Created by the state legislature in 1996 to expand Maine’s economy through increased international trade in goods and services, Maine International Trade Center (MITC) is a public-private partnership funded through membership dues of nearly 300 businesses and organizations, corporate sponsor contributions, and Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). MITC works to increase the number of Maine companies involved in international trade and expand the reach of those already active, as well as leverage the synergy created overseas to develop new opportunities for international student attraction and foreign investment.