MaineHealth is a not-for-profit integrated health system. It consists of nine local health systems, a comprehensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and 1,700 employed providers working together through the MaineHealth Medical Group. With approximately 22,000 employees, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. Aside from traditional healthcare related resources and services, the MaineHealth system also supports entrepreneurial and research initiatives from their staff. With the massive size and scope of the MaineHealth healthcare network and resources, their team sought out support from FirstIgnite throughout 2022 to create connective relationships with over 15 companies interested in commercializing their individual technologies and working with their staff.

Hospital systems are under considerable stress from a variety of factors with the most important portion of their operations devoted to saving lives. It’s within this vein that, while scientific research is an important part of hospital structures, the marketing of said research is not always made a priority. FirstIgnite’s internal tools and services allow for hospital systems and other research organizations to concentrate solely on the research initiatives they are trying to achieve, while providing extensive coverage for all marketing activities. This takes the stress of manual identification and communication off the plates of overburdened hospital team members. FirstIgnite is able to provide this service through the use of a proprietary matching software and marketing services, ensuring that no matter the corporate engagement initiative (technology transfer, sponsored research, entrepreneurial venture, etc.) the connection and conversations to come from FirstIgnite’s marketing campaigns are valuable and productive.

By partnering with FirstIgnite, MaineHealth has been able to connect with more than 15 specific companies (including Medline and Hamilton Medical) who have shown interest in licensing portions of their team’s research portfolio. At the same time, hundreds more companies have been communicated with regarding MaineHealth’s capabilities, making sure that organizations who may have never considered collaboration with the hospital system in the past now understand that there is a clear path to doing so in the future. The MaineHealth team is closer to licensing success thanks to FirstIgnite.

FirstIgnite most commonly is known for supporting universities. However, the team’s services are not sequestered to one area of research creation. Hospital systems in particular, with strained resources and personnel, can benefit greatly from FirstIgnite’s skilled outsourced marketing capabilities. MaineHealth has, and they’re currently 15 relationships closer to new licensing agreements. Their relationship continues with FirstIgnite into 2023.