LEWISTON — The deadline for the Twin Cities’ new entrepreneur contest passed over the weekend. Up next: A winnowing and community vote come February.

On Monday, Paul Badeau, spokesman for the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council, declined to reveal the number of applications Launch L-A received. The contest was designed to lure an innovative young businessperson back to their local roots with a prize pack approaching $100,000 in cash and services. Applicants had to submit a detailed plan for a new startup company here.

The deadline for Launch L-A had been extended by a month to Jan. 1, when Badeau cited confusion about the due date on the Internet.

He said having to relocate, and the rigours of the contest requirements, might have dissuaded some from applying, but that the contest committee was impressed by the quality and ideas in the entries.

“From here, we’ll have a panel of judges, consisting of bankers, entrepreneurs and business people, sign a confidentiality agreement to honor the entrepreneurs’ intellectual capital,” Badeau said. “Judges will then review the submissions during the month of January and select two or three finalists, if they deem them suitable.”

Finalists will have a chance to make their pitch in person, he said. The public vote will start in February. “We should have a winner by the end of the month.”

— Kathryn Skelton