Help aspiring entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
Our curriculum teaches founders how to evaluate their ideas, get paying customers, and grow their confidence.
So many people have great business ideas — but lack the resources they need to bring them to life.
Maybe they don’t have business education or experience, and feel too intimidated or excluded to believe that entrepreneurship is a viable option ...
Maybe they already have a full-time job, kids, lots of stress, and little time to act on their ideas ...
Or maybe they’re just feeling stuck, with no clear next step.
That’s why we created 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 new entrepreneurs need to take the right steps to build a sustainable company — starting with evaluating their idea and finding their first clients.
In our programs, we teach founders how to get there, step by step, so they can bring their idea to life.
By partnering with institutions like yours, we do this at little to no cost to new entrepreneurs.
Our Partners
We work with colleges, universities, grantors, and nonprofits like these:
Let us build your curriculum or program
Whether you’re from a high school, nonprofit, or college, we’ll build the application-based curriculum or program your audience needs to bring their idea to life or achieve long-term sales growth.
We customize the package based on your needs and goals for the course
Focused on practical, real-world examples to ensure easy understanding and application
Inclusive and welcoming content designed specifically for your audiences
Adaptable modules to fit various learning styles and timeframes
Book a speaking engagement with Founder, Nick Rimsa
Nick will talk to your audience about customer research, prototyping, go-to-market strategy, and more
Nick has not only built his own thriving businesses but has helped over 50 founders build theirs — and he loves to share his ideas with aspiring entrepreneurs
Engaging and relatable storytelling that connects with audiences
Focus on practical advice and actionable insights for business growth
Expertise in guiding early-stage founders through the initial challenges of business development
“When some people think about education, they think about the hours of reading, or the homework, or just getting in over their head and not being able to keep up. The Tortoise Labs curriculum is easily digestible, down-to-earth, and understandable. So even if someone doesn’t have business-related education or experience, they can still nurture their idea and find ways to get it to the next step.”
Joe Musumeci (he/him), Director of Workforce Training and Professional Development, Kennebec Valley Community College
Learn more about our newest application-based creations.
Explore our latest custom-built curricula and programs designed for organizations like yours.
From Idea to First Paying Customer: A Crash Course for Founders
This course guides founders in transforming an idea into a prototype that attracts their first paying customer. Entrepreneurs do not need a specific background or experience to participate. No matter the type of product or service, students will learn how to:
Refine and simplify their idea to be an easy-to-understand offering
Talk with potential customers to evaluate their idea
Build and test their prototype
Secure that first payment and lay the foundation for future growth
Virtual Assistant Launchpad: Community, Tech Skills, and Career-Building Strategies
Designed for aspiring virtual assistants, this course offers:
A supportive community for networking and skill-building
Training in essential tech skills and tools needed for a successful VA career
Effective strategies for job hunting and landing that first gig
Maximizing Business Growth with Wholesale Strategies
For entrepreneurs with physical products, this course covers:
The pros and cons of wholesale distribution
Pricing strategies and marketing materials
Proactive outreach and follow-up techniques to drive sales
Mastering the Art (Or Is It Science?) Of Cold Outreach for Business Growth
Targeted at founders with defined customers (and ideally a high-margin product), students will learn:
How to write compelling copy that gets responses
Offering value to potential customers
Organizing and tracking their outreach efforts for maximum growth
“Nick is the perfect combination between tired and true business experience and an ebullient curiosity that helps put clients at ease. The freshness with which he approaches projects, and the respectful patience with people who may be for the first time in many years stepping outside of their comfort zone is remarkable. I wish everyone getting rolling with programming had a Nick to consult with.”
Susan Holleran (she/her) | US Communications Business Leader, Mercer | Parent of a Hatchlings participant
Our programs are all a little different, but here’s what they have in common ...
Customized. We work closely with you to make our curriculum fit your audience. Accessible. We explain entrepreneurship in simple terms and make sure participants know there are no silly questions.
Adaptable. Once you run a program, we can iterate and adapt it to make it even more impactful for the next cohort.
Actionable. We give practical advice, so participants can nurture their business ideas and move forward to their next step.
“There are a lot of women across the state who have great ideas and need some structure to be able to envision themselves as a tech startup entrepreneur. This course both teaches lean entrepreneurship thinking, and also provides accountability and structure for participants. It also serves as a great space for creating connections with aspiring female entrepreneurs. Working in a cohort really inspires them by allowing them to see what their peers are working on, and having the space to be able to speak openly and honestly about how the process is going for them.”
Anna Ackerman (she/her), Programming Manager, Entrepreneurship Team, Roux Institute
FAQs
If you have a question that’s not listed here, just get in touch
Does my organization need to be based in Maine to partner with Tortoise Labs?
Nope! We work with people from all over the country. But if you’re based in Maine — and you’re as passionate as we are about growing the local economy through entrepreneurship — let’s talk. Our program participants get to take advantage of Tortoise Lab’s strong, state-wide network, including grantors, manufacturers, distribution teams, technical partners, and more.
How much do your programs cost?
Your investment will depend entirely on the structure and length of our engagement, but here are some baseline price points, to give you an idea:
1-day courses start at $500
3-month courses start at $7,500
1-hour speaking engagements start at $250
That said, our pricing is completely customizable based on what type of program you’re looking to build. So if you’ve got a budget in mind, let’s see what we can create together. Just get in touch.
If our budget is limited, can you help us apply for funding?
Absolutely. We can help you identify and apply for grants to pay for our programs. In most cases, we’ll cover the cost of applying for the grant upfront, and add it to your invoice later, once you’ve secured the funding.
“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
Give aspiring entrepreneurs their next step.
Get in touch to find out how to get your audience from idea, to prototype, to paying customers, to long-term sales growth.