ALFOND TEAMS UP WITH LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR TO PITCH CO-LOCATION WORKSPACE TO WATERVILLE AREA LEADERS

AUGUSTA–Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond and ThinkTank’s Pat Roche will be leading in Waterville’s first strategic meeting to create co-location workspace in downtown Waterville. Sen. Alfond will also detail his bill to create statewide incentive for entrepreneurs to choose Maine as a place to start their business.

Sen. Justin Alfond

Sen. Alfond is sponsoring a measure, LR 1431,  An Act To Attract Skilled Professionals and Families to Maine. The measure, Alfond says is  “a way to throw some energy behind a movement already taking off in other parts of the country. Co-location spaces foster synergies and collaboration that might not happen if you’re working in a cubicle or alone in your home-office.”

Alfond added, “I hope that this will be a part of recruitment message to entrepreneurs: Come to Maine and be a part of our vibrant entrepreneurial culture.”

Co-location workspace, often referred to as coworking space, is physical space offering workers a collaborative environment to solve problems. Typically coworking spaces can be themed to a specific sector (e.g. like technology, art or finance) or broadly themed to accommodate any persuasion of an individual or organization.

Alfond’s bill will offer a $250,000 competitive grant for towns, individuals, or nonprofits to create or build upon existing co-location space.

WHEN:      Monday, January 26th @ 2PM in the

WHERE:   Mid-Maine Chamber Conference Room

50 Elm Street, Waterville, ME

WHO:       Pat Roche, founder of ThinkTank

State of Maine:

Senate Democratic Leader, Justin Alfond

City of Waterville:

Mayor, Karen Heck

Mayor Elect, Nick Isgro

City Manager, Mike Roy

Waterville Creates:

Nate Rudy

Colby:

President, David Green

Director of Planning, Brian Clark

Thomas College:

President, Laurie LaChance

Exec. Assistant to President, Mikaela Ziobro

Jim Libby

Kennebec Valley Community College:

President, Richard Hopper

Executive assistant to President, Monika Wood

Skowhegan Savings Bank

Bruce Harrington

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce

Kimberly Lindlof

Hathaway Center

Paul Boghossian

Tom Niemann

WHAT:  

Proposed agenda:

2:00p – 2:15 Introductions

2:15p – 2:25 Patrick Roche (Think Tank) on Coworking as economic engine and catalyst for community.

2:25p – 2:35 Open Discussion with Senator Justin Alfond about roll out of state in the development of incubators.

2:35p – 2:45 Address colleges’ role in developing incubator spaces in downtown Waterville.  Partnership opportunities, Off-campus programming, Job placement.

2:45p – 2:55 Open Discussion with Nate Rudy from Waterville Creates about creative place-making and the revitalization of downtown districts.

2:55 – 3:15  Open forum / Q & A / Next Steps

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