Meet and mingle with founders, funders, and mentors 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, including SCORE, Maine Venture Fund, Maine Center for Entrepreneurs and The Roux Institute at Northeastern University. You never know what new connections you might make!

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 to judges: John Burns, Director of Corporate Engagement at University of Maine, Kristine Delano, Women in ETFs board member and host of We Talk Careers Podcast, and Kate McAleer, founder of Bixby Chocolate and 2014 LaunchPad winner.

We’ll also hear from guest speakers, Hailey Lister (Alivo) and Devin McNeill (Flowfold), as well as give out door prizes of local goodies!

The 2025 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 from guest speakers Hailey Lister of Alivo, last year’s $50,000 LaunchPad Grant winner, who will share how the funds helped support the company’s growth over the past year. Devin McNeill of Flowfold, our 2015 LaunchPad winner, will also join us to share his experience selling the company he founded to a fellow Maine manufacturer, Tempshield, earlier this year.

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 of our five small-but-promising Maine business will emerge victorious as the 2025 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 Maine Community Bank!