WATERVILLE — Thomas College students Jake Warn of Winslow and Dylan Veilleux of Waterville won first and second place in the finals of Greenlight Maine College Edition June 24.
The prize for first place winner was $10,000, and $7,500 for second place.
Greenlight Maine is a statewide collaboration of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, designed to promote and mentor the development and growth of business in the state.
Jake Warn Contributed photo
Warn is a small business major who recently started a company called sledtrx.com, a website for snowmobile riders.
“I’m really excited about winning for a couple of different reasons. One, being a part of the Greenlight Maine program was amazing and to win was a cool experience. I think it will help my business with exposure as well,” said Warn, according to a news release from the college.
Warn said he plans to use the prize money to hire more technical software staff for his product, to increase the benefit for the riders and of the product.
“The biggest thing that Thomas College does well is connecting people to each other. The resources Thomas College has have really helped me get where I am now,” Warn also said.
Dylan Veilleux Contributed photo
Veilleux is a graduate student in the accelerated MBA program. While in school he started TreeFreeHeat, a company that recycles Maine’s hemp waste into fast-lighting, long-lasting fire starters. He has been scaling his business since becoming a graduate student.
“Greenlight Maine has been a rewarding experience and I am grateful to be a part of it. I’m honored to be a finalist and to share the stage with Jake Warn, a fellow … Tortoise Lab member,” said Veilleux.
Veilleux said the prize money will go towards scaling their production facility to meet their increasing demand and help them obtain larger wholesale partners.
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