Get your first paying customers. Then grow to achieve your sales goals.
If you have an idea for a product, service, or software, then we have your next step. At Tortoise Labs, you’ll learn how to build something people want to pay for. And then we’ll help you achieve your long-term sales goals.
Starting anything can be overwhelming. Especially if you’re starting a business.
Maybe you’ve tried getting guidance from one-size-fits-none programs, or from “mentors” who have never actually built their own businesses...
Maybe you already have a full-time job, kids, lots of stress, little time, and even less forward momentum ...
Or maybe you’re just feeling stuck, with no clear next step.
Good thing you found Tortoise Labs, the incubator that helps driven founders go from idea to paying customers to long-term sales growth.
We believe that small steps lead to thriving businesses.
But you need to take the right steps if you want to build a sustainable company — starting with evaluating your idea and finding your first clients.
We’ll show you how to get there, step by step, so you can keep moving forward and bring your idea to life If you don’t know where to start, start here.
“Through working with Tortoise Labs, I was able to distill my idea into a functional business. Starting with a raw idea is one thing, but having the chance to work through it and adapt it as needed is key. Through Nick’s help and vision, I was able to make it become a reality.”
Caitlin Houser (she/her), Founder, Milk Bottle
Do I have to be from Maine to work with Tortoise Labs?
Nope! Although we’re the only incubator in the state that focuses on early-stage founders, we work with people from all over the country. That said, if you’re based in Maine and you want to leverage a strong, local network that’s 20 years in the making, we got you. We have deep connections to folks all over the state, including grantors, manufacturers, distribution teams, technical partners, and more.
If you’re a founder (or a founder-to-be), you’ve got options …
Get 1:1 support building or growing your business
Book Nick Rimsa, Tortoise Labs Founder, to help you handle everything in your business, big and small
This is a great fit if you’ve got a unique skill you can monetize, you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to create, or if you know you want to grow your business but aren’t sure how
Every 1:1 project is different, but some recent projects have been:
Working with a copywriter start their freelance career (and get to their first $10k month in just three months)
Partnering with a product business to develop a wholesale strategy and go from 0 to 200 stores (in just a year)
Building a no-code app that led to $35k in sales (in just four months) and then project managing the development of a scalable app
Get a duct tape software prototype
One of the biggest struggles that early-stage founders have (especially with software products) is evaluating customer demand with the least amount of effort, money, and time. With the Duct Tape Prototype offering, we’ll work together to:
Identify your core customer and their desired outcome
Build a no-code solution that allows customers to achieve their desired outcome
Help you get your first customers so you can feel more confident about investing in building a scalable app
Do I have to be building a software product to work with Tortoise Labs?
Also no! While Nick’s background is founded in software research and design, Tortoise Labs works with entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and experiences building everything from HR apps, to pizza dough companies, to PR firms. What all the entrepreneurs we work with have in common is that they're typically self-funded, in the early stages of their journey, and committed to creating a stable business with predictable revenue.
Website copy, design, and development
Early-stage founders require a website to share who they are, what they do, and what they help their customers to accomplish. We’ll work together to:
Establish the primary purpose of the website, determine the intended audience, and identify desired outcomes for visitors (e.g. newsletter signup, start a trial)
Write copy that pushes website visitors to achieve your desired outcome
Design the website with an appropriate look and feel
Develop a scalable website
I’m not sure Tortoise Labs is a good fit for me, but can you refer me to someone else?
Yes. Please get in touch, and we’d be happy to help.
“I used to think, ‘Well, I'm not a software person. I'm just going to keep my ideas to myself.’ Now, I have a product that's going to help me professionally and personally. It's given me such a boost of confidence. This is me dreaming bigger.”
Faith Douglas (she/her), Founder, Assess with Care
Tortoise Labs is an approved vendor of the Maine Technology Institute—the largest startup grantor in Maine
Many startups struggle to find competent consultants, so MTI developed the Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps (MERC) database.
The MERC database contains a list of vetted consultants to match Maine start-ups with reliable, affordable consultants who will assist in developing short-term projects.
MTI is committed to paying 50% of approved projects, and Tortoise Labs is part of the MERC database.
“I felt like Nick and the Tortoise Labs team believed in me, so I believed in myself. And that confidence just changed everything for me.”
Kia Jones (she/her), UX Designer, Omaha Steaks
Get paid for your great ideas.
Get in touch to see how we can get you from idea to paying customers to long-term sales growth.