Success Story

Growing up with herbalist parents, future scientist Edie Johnston always had an interest in the fusion of ancient herbal traditions and holistic wellness with western science and medicine.

Of primary interest to her were the wild lderberries growing along the Eastern River in Dresden, Maine. Edie was curious about the antioxidant levels and anti-viral properties of elderberries and whether or not they could be harvested for medicinal purposes.

After launching her company, Eldertide LLC in 2007, Edie applied for a seed grant from the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), and shortly thereafter embarked on her first experience with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Eldertide aligned with Karen West, MTI’s SBIR/STTR Consultant, and received research and development assistance and support with navigating the complexities of the SBIR process through specialized services such as proposal preparation assistance. Subsequently, Eldertide was able to ....