Erin Flett, a Gorham textile designer who hand prints and sews all her original prints and colors, is this year’s grand prize winner of $100,000 in Greenlight Maine, a television pitch competition that promotes small businesses and showcases the Maine business community.
Flett bested two other finalists in the competition, which is in its fifth season with the finals broadcast last Sunday on NBC affiliate News Center Maine (WCSH-TV).
The other finalists were Nicole and Chad Humphrey of Humphrey’s BBQ of Newfield, a high-end BBQ smoker manufacturer; and Heather Desjardins of Winthrop, owner of iTell Alert, a startup that uses patented technology to remind seniors with mobility issues to use their walkers.
Greenlight Maine began the season last September with 26 contestants. The field was narrowed to three in March, at a pitch-off held at Thomas College.
The judges for the Season 5 finale were Corky Ellis, founder of Kepware, a Portland based software company; Tara Jenkins, founder of Conscious Revolution and Conscious Capitalism Community; and Sandy Spaulding, managing partner and CEO at State 23 Media LLC, publisher of Maine Magazine and other publications.
The season finale followed the Greenlight Maine Collegiate Competition that took place June 7 and saw Jillian Robillard of the University of New England take home the $25,000 grand prize. Her company, Green Bait, turns invasive green crabs into lobster bait, addressing two important concerns of the Maine lobster fishing industry.
The other contestants were Easy Eats of Colby College, a food and merchandise delivery service providing college students with a safe and efficient way to order and receive goods; and Ferda Farms of the University of Maine Orono, a shellfish aquaculture company.
Greenlight Maine is a production of the Greenlight Maine Fund, which is supported by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, Maine Technology Institute and Bangor Savings Bank.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.