Stroudwater Contact Point, LLC announced that it has been chosen to receive a development award from the Maine Technology Institute. MTI development awards are granted for "near to market" technology commercialization projects less than three years from sales.

The awards are offered on a competitive basis to support early activities for product development, commercialization or business planning and development.

"Maine entrepreneurs are using MTI development awards to move their products and services to market," MTI president Betsy Biemann said. "This financing is invaluable for start-up companies as well as established ones looking to add new products to their line."

Companies funded by MTI are leveraging nearly $200 million from public and private sources and are creating jobs faster with higher wages than the average Maine company.

"We are committed to expanding our development operations here in Maine," said Bill Hunt, president and chief technology officer of Stroudwater Contact Point. "This award will help us to bring our new products to market more rapidly to take advantage of the changes in the rapidly shifting customer contact market."

Stroudwater will use the MTI financing to complete development of its next-generation customer interaction management technology that will be integrated with its existing, award-winning Dirigo Contact Suite intelligent customer interaction management system.

Stroudwater Contact Point provides customer interaction management solutions. The company is headquartered in Portland, Maine, with offices in Cincinnati and Chicago.

Stroudwater Contact Point is an Aspect Software Technical Alliance Partner and Authorized Channel Partner. Stroudwater is also a Verint Systems Channel Partner, Avaya Developer Community Member and a Microsoft Certified Business Solutions Partner. Stroudwater Contact Point can be found on the Internet at www.stroudwater.com.

Glenn J. Kalinoski is Executive Editor for Customer Inter@ction Solutions magazine (http://www.cismag.com).