waterville and across Maine, helping founders transform ideas into scalable businesses,” said Garvan Donegan, President and CEO of the Central Maine Growth Council. “Bringing Jeff Frank on board amplifies this impact and reinforces our growth through key partnerships, including Colby College, and through the development of Dirigo Labs’ new offices and innovation infrastructure at the 40,000 sq. ft. Levine’s Discovery Headquarters in Waterville.”
Dirigo Labs, the innovation-focused arm of CMGC, works to turn innovative ideas into thriving companies and high-value jobs. It is an extension of CMGC’s mission to build a stronger central Maine economy by activating state ingenuity. Dirigo Labs anticipates future growth in critical sectors such as precision manufacturing, biotechnology, cleantech, and information technology. “Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful tools we have for building economic strength and resiliency in rural Maine,” said Jeff Frank. “At Dirigo Labs, we connect founders with the tools, capital, and expertise needed to succeed and scale. I’m optimistic about the future of central Maine’s startup community and invite anyone interested to get involved.”
Jeff Frank brings a diverse background in private-sector innovation, public policy, and community development. He co-founded hearforward.com (acquired 2012) and held leadership roles as CEO of Hoana Medical, COO of Smart Yields, Product Lead at Oceanit Labs, and operations lead at Elemental Excelerator. In the public sector, Frank served five years on Capitol Hill as a senior staff member for two U.S. Senators, worked as a senior research analyst at the Brookings Institution, and spent two years in the U.S. Peace Corps.
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Dirigo Momentum: Central Maine Growth Council Taps Jeff Frank to Elevate Local and State Innovation