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.

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

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 Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 5:00pm 

May7

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 7, 2021.

May25

Virtual Finalist Orientation

The $50,000 LaunchPad finalists will participate in a virtual orientation with the LaunchPad team to prepare you for the live event. This includes an overview of the agenda and a review of requirements and best practices for your live pitch. Finalists will also arrive early on event day to walk-through the venue and know what to expect.

June1

Livestream Event

The $50,000 LaunchPad finalists will deliver a pitch to, and then field questions from, a panel of three independent, experienced, successful business leaders live in-studio, which will be livestreamed to an online audience. The $50,000 LaunchPad grant and Emerging Business Award winners will both be announced 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 2021 competition starts on Monday, March 1, at 8:00am and ends on Thursday, 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 pitch to a panel of judges on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 in-studio at AV Technik in Scarborough. The Emerging Business Award and LaunchPad winners will be announced at the conclusion of the live event.