Get Ready for Startup Maine Week!
Join us for the Nexus Coffee Kickoff at Startup Maine Week (and more!)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The high-season for Maine’s startup ecosystem is around the corner with Startup Maine Week kicking off on May 18th.
There are tons of ways to participate, but if you are looking for an easy starting point we encourage you to join us for the Nexus Coffee Kickoff @ Startup Maine Week on Wednesday May 20th. We are looking forward to seeing a lot of the Nexus community there!
Also a quick call to action, our friends at MTI are conducting their annual Maine Startup Ecosystem Survey. Your input will help shape their initiatives and results will be presented next week at the conference!
Lastly - if you want even deeper connections and direct access to everyone in the Nexus community and the perks program, please apply here to join us in the Nexus Slack group.
Baxter the Moose is amped up and parachuting into Startup Maine Week
What’s in this newsletter
Events
Jobs
Slack Roundup
Member Spotlight: Matt Ventre
Event Highlights
May 12: Maine Entrepreneurs Summit
May 12: Headshot Happy Hour
May 12: Maine JS Meetup: Build Reliable Agents in JavaScript Featuring Ryan Randall!
May 13: Mainebiz Women’s Leadership Forum 2026
May 18: Startup Maine Week
⭐ May 20: Nexus Coffee Kickoff @ Startup Maine Week ⭐
July 16: Nexus Maine Summer Social: LaunchPad Kickoff with Maine Community Bank & The Roux Institute
Check out our Events Calendar for more. Are you an event owner? Submit your event here to be added to the calendar!
Nexus Jobs & Talent
You can view open jobs here or submit your own. Every job post is affiliated with a Nexus member that you can reach out to.
WERU FM is hiring a WERU FM – General Manager
Nexus Contact: Katy Green
FinditParts is hiring a FinditParts – Head of Performance Marketing
Nexus Contact: Jon Pugh
BAXUS is hiring a BAXUS – In-House Automation Specialist
Nexus Contact: Jimmy Haight
Moxie Public Schools is hiring a Lead Teachers: Mathematics, English Language Arts, Special Education, and/or ESOL/Multilingual Education (Grades 6-12)
Slack Roundup
Here is a look at the most popular discussion in the Nexus Slack from the last 30 days and links so you can jump into the convo.
The #general channel asked for everyone’s biggest risk that didn’t pan out
There was a big discussion in #ai about a potential Anthropic partnership; someone was asked to build an MCP and was weighing the pros and cons of working with a big company while trying to build their own IP.
Thinking about getting a new Mac Mini? The #ai channel had a good chat about Mac Mini alternatives and other options to consider before making the purchase.
Member Spotlight: Matt Ventre
Intro
I was born an upstate NYer (the real upstate with all the snow), shipped down to Rutgers for undergrad, dropped into an HCI class, and set course for a career in this weird new field called “UX.”
While my wheelhouse is enterprise and startup B2B, I’m lucky to have clients across several markets. I’ve shipped a bunch of fintech and trading platforms (Broadridge, Nasdaq, HedgeServ) and delivered org-changing strategies for insurance, healthcare, and consumer technology brands.
Since 2015, I’ve run a solo consulting business focused on product and UX strategy. I love teaching, running workshops, and facilitating big change for my clients.
In 2020, I started a tabletop game publishing imprint to ship my first TTRPG/sports-sim book.
Why Maine
The thought hadn’t crossed my mind to even set foot in the Pine Tree State until 2019 when my wife suddenly landed a stellar position at a Portland-area university. It was a perfect opportunity for change since all I need to be successful is a laptop and an airport (coffee machine doesn’t hurt, either).
I’m a forest-dweller at heart. While I loved our decade in the megalopolis and all the experiences it rewarded me with, I need the mountains and the woods to feel like a person. Turns out, Maine has that covered!
Away from the Keyboard
I’m pretty good at falling into niche obsessions, and over the years I’ve collected a fair few: Backgammon, miniature tabletop gaming, TTRPGs/DMing, tabletop sports simulations, competitive eating (now retired).
My journey of physical improvement has been instrumental to my success. Finding my way into the weight room changed my life. Any excuse to get a hike, a golf round, or a ruck in is a good one.
I’ve run three marathons, hiked dozens of trails, golfed at a bunch of gorgeous locales, and won a charity deadlift competition. There’s always another “mountain,” whether that’s concocting an impossible piece of furniture in my makeshift woodshop garage or earning a certification in a wild new skill.
Let’s Talk!
I’m looking to connect with anyone who’s building something they love. I’m ready to collaborate on new startup ideas, help get your digital product off the ground, or just talk about the creative side of life. If that’s you, your business, or someone you know, email me at matt@matthewventre.com or find me on LinkedIn. You can also check out my consulting site and my game company
Thank you for making this community special, everyone! See you on Slack.
George & Jimmy
Thank you to our sponsors The Roux Institute, and Maine Technology Institute for supporting Nexus Maine.
