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With outdoor recreation gaining popularity nationwide, students at the 51Ʒ�� are stepping up to meet the demand for innovative gear that stands out among the most popular brands. 

Through a course in outdoor entrepreneurship, offered through UNE’s new College of Business, a group of students spent the Fall 2024 semester designing solutions for challenges faced by outdoor enthusiasts. Their projects, which ranged from collapsible camping gear to reimagined tools for snow sports and fishing, culminated in a pitch event on Dec. 3 before a panel of industry experts.

Maine’s outdoor recreation economy plays a significant role in the state’s identity and economic health.

According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Maine’s outdoor economy grew 9% from 2022 to 2023 and generates $3.4 billion in added value for the state, or 3.7% of the state’s economy. That makes Maine one of the top 10 states where outdoor recreation is a factor in overall gross domestic product.

Analysis shows activities like camping, fishing, and snow sports are fueling a wave of innovation, and UNE’s course prepares students to contribute directly to these expanding fields. 

Since 2022, the state has seen a 16.8% growth in the manufacture of outdoor recreation gear. Snow-based activities saw a 13% increase, compounded by a 44% rise in snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Fishing, a favorite Maine pastime, grew in popularity by 45%.

The course, taught by Aimee Vlachos, Ed.D., in UNE’s P.D. Merrill Makerspace, mirrors the University’s broader commitment to preparing students for professional success while still in school. 

Students gained skills in market research, prototype development, and business strategy. Along the way, they showcased their progress at the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit in November, where they networked with industry leaders.

“Outdoor entrepreneurship is one of my favorite classes to teach,” said Vlachos, an assistant teaching professor in the College of Business at UNE. “An innovative, hands-on class that encourages developing a product idea and prototype empowers students to transform creativity into tangible solutions, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application that extend beyond the classroom."

The products designed by this year’s students reflect the diversity of outdoor activities that are gaining traction. The first team to take the stage developed Coastal Treads, a snowshoe crafted from recycled wood and rope from lobster traps. The project aimed to reduce waste from discarded traps and provide a sustainable alternative to materials like PVC and other synthetic materials.

Students in Aimee Vlachos’s outdoor entrepreneurship class work on their prototypes in UNE’s P.D. Merrill Makerspace earlier this semester, where they received coaching and mentorship from Connor Horton (in plaid), a business engagement manager for The Nature Conservancy in Maine.

Another group modified a surfboard to develop a collapsible camping bed that can be easily transported and set up in a car or tent, while yet another created the Slider Glider, a shoe attachment that assists children in learning how to ice skate without the need to buy increasingly larger skates as their feet grow.

One team of fishermen developed a product based on their life experience of losing rods while cruising the open ocean. The team created a series of adapters that can be affixed to the inside of a boat to stabilize fishing rods, minimizing loss and saving fishermen money and resources.

All teams presented their prototypes to a panel judged by four Maine business leaders: Connor Horton, business engagement manager for The Nature Conservancy in Maine; Jen Consalvo, cofounder and co-CEO of Portland firm Established; Charlie Buckley, founder and owner of Kennebunk Outfitters; and Sean Miller, a Maine-based entrepreneur in the veterinary market. 

The panel provided critical feedback to help students refine their designs further. For example, Miller lauded the fishing group’s product because it was born from personal experience. 

“You guys have credibility because of your story,” he said. “When you told that story, you drew me in. I don’t fish often, but I can see it happening (with) the market shifting.” 

Students present their business concepts to a panel of industry experts on Dec. 3. (Clockwise, from left): Jake Tobin ’24 presents about the upcycled snowshoe concept; Miller and Consalvo inspect the Coastal Treads prototype; students outline their idea for a fishing rod stabilizer; students display their collapsible camping bed made from recycled surfboards; and members of the Slider Glider team explain their business model.

Meanwhile, Horton praised the nods of Coastal Treads and the rod stabilizer to Maine’s heritage winter and fishing industries. 

“I love the usage of wood and the homage to the heritage industries here in Maine, and I would encourage you to lean into that,” he said of the snowshoes. 51Ʒ��launched its Outdoor Business and Innovation (OBI) major last year — the only program of its kind in New England — as part of its response to Maine’s rapidly evolving outdoor economy.  While the outdoor entrepreneurship course predates the new major, it reflects UNE’s commitment to equipping students with career-ready skills in emerging industries. 

“This course has given me the opportunity to take my ideas from a crazy, throw-it-on-the-wall-and-see-if-it-sticks idea to presenting a real product in front of industry leaders and real capital investors,” remarked Jake Tobin (Environmental Science, ’24) of the Costal Treads team. “This course has also provided me the opportunity to better apply tools learned in other classes like market research, the Lean Canvas idea, and technical skills in the shop.”