Back in February, we provided a look at ‘What’s Coming in 2025 at the Union River Center’. It’s about time for a recap and an update:
Entrepreneurial Training and Support
Our first offering of the Entrepreneurial Exploration workshop series was well attended and got high marks from the participants. We will be repeating the series in the fall, so stay tuned for more details. For information about upcoming classes and to see the slides from this series, visit the URCI Course Catalog.
URCI 2.0
The center is celebrating its 10th Birthday this year: a perfect time to take stock to make sure that the center is operating at its highest and best use. In addition to a review of the businesses that have been incubated at the center and what their impact, if any, was on the local economy, we looked at the impact of the center as a co-working space today and the current state and functionality of the community lab. What we determined was:
- Of all the successfully incubated businesses, only one keeps any presence in Ellsworth with a single office rental at URCI, but it has otherwise moved its operations to Waterville. None of the other businesses have any presence in Ellsworth or the region.
- There is significant demand for the private office and co-workspaces at URCI –- particularly from May through November when snowbirds and summer tourists are here.
- The lab is 10 years old, obsolete, and meets only the most minimal requirements for viable bio-lab space.
Based on these findings, the Ellsworth City Council asked the staff to further evaluate the center’s highest and best use in its second decade and to report to the Council by the end of the fiscal year in June 2026.
Business Attraction
After conducting surveys around the specialty food, beverage, and distribution, we have established a ‘Food Advisory Group’. The group is brainstorming about how the City or URCI might help facilitate the establishment of some type of food hub in the area. The timing here is excellent as there is a regional food systems initiative called the Downeast Food Systems Partnership being led by Grow Smart Maine, Healthy Acadia and the Sunrise County Economic Council. In April, the Woodlawn Barn hosted the kick-off meeting for this program, and the City is excited to be participating.
Streamlining the Co-work System at URCI
With a good bit of research that included talking with other co-work facility managers, we set our sights on Coworks. The app can manage bookings, invoices, communication and collaboration among the members at URCI. Thanks to a grant from the Co-work Development Fund at the Maine DECD, in early July, we purchased and deployed the system.
Coworks will allow visitors to self-serve to book and pay for co-work desk space. It will also streamline invoicing, conference room reservations, and communications for regular members at the center.
Pay Us a Visit
URCI is a great asset to the community, and we’d love to show you around. Whether you need a place for yourself or a guest to pop in to get some work done or you need a dedicated conference room to host a meeting or presentation, the Center can accommodate. During business hours, you can request a tour from our website or email us. If you would like a tour outside of business hours, visit any of our four Evening Markets on the Lawn on July 18th and 25th and August 1st and 15th from 4:30 to 7:30. We’d love to show you around, PLUS, you can take in the music at the Harbor Park Concerts taking place on those evenings.
Come Celebrate with URCI on August 28th
URCI is hosting an Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours (BAH) to help commemorate its 10 years. The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) is graciously sponsoring BAH. MTI is a fitting birthday sponsor since the Institute was integral to the launch of the center 10 years ago. Thanks to MTI and our amazing Ellsworth food scene, we’ll have some great locally sourced finger foods and beverages to help us celebrate!
Our website is getting a facelift!
Another good idea when a business is celebrating a decade is to look at digital assets like the website. We’re doing just that! We hope to make the site easier to navigate and will be working to ensure compliance with some upcoming accessibility requirements. While we’re tweaking and moving things, we ask you patience. If you can’t find what you need, OR if you have suggestions for the website, please give a call or send an email
A Reminder About Our Blog
It takes a village and there is an abundance of talent and entrepreneurial expertise in and around Ellsworth. You are invite you to share your insights as a guest blogger. We can suggest topics, give you a general outline, and even do some ghost writing for you. We typically post on the first and third Wednesday of each month. If you’re interested in being a guest blogger, or have other thoughts to share, please send a note.