Gorham Savings Bank has chosen Blue Ox Malthouse, Fluid Farms, Garbage to Garden, Good To-Go and UniteGPS as the five finalists in this year’s LaunchPad competition. The winner will receive a $50,000 grant.

The five early-stage Maine businesses were chosen from a pool of 179 applicants because of their focus on “sustainability and convenience in a busy world,” according to a Gorham Savings news release. All five will participate in a live-pitch competition to be held the evening of June 7 at the University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall in Portland.

In front of a live audience, an independent panel of judges will decide which business will be awarded the $50,000 grant from Gorham Savings. This year’s judges will be WEX Inc. President and CEO Melissa Smith, Winxnet CEO and co-founder Chris Claudio, and the Director of Southern Maine Community College’s Entrepreneurial Center, Michelle Neujahr.

Now in its fourth year, LaunchPad is designed to help fund the growth of one promising, early-stage Maine business. Entries for this year’s competition were submitted via an online form during the entry period of April 1 to May 1.

“Maine’s economy is made up of thousands of small and innovative businesses, and we want to see those numbers grow and more businesses succeed,” said Chris Emmons, president and CEO of Gorham Savings Bank, in the release. “We’re constantly inspired by the success stories we hear from entrepreneurs, and we’re looking forward to giving another one a meaningful boost this year.”

Blue Ox Malthouse of Lisbon Falls turns raw grain from local farms into malt used by craft breweries. The farmer-to-brewer link the malthouse creates also promotes economic sustainability.

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Fluid Farms Aquaponic Produce in Portland grows organic greens and freshwater tilapia (striped bass), and operates the state’s only Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association-certified organic aquaponic greenhouse.

Garbage to Garden, also in Portland, makes it easier for residents, schools, and businesses to divert their food scraps – including meat, dairy and bones – from landfills. Each week, participants leave their bucket of scraps at the curbside to be exchanged for a fresh, clean one, and if requested, a bag of compost.

Good To-Go, in Kittery, offers a line of all-natural, dehydrated gourmet meals catering to “active adventurers.” Each meal is handmade by nationally-recognized chef Jennifer Scism, who once defeated Mario Batali on Food Network’s Iron Chef.

UniteGPS of Portland aims to improve a different outdoor experience: waiting for the school bus. The company’s GPS solution, CrossWalk, solves the problems of parents and students not knowing exactly when the bus will arrive each day.

J. Craig Anderson can be contacted at 791-6390 or at:

canderson@pressherald.com

Twitter: @jcraiganderson


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