Five start-ups have been chosen as finalists in an annual pitch contest sponsored by Gorham Savings Bank.

Judges for LaunchPad will decide June 6 who will receive the top prize of $50,000 in the annual entrepreneur contest, now in its fifth year. New this year is a $10,000 grant from the bank for the Emerging Idea Award, according to a news release from the bank. In addition to the $10,000 grant, the winner will receive $10,000 of in-kind marketing, business development and public relations services from iBec Creative, Creative Imaging Group, Grove Marketing, Chris Philbrook and Pro-voke Strategy and Culture.

The LaunchPad finalists are:

• Good To-Go, located in Kittery, which makes all-natural dehydrated gourmet meals catering to active adventurers.

• Jellux, in Saco, produces innovative, impact-resistant, waterproof advanced marine and outdoor lighting for the average homeowner.

• North Spore of Westbrook produces gourmet mushrooms and spawn for both retail and commercial use.

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• STARC Systems, located in Brunswick, is a modular, telescopic wall system that prevents debris and noise from disseminating throughout an occupied building during construction or renovation.

• UniteGPS of Portland offers a service called CrossWalk, which solves the problems of parents and students not knowing just when the school bus will arrive each day.

The finalists were chosen from a pool of 130 applicants.

LaunchPad judges are WEX President & CEO Melissa Smith, Winxnet CEO and co-founder Chris Claudio, and the director of Southern Maine Community College’s Entrepreneurial Center, Michelle Neujahr.

The pitch contest will start at 5 p.m. at the University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall in Portland. Attendees can register at gorhamsavingsbank.com.


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