With So Much Ahead of You,

Wouldn't It Be Nice

To Have a Little Something Extra Behind You?

Founded in 2013, Gorham Savings Bank’s LaunchPad celebrates and supports Maine ingenuity, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. The process is simple and straightforward, and the benefits of participating are many.

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2014 LAUNCHPAD WINNER, KATE MCALEER, FOUNDER, BIXBY & Co.

$50,000 LaunchPad Grant

The 2020 LaunchPad winner will receive a grant from Gorham Savings Bank to buy equipment, expand or acquire space, hire employees, fund product development or meet any other business need.

Emerging Business Award

Once our panel of independent judges have selected the five finalists, who will pitch on-stage for this year’s LaunchPad grand prize, they will then select the Emerging Business Award winner from all the remaining applicants. This additional prize includes a grant of $10,000, along with another $10,000 of in-kind business and marketing-related services! The winner will be announced at the live event.

HOW LAUNCHPAD WORKS

The goal of Gorham Savings Bank's LaunchPad is to help Maine businesses. So we keep the application process as simple and straightforward as possible. At Gorham Savings Bank, we believe that anyone who’s out there pursuing their own small business deserves recognition and support. As such, we want to give as many small businesses the chance to win as we possibly can.
April1

Deadline to Enter

Entering LaunchPad takes only an hour or two. No formal documentation is required, and you can start your application, then stop and save it to complete later. If you applied in 2019, you can even access your application to update it rather than starting from scratch. Applications must be completed and submitted by 5:00pm on April 1.

Entry deadline is Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 5:00pm 

May8

Finalists Selected & Notified

A team of independent, experienced, successful entrepreneurs and business leaders will review every completed application against the judging criteria including viability, scalability, uniqueness, management and impact. Those selected to advance will be notified on or before Friday, May 8, 2020.

May26

Finalist Orientation

All finalists, including Emerging Business Award finalists, will participate in an orientation with the LaunchPad team to prepare you for the live event. This includes a walk-through of the agenda and a review of requirements and best practices for your live presentation.

June2

Live Event

All finalists will deliver a pitch to, and then field questions from, a panel of three independent, experienced, successful business leaders in front of a live audience at USM’s Hannaford Hall in Portland. The $50,000 LaunchPad grant and Emerging Business Award will both be presented at the conclusion of the event.

Evaluation Criteria

The judges will score the presentations on the following criteria

Official Rules

  • Viability
  • Scalability
  • Uniqueness
  • Management
  • Impact
  • Presentation

ELIGIBILITY

The entry period for the 2020 competition starts on Sunday, March 1, at 8:00am and ends on Wednesday, April 1 at 5:00pm. Legally registered, Maine-based businesses and/or legal residents of Maine age 18 or older can apply. Past LaunchPad applicants and finalists are also welcome to reapply. No formal business proposals or supporting documents are required. All finalists will deliver a live presentation on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at USM’s Hannaford Hall in Portland. The Emerging Business Award and LaunchPad winners will be announced at the conclusion of the live event.