About

The Maine Ideas Fund is an innovation program that provides funding, mentorship and support to UNE students who have ideas to solve real-world problems. Innovative solutions can come from any field at any scale – from a new business idea that changes a market to a social innovation that changes lives. We want to tap into the creativity and energy of UNE students to address the challenges of the 21st century. Our goal is to 1) support innovative project ideas and 2) foster a diverse pipeline of student innovators, through targeted support, financing and educational opportunities. We want to grow a generation of interdisciplinary changemakers who value innovation, impact, and risk-taking!

The Maine Ideas Fund is a joint program offered by the Office of Innovation in partnership with the College of Business, the Office of Sustainability, and Student Affairs.

Making a Difference

The Maine Ideas Fund supports students at the very early stages of developing their ideas. Most students who submit ideas have never entered an innovation contest or written a real-world proposal, and that’s ok!

The Fund encourages students to step outside of their traditional university-based academic work, take a risk, and use their education, passion, and skills to work on problems important to them. Through training and mentoring, students develop the skills necessary to plan, launch and manage for success. Students bring their creative ideas, and we provide the resources that enable the students to make their project ideas concrete, feasible, and scalable.

Are you ready to learn more?