Move fast and break things.
Move slow. Learn things.
At Tortoise Labs, our mission is to help entrepreneurs create successful, long-lasting businesses by understanding their customers and growing steadily.
It’s no big secret that startup culture needs to change.
We know — from experience and from concrete evidence — that incubators and accelerators have a history of excluding people and causing harm.
And although Facebook’s old motto, “move fast and break things,” is finally getting some resistance, it’s still a prevailing philosophy in the startup space.
As an incubator, we recognize that our industry often makes people feel unwelcome, that it excludes others entirely, and that it leads plenty more down an unsustainable path.
That’s why we created Tortoise Labs, the incubator that helps driven founders go from idea to paying customers to long-term sales growth. Our mission is to help entrepreneurs create successful, long-lasting businesses by understanding their customers and growing steadily.
Move slow. Learn things.
We don’t just want to help you bring your ideas to life — we want you to grow while still taking care of yourself, your customers, and your future as a business owner.
And to do that, you need to take your time and learn from your audience, so you can build something that people actually want to pay for.
After a decade of moving slowly, learning things, and helping others do the same, we know that it works.
There isn’t one right way to build a business. But, taking small steps — at your own pace — is how we help founders to grow a thriving business.
“I used to think, ‘Well, I'm not a software person. I'm just somebody who works their 40+ hours a week. I'm just going to keep my ideas to myself.’ Now I have a product and potentially, a company, 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
“Everyone is welcome here” isn’t just a tagline. It’s an essential part of who we are and how we do it.
We help all founders who want to bring their ideas to life, including those who are often excluded from startup spaces.
"Taking it slow and steady" is more than a saying, it's how we work.
They say starting and growing a business is like a marathon, but marathons last just a day. We believe in giving founders the time they need to make smart choices, leading to lasting success and growth.
"Helping local businesses and connecting with the world" is core to our success.
We're proud to support founders in Maine and grow our local economy, while also teaming up with the most talented people we can find wherever on the planet they live.
"Learning from customers" is at the heart of what we do.
We focus on helping founders truly understand their customers' needs, ensuring their businesses offer valuable products or services people want to buy for the long term.
"Support for every founder" reflects our inclusive approach.
We welcome entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and experiences. In fact, “first-time founders” are the most common entrepreneur we work with
“Nick puts the people that he works with at ease. He asks questions in a way that's easy to understand in simple terms. He helps people feel good about their progress — even if they are a little bit older or don't have experience in this space. He provides a safe and comfortable environment for us to explore our ideas, and makes people feel like their ideas are valid and worth pursuing.”
Susan Holleran (she/her), US Communications Business Leader, Mercer
This is me paying for rent for the first time from a software project I built.
Hi, I’m Nick Rimsa, Founder of Tortoise Labs
When I first started building my own business 10 years ago, everyone told me that I needed to “move fast and break things,” find users right away, and figure out everything else later.
No one ever told me that moving at tortoise speed—slow and steady—was okay.
No one ever told me to stop and think — before shoving a product in front of people—about who my customers were and what problem I wanted to solve.
That’s why, when I decided to start an incubator for first-time founders, I wanted to call it Tortoise Labs.
Because I’ve learned that taking your time is not only okay, but it’s the only way to make sure your product or service will truly serve your customers.
And because, if you build something, you’re responsible for it. That means you need to make sure that it doesn’t cause harm, and that it actually solves the problem you say it will — and that takes a lot of time, care, and effort. Tortoise Labs provides the resources I wish I had when I first started.
“Nick breaks down all of the pieces of building a business into sizable, manageable chunks. Everything felt doable. It just reduced a lot of panic ... I'm so surprised at where I am with just a couple of weeks under my belt full-time in my business.”
Elaine Theriault-Currier (she/her), Founder, Pen Name
We work with people all over the world, but we’re the only incubator in Maine that focuses on early-stage founders.
Leverage a strong, local network that’s 10 years in the making.
We have deep connections to folks all over the state, including grantors, manufacturers, distribution teams, technical partners, and more.
And we care about stimulating our local economy by helping Maine-based founders build their businesses. So if you want to grow here, let’s talk.
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
If you don’t know where to start, start here
Book a call to see how we can help you start and grow your business in Maine.