Meet and mingle before the competition begins. Enjoy light appetizers while networking and getting to know some of Maine’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators, influencers and others connected to our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

It’s time to celebrate the entrepreneurs, innovators, influencers and others who support Maine’s small business community. The excitement and anticipation is palpable as five finalists prepare to pitch live for our $50,000 grant.

We’ll also be giving out door prizes of local goodies!

The 2023 LaunchPad finalists will take to the stage to make their pitches to, and field questions from, our panel of judges: what the company hopes to achieve, how they would use the grant, why they should win… It all factors into the final decision.

It’s a short window of time to make a big impression. The pressure’s on.

The finalists have presented and answered questions from the judges. It all factors into the final decision. While the judges deliberate, tell us what you think. We want to know the audience’s opinion. Cast your vote for the $50,000 winner and you’ll be entered to win a door prize!

We’ll also hear brief keynote presentations from past LaunchPad winners: Melissa LaCasse of Tanbark (2022) and Torey Penrod-Cambra of HighByte (2021).

Drum roll, please! We’ll see video pitches from the Emerging Business Award finalists. The winner will receive a $10,000 grant plus $10,000 of in-kind business and marketing-related services from our partners: Creative Imaging Group, Grove Marketing, iBec Creative, Nu-Yar, and Philbrook PR.

When the dust clears, one small-but-promising Maine business will emerge victorious as the 2023 LaunchPad winner and be awarded $50,000 grant to help grow their business. Others will gain the full support of a few hundred new fans—including everyone here at Gorham Savings Bank.