Sarah Smith will lead the volunteer-led organization as its first active director, while outgoing President Katie Shorey will stay active on the board.<\/p>\n
After a decade as volunteer president of Startup Maine, founder Katie Shorey is passing the baton to the group\u2019s first full-time staff member while staying active on the board.<\/p>\n
Sarah Smith, most recently a Portland-based senior manager of innovation and partnerships at Venture Fuel, will lead Startup Maine\u2019s next chapter as the organization’s inaugural executive director.<\/p>\n
The staff position at the volunteer-powered nonprofit is made possible through a $325,000 matching grant from Maine Technology Institute.<\/p>\n
Startup Maine supports entrepreneurs across the state through an annual conference, meetups and other activities, connecting them with the resources they need to start and scale their businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince 2016, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to help advance Startup Maine into what it is today,\u201d Shorey said. \u201cI\u2019m deeply proud of the work we\u2019ve done to support Maine\u2019s startup ecosystem, and I\u2019m excited to see Sarah step into the role of our first full-time executive director as the organization enters its next chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shorey, director of engagement for Live + Work in Maine, was honored by Mainebiz in 2025 as an Outstanding Woman in Business.<\/a><\/p>\n Asked what it’s been like passing the baton at Startup Maine, Shorey told Mainebiz that it has been “harder\/weirder\/more emotional than I thought it would be.” At Startup Maine, \u201cour goal is to help Maine companies start and scale more effectively by strengthening connections to customers, resources, opportunities and each other,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI look forward to working with our board to advance this mission over the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHelping businesses ‘start and scale’
\nSmith, a graduate of Georgetown University, has worked \u201cat the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship and community,\u201d according to Wednesday\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n