Let's be honest: On the surface, Baltimore had a tough year.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge’s deadly collapse and enduring uncertainty about millions in Tech Hubs funding were obvious setbacks for the region. Despite those hurdles, Baltimore persevered. Its tech workforce appears to be growing while the community keeps building through various meetups. Plus, the state made landmark investments related to manufacturing, life sciences and, of course, tech. Keep scrolling to learn more about how Baltimore's innovation scene kept at it in 2024.
Speaking of the state, Gov. Wes Moore appointed a new CIO for Maryland. Get the details below.
— Kaela, Technical.ly lead reporter in Baltimore and DC
Image of the Day: John Wilkes Booth’s family burial plot at Green Mount Cemetery. (Sameer Rao/Technical.ly) Have a photo or chart we should feature here? Hit reply and send in your submission.
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Is your startup investor ready? The My NEXT Raise Early Stage Founder Funder event on Dec. 12 features 1:1 speed-dating investor meetings, a panel discussion and a happy hour to network with early-stage investors. Applications to participate are open through Nov. 25.
The region faced new challenges this year but also introduced new supports for its entrepreneurs and technologists.
An example is the Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act, one of several initiatives honoring the legacy of the late EcoMap Technologies cofounder. $500,000 of the bipartisan bill's authorized funds already supports a project bringing student entrepreneurs across Baltimore's universities together.
2024 boasted many more examples of Baltimore's tech and innovation ecosystem building community and resilience for its longterm survival.
Maryland's new chief innovation officer will lead a seven-person team to help different state agencies find and test solutions to alleviate child poverty.
“Francesca Ioffreda’s experience developing collaborative, data-driven solutions to big problems makes her the right choice to lead Maryland’s ambitious innovation agenda,” said Moore in a press release.
That wasn't the only recent leadership move of note. A local university is calling for applications to a few entrepreneurship programs while the private sector announces new executives.
• An astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute strung together astronomy, running and life lessons at an event hosted by Creative Mornings Baltimore. [Technical.ly]
• The coworking space Spark Baltimore is giving away a six-month single office membership for a small business or startup. Apply by Nov. 30. [Spark]
• A Charlotte, North Carolina-based cybersecurity firm won a pitch competition hosted by the Fulton startup foundry DataTribe. Frenos and three other companies split a $25,000 award. [DataTribe]
• Former Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor Martin O’Malley announced he's running for chair of the Democratic National Committee. [New York Times]
• 1891 Angels, a new investment network founded by Johns Hopkins alumni, is only looking to invest in companies with ties to the university. [Baltimore Business Journal]
• The White House requested $98.4 billion in disaster aid, including funds to rebuild the Key Bridge. [Maryland Matters]
Meet potential investors face to face
NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers is hosting its fourth in-person event bringing together founders and funders. The startup-focused legal practice is accepting applications to participate from companies currently raising seed to Series A.
If selected for the My NEXT Raise Early Stage Founder Funder event on Dec. 12, you’ll get access to 3 hours of speed-dating with investors at the law firm’s Park Potomac, MD, office. And anyone who applies is welcome to the afternoon panel discussion titled “What is Investor Readiness and How to Achieve?” plus a 5 p.m. happy hour with investors in the room.
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