Maine Community Bank has announced the finalists for its annual LaunchPad small business competition, where one company will earn a $50,000 grant to scale its innovative venture.

Now in its 12th year, and its first under the Maine Community Bank banner, LaunchPad continues to showcase the ingenuity and determination of Maine entrepreneurs. From a strong pool of applicants across the state, five companies have been selected to compete in the live pitch event on Tuesday, October 21, at the University of New England’s Innovation Hall in Portland.

The 2025 LaunchPad finalists are:

• Amply Energy (Cumberland) – Streamlining the clean-energy transition, Amply Energy, the Bank’s 2023 Emerging Business Award winner, equips HVAC professionals with intuitive software to design and price heat pump systems in minutes—helping contractors win more business while accelerating home heating decarbonization.
• CarHop (Portland) – A delivery platform built for local restaurants, CarHop eliminates costly commissions, increases direct sales, and ensures more dining dollars stay in the community.
• Maine Laboratories (Norridgewock) – The Bank’s 2024 Emerging Business Award winner, provides fast, accurate PFAS testing. Maine Labs delivers the critical data needed by communities, businesses, and regulators to make informed decisions about health, safety, and the environment.
• mainelove (Westbrook) – Turning Sebago Lake’s pristine water into a sustainable product, mainelove cans pure Maine water in recyclable aluminum, offering breweries a new revenue stream and consumers an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.
• UniteGPS (South Portland) – A returning finalist from 2016 and creator of Crosswalk K-12, a cloud-based platform that modernizes student transportation with real-time tracking, route optimization, and safety tools—making school bus operations more efficient and secure.

Following their live pitches, judges will engage the entrepreneurs in Q&A and select one winner to receive the $50,000 grant.

Emerging Business Award Finalists

In addition, five startups have been chosen as Emerging Business Award finalists. These entrepreneurs will submit 60-second pitch videos, with one earning a $10,000 grant plus $10,000 of in-kind marketing and business services from iBec Creative, Creative Imagine Group, Grove Marketing, Philbrook Public Relations, and Nu-Yar.

The 2025 Emerging Business Award finalists are:

• CIVA (Portland) – A platform that helps corporations and nonprofits identify efficient paths to government funding opportunities, saving time and resources.
• Dirigo Sea Farm (Freeport) – Producing bioplastics from kelp, including DirigoDrip™, a water-soluble film for laundry and dish pods, supporting Maine’s blue economy.
• Hoopsy (Portland) – Launching plastic-free pregnancy and ovulation tests that are more sustainable and easier to interpret.
• Industry (Portland) – Creator of the Industry Card, a digital membership that helps small businesses retain and hire hospitality workers.
• Memory Lane TV (South Portland) – A personalized streaming platform for dementia care, delivering multisensory, science-based interventions to improve quality of life.

The Emerging Business Award winner will be revealed during the LaunchPad live pitch event, just prior to the $50,000 announcement.

Networking and Guest Speakers

Attendees of this year’s LaunchPad event will hear firsthand from two inspiring Maine entrepreneurs:

• Hailey Lister, co-founder of Alivo and recipient of last year’s $50,000 LaunchPad Grant, will share how the funding has helped accelerate her company’s growth over the past year.
• Devin McNeill, co-founder of Flowfold and LaunchPad’s 2015 winner, will reflect on his entrepreneurial journey, including the successful sale of Flowfold to fellow Maine manufacturer Tempshield earlier this year.

The event also offers an opportunity to network with Maine’s vibrant community of founders, funders, and mentors, and to celebrate the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that energizes our state’s business landscape.

“We’re eager to hear from this year’s LaunchPad finalists and see innovation come to life on stage,” said Steve deCastro, CEO of Maine Community Bank. “The judges face a tough task in selecting a winner, but that’s a testament to the strength and creativity of Maine’s entrepreneurs. We look forward to celebrating their work and the impact they’ll have on our small business community.”

RSVP to save your seat on Tuesday, October 21 at University of New England’s Innovation Hall at 722 Stevens Avenue in Portland. Learn more at MCBlaunchpad.com.