Contestants sought for 2024 LaunchPad business pitch face-off

Screenshot Anna Ford, co-founder and CEO of Bookclubs, delivering her winning pitch at last year's Gorham Savings Bank LaunchPad event.

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By Renee Cordes

The application process is now open for the 2024 edition of the Gorham Savings Bank LaunchPad small-business pitch competition.

Five finalists will be selected to compete for a $50,000 grant intended to help the winner's business grow to the next level.

“This program offers a unique opportunity for these early-stage businesses to gain vital exposure and secure essential funding,” said Steve deCastro, president and CEO of Gorham Savings Bank.

The competition, now in its 11th year, was won in 2023 by Bookclubs, a Camden-bases technology startup that helps bibliophiles start, manage or join a book club. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Anna Ford, who will deliver a keynote address at this year’s competition.

“Beyond the funding, LaunchPad is a fantastic platform to foster growth and community support, and I am honored to be a past winner and become part of this year’s program,” she said.

How to apply

Applications for this year's contest are due by Thursday, Aug. 15, and may be submitted here.

The application process is simple and straightforward. Entrepreneurs can create an account and save a draft application to work on at their own pace, and return to later if needed.

The finalists will compete on stage at an in-person event on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the University of New England’s Innovation Hall in Portland.

As in previous years, there will also be an Emerging Business Award, with a $10,000 grant for the winner along with $10,000 of in-kind services donated by iBec Creative, Creative Imagine Group, Grove Marketing, Philbrook Public Relations and Nu-Yar.

To be considered for the Emerging Business Award, five finalists will be invited to submit 60-second pitch videos to be shown during the live event.

Amply Energy, a Cumberland-based developer of software for designing heat pump systems, won last year’s Emerging Business Award.

LaunchPad applicants are considered for both grants, and separate applications are not required.

The finalists will be announced in late September.