PUBLIC INVITED: Judges announced for MMA business pitch competition
Local community and business leaders will judge Rising Tide Award Competition as teams compete for $4k in prizes for the best business ideas
The public is invited to attend—and vote on—a business pitch competition at Maine Maritime Academy on Monday, April 27. File photo.
April 8, 2026
By staff
CASTINE–The Rising Tide, in partnership with Maine Maritime Academy’s Loeb-Sullivan School of International Business and Logistics, announced this week the roster of judges for the upcoming “Rising Tide Award” competition. The event will take place at MMA on Monday, April 27 at 6 p.m.
The competition will feature students from MMA’s Small Business Management course who have developed their own small business plans throughout the semester. Teams will compete for cash prizes totaling $4,000.
Six pre-selected student teams will present their original business idea to the panel of judges, with business ideas ranging from consumer products to service apps to marine-related start-ups, and others.
The “Shark-Tank”-style panel of judges includes local community and business leaders from across the Blue Hill Peninsula. They are:
Oscar Adams – Deloitte Consulting
Steve Hindy – Founder of Brooklyn Brewery
Dan Leader – Founder of Bread Alone and author of seven books about bread
Jamie MacNair – Owner of Compass Point Real Estate Realtor and Northern Bay Market
Mark Morgioni – Amazon
Peyton Penny – VP at Bangor Savings Bank
Matt Powell – Owner and proprietor of the Pentagoet Inn
Community members, business leaders and potential investors are encouraged to attend the evening that will showcase the next generation of innovation and entrepreneurship. Refreshments will be available and a cash bar will be offered.
The Rising Tide Award is designed not only as a competition, but as a community event—bringing together students, educators, local residents and the business community to celebrate creativity, ambition and the future of entrepreneurship in Maine. The competition is made possible through the support of Machias Savings Bank, The Rising Tide, Castine Community Partners, and individual donors.
While the event is free and open to the public, RSVPs are requested to estimate audience size.
Event Details:
What: The Rising Tide Award - Student Business Pitch Competition
When: Monday, April 27, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Where: The Alfond Student Center at Maine Maritime Academy on Pleasant Street in Castine
Admission: Free and open to the public. Please RSVP to help estimate audience size.
Publisher’s note: All funds raised for The Rising Tide Award were specifically designated for the competition prize. No funds donated to our newsroom operations have been or will be used as part of the cash prize for this event.
Click on the image above to be taken to the RSVP page for the event.
