Level Up with LaunchPad
Now a $75,000 grant, LaunchPad is Maine’s premier competition for innovative small businesses and a showcase for the state’s dynamic entrepreneurial community. Your business is well on its way. Imagine how much further it could go with $75,000!
2026 Application Opens Monday, July 13:
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One application, two chances to win.
The goal of Maine Community Bank’s LaunchPad is to help local early-stage businesses. So we keep the application process as simple and straightforward as possible. Whether you’ve just opened shop or you’re looking to expand, LaunchPad has evolved to help more innovative small businesses at more stages of development than ever before.
$75,000 LaunchPad Grant
Use it to buy equipment, expand or acquire space, hire employees, fund product development—whatever you need to take your business to the next level. Finalists will also benefit from PR exposure and feedback to help fine-tune their pitch. The 2025 LaunchPad winner, Maine Laboratories, who provides fast, accurate PFAS testing, was selected from five finalists during the live pitch event and earned the Bank’s LaunchPad grant.
Emerging Business Award
Our judges will also select five additional Emerging Business Award finalists from the remaining applicants. Emerging Business finalists will also pitch live at the event. This prize is designed to support promising early-stage companies and includes a $15,000 grant, along with $10,000 worth of in-kind business and marketing-related services. Dirigo Sea Farm earned the 2025 distinction.
Steve deCastro
CEO, Maine Community Bank
LaunchPad reinforces our purpose as an organization—to support our Maine communities and customers. That starts with a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. The incredible presentations and connections made through LaunchPad remind us why we continue to invest in this program. We hope it inspires others to support Maine’s small business community and help play a role in their success.
Anna Ford
Co-Founder, Bookclubs
2023 LaunchPad Winner
Just to apply is 100% worthwhile… non-dilutive capital makes an extraordinary difference in an early stage startup’s trajectory.
Melissa LaCasse
Co-founder, Tanbark
2022 LaunchPad Winner
There’s so much built into the competition that helps every business who participates. The intangible benefits are worth more than the grant exponentially.
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