A A2I Tech Talk & Entrepreneurial meetup. Photo provided
Oct 24, 2025 —
Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Do you have an idea for a small business here in the North Country?
If so, you’re exactly who the Adirondack Launchpad is looking for. That’s a new project by the Adirondack Innovation Initiative at the Adirondack Community Foundation.
“Our biggest goal, is to see what good ideas are out there? Because we’re sure there are quite a few of them,” said Svetlana Filipson, who leads the Adirondack Innovation Initiative, or A2I. She said A2I’s purpose is to help more people live in the Adirondacks with qaulity fulltime employment. A big part of that is promoting entrepreneurship and new businesses in the area.
She said the Adirondack Launchpad is a way of finding entrepreneurs and would-be founders.”We really want to find that very early stage [idea], and help them actualize their venture,” said Filipson.
Here’s how it works. People from all over the greater North Country are invited to submit their business idea by October 30.
Then, the Adirondack Launchpad judges will pick five finalists, and invite them to a ‘pitch day’ in Lake Placid. Filipson says to think of the TV show Shark Tank, but nice. “Similar but a lot more tame, and a lot more supportive!”
The finalists will make elevator pitches to the judges. There will be a winner, everyone who competes will receive a small cash prize. You can learn more about the competition here.
But Filipson says the real goal is to connect all of the finalists with resources, support, and mentors.
“It’s more about providing that supportive environment and giving them resources,” she said, “in order to hopefully allow them to grow into a true venture, that can diversify our economy, help the person start a business they are passionate about, they can be here with that business, and also to hopefully grow and create more jobs.”
Some of the folks involved at ‘pitch day’ are from Clarkson University’s Shipley Center for Innovation, Empire State Development, and veteran local entrepreneurs.
“With the five top finalists we’re also going to offer them guaranteed one-on-one mentorship afterwards if they so desire as well,” said Filipson.
This is a pilot project for the Adirondack Community Foundation, but Filipson says if it goes well, the idea is to hold these ‘pitch days’ twice a year, to help create a pipeline of new businesses.
The Adirondack Launchpad is accepting ideas until October 30 here.
