Circa relocating headquarters to Maine
Circa, one of 10 early-stage companies selected for the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator, has announced plans to relocate company headquarters to Maine, to fully utilize the Roux Institute and Techstars network.
The Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator launched this fall with an inaugural class of 10 early-stage companies selected from hundreds of applications and hailing from as far away as Chile and Seattle.
The program is designed to help these companies establish connections and roots in Maine, which will drive business and growth throughout the state and northern New England. A goal of the multi-year partnership with Techstars is to introduce these companies to potential partners and talent pipelines in the region.
“The Roux Institute, Northeastern, and a strong ecosystem of entrepreneurial support organizations make Portland, and Maine, very attractive. It has the excitement of Boston in addition to exceptional beauty and a strong sense of community,” says Chris Wolfel, the Roux Institute’s Director of Entrepreneurship. “We are helping companies build a deeper relationship within the State, making it easy and valuable to relocate”
One of these companies, Circa, has recently announced plans to relocate their headquarters to Maine from Connecticut.
When we launched the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator, our goal was for companies to relocate, or set up offices here in Maine. We are thrilled that Circa is joining the startup ecosystem here in Maine, and look forward to other companies following suit.
CHRIS WOLFEL
Associate Vice President and Head of Entrepreneurship & Venture Creation, the Roux Institute
Circa offers residential real estate property owners improved collections, higher efficiency and reduced turnover by giving their residents payment flexibility. Circa does even more, including reporting to the credit bureaus, fielding phone calls from residents, optimizing cash flow by improving payment completion, and increasing rent roll by collecting back rent/arrears.
By providing friendly notifications, taking phone calls and emails from residents, and coordinating with the managers, Circa improves the relationships between properties and their residents. Their mission is to build stronger communities with payment innovation.
Relocating Circa’s headquarters to Maine allows us to more fully tap into the Roux Institute’s network, giving us access to investors, business partners, and smart students interested in working for Circa.
LESLIE HYMAN
CEO, Circa
Circa currently serves clients in New York and Ohio and has plans to enter the Maine market using connections forged through the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator. Says Hyman, “We couldn’t have done this without Techstars. The ecosystem of a fantastic Managing Director, Lars Perkins, his group of followers and mentors, the Roux team, and our fellow cohort companies gave Circa the boost we needed to get our incredible story out to the world.”
The company has met with a variety of Maine leaders including those in government, as well as property owners in the Portland and Lewiston areas, and has plans to announce at least five new partnerships at the Roux Institute Techstars Accelerator Demo Day in December. Circa is also in the final stages of hiring two co-op students for the January through June semester.
Says Hyman, “I have a dream and a vision that Circa’s technology and thoughtful design will help create stronger communities across the country.”