You bring the energy to develop big ideas, and we’ll take care of the rest!

The Roux Institute, in partnership with Pen Bay and MaineHealth, invites you to our upcoming Start Summit -- the opportunity to creatively address a local challenge and transform ideas into action.

For this event, our challenge is: In our community, and across the country, mental health challenges among adolescents are on the rise. There is a growing focus and increased funding dedicated to tackling these challenges, but services are still limited, both for proactive support and timely services for young people in crisis. In this pivotal moment, how might we leverage technology to develop innovative solutions to support mental wellbeing in adolescents?

At this fun and interactive event, you’ll experience what it’s like to build a startup solution in a very short time — all with the support of facilitators and mentors and fueled by good food!

On Friday, you'll hear from a panel of experts as they frame the challenge at hand, followed by snacks and networking.

On Saturday, over breakfast and lunch, participants will ideate with a randomized team and participate in educational workshops like Design Thinking, Customer Discovery, and Pitching your Value Proposition. The day culminates in a pitch competition with no-strings-attached cash prizes followed by more snacks and networking.

The first place team will win $2,000 and the second place team will win $1,000 to be shared between team members. Winners will also have the opportunity for ongoing entrepreneurial support from the Roux Institute.
No prior experience is necessary to participate.