Maryland\'s Technology Organizations Offer Assistance and Resources

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Maryland's Technology Organizations Offer Assistance and Resources

By Reed Hellman, STAFF WRITER



Maryland has long been a home for technology firms. Proximity tonumerous federal agencies and their lucrative research anddevelopment contracts has certainly been one driver. Witness thearray of defense contractors in Annapolis Junction and around FortMeade and the Aberdeen complexes. Or, drive along the I-270Technology Corridor where a multitude of firms serve the NationalInstitutes of Health, the National Institute of Standards andTechnology, the Department of Energy, various agencies of theDepartment of Health and Human Services and numerous other federaloffices.

Add in the biomedical companies that associate with The JohnsHopkins University and the University of Maryland, and Maryland'sroster of technology companies seems nearly endless.

But there is more at work here than simply a well-stocked larder offederal and institutional contracts. Technological entrepreneurscan call on a range of agencies for assistance and guidance thatease the path for them to do high tech business in Maryland.



Mtech

The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech,www.mtech.umd.edu) is one of the region's foremost technicalassistance organizations. A unit of the A. James Clark School ofEngineering at the University of Maryland (UM), Mtech claims a$17.02 billion impact on the Maryland economy since its inceptionin 1983. The organization's mission is to "educate the nextgeneration of technology entrepreneurs; help entrepreneurs createsuccessful technology-based ventures; and connect Marylandcompanies with university resources to help them succeed."

Mtech sponsors a wide range of programs, services, courses, andeven a "boot camp" aimed at Maryland companies and faculty, studentand regional entrepreneurs. Each program has a different emphasisand sphere of influence. Programs for Maryland companies includethe Maryland Industrial Partnerships program (MIPS), the MarylandTechnology Extension Service (MTES), the Biotechnology Industryprogram and the Maryland Performance Excellence Awards.

For faculty, student and regional entrepreneurs, Mtech offers theHinman CEOs program, the VentureAccelerator program (VA),entrepreneurship courses, Technology Start-Up Boot Camp, theUniversity of Maryland $50K Business Plan Competition, the MTECHVenture Forum and the Technology Advancement Program (TAP).

Dr. Martha Connelly, director of Maryland Industrial Partnerships,said, "Mtech, the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute at theUniversity of Maryland, has been helping educate next-generationentrepreneurs, create new technology businesses and connectMaryland companies to the resources and expertise at UM. We've beenaround for 24 years, and these Mtech programs have had amulti-billion-dollar impact on the state of Maryland."



MIPS

Located on the University of Maryland campus in College Park,Mtech's Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS, www.mips.umd.edu)is one example of the types of assistance offered. MIPS providesfunding, matched by participating companies, for university-basedresearch projects that help companies develop new products.

"The Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program, an initiative of theA. James Clark School of Engineering's Maryland TechnologyEnterprise Institute, brings university innovation to thecommercial sector by supporting university-based research projectsto help Maryland companies develop technology-based products,"explained Eric Schurr, Mtech's director of marketing andcommunications.

Since 1987, MIPS has awarded more than $140 million to some 800projects that have generated an estimated $9.8 billion in saleswhile creating jobs for the regional workforce and helping tosecure Maryland's place in the global technology marketplace. MIPSenables Maryland firms to gain access to the 13 institutions in theUniversity System of Maryland. The maximum MIPS award for anysingle project is $100,000 per year for large and small companiesand $90,000 for startup firms.



MTES

The Maryland Technology Extension Service (MTES, www.mtes.org) hasprovided manufacturing advice and assistance to more than 500Maryland industrial companies. Also part of Mtech and the A. JamesClark School of Engineering, MTES is an affiliate of the NIST'sManufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST/MEP) network, aimed atbuilding globally competitive manufacturing companies.

For almost 20 years, MTES representatives have reached out toMaryland factories and manufacturers, bringing the resources of theUniversity System of Maryland, NIST/MEP's network of manufacturingassistance centers and an assortment of federal laboratories tosolve a range of technology difficulties.

Schurr explained MTES's mission as helping "... Marylandmanufacturers become more competitive and grow by providingaccessible and cost-effective best practices, expert knowledge,pathways to process improvement and solving technical challenges."



TAP

Primarily targeting regional entrepreneurs, Mtech's TechnologyAdvancement Program (TAP, wwwtap.umd.edu) runs a venture incubatorthat offers more than simply expertise and good advice. TAP'sbenchmark facility holds more than 20,000 square feet offully-furnished office, wet-laboratory and meeting space fittedwith all utilities, a sophisticated telecom system, fiber-optic LANcommunication and shared laboratory space equipped with more than$500,000 worth of modern scientific implements and apparatus,including a walk-in cold room, autoclave, high performance liquidchromatograph (HPLC), fluorescent plate reader and scintillationcounter.

Early-stage companies can spend up to four years in the incubatorwhere they receive access to capital, support assembling managementteams, hands-on mentoring, technical expertise and functioninginfrastructure. Housed at the University of Maryland, TAP was thefirst technology business incubator in the state and is thebirthplace of two of Maryland's billion-dollar companies, DiogeneCorporation and Martek Biosciences.



TEDCO

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO,www.marylandtedco.org) offers another approach to providingassistance to technology companies. Created by the Maryland GeneralAssembly in 1998, TEDCO was ranked No. 1 nationally by Entrepreneurmagazine for the largest number of investments in startup, seed orearly stage companies for the fourth consecutive year.

Started in 2000 with a $642,000 seed grant from the MarylandDepartment of Business and Economic Development, TEDCO currentlyhas a staff of 14 and has organized 30 technology showcases,developed relationships with numerous federal research facilities,attracted more than $8 million in grants from 13 federal agenciesand created innovative funding programs for cash-strapped startups.In 2005, TEDCO's Incubator Development Fund opened the SilverSpring Innovation Center, the Prince George's County TechnologyAssistance Center and the Frederick Innovation Technology Center,totaling 45,000 square feet of usable space. A fourth incubator -the proposed 26,000-square-foot Rockville Innovation TechnologyCenter - has received a $1 million commitment from TEDCO's board ofdirectors.



TCM

The Tech Council of Maryland (TCM, www.techcouncilmd.com) functionsas an advocacy organization, promoting the interests of its morethan 500 members. As Maryland's largest technology tradeassociation, TCM is the only technology council in the state with afull-time presence in Annapolis. The organization focuses on issuesthat affect advanced technology, biotechnology, higher education,transportation, tax climate and the regional workforce. TCM was astrong advocate for the recent repeal of the 6% sales tax oncomputer services.

TCM sponsors a range of activities including networking events,cost-saving programs and advocacy initiatives. The council has twodivisions: The Tech Alliance comprises 125 information technology,telecommunications, software, hardware and other advancedtechnologies companies; MdBio provides comprehensive supportservices to Maryland's biotechnology community.



CIC

The Chesapeake Innovation Center (CIC, www.cic-tech.org), locatedin the "informatics corridor" of Anne Arundel County, describesitself as "... a bridge between major users of security technologyand small companies at the forefront of innovation ...."

Created by the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, CICis the nation's first homeland and national security focusedaccelerator, and currently partners with industry giants such asNorthrop Grumman Corporation, The Boeing Company, the NationalSecurity Agency, ARINC, Next Century Corporation and Athlone GlobalSecurity.

"The Chesapeake Innovation Center (CIC) is a unique businessaccelerator that matches innovative technologies and companies withgovernment agencies and major contractors in the homeland securityand defense market," said Sarah Djamshidi, CIC executive director."By creating win-win relationships between companies and providingvalue-add resources to our portfolio companies, CIC strengthensMaryland's technology sector and its economy by making a home forsuccessful and sustainable businesses."



CBTD

Howard County's Center for Business and Technology Development(CBTD, www.hceda.org/cbtd) functions as a comprehensive resourcefor the county's small business owners and entrepreneurs. A part ofthe Howard County Economic Development Authority, the facilityincorporates the Business Resource Center and The NeoTechIncubator. The Business Resource Center offers an array of toolsand support services including one-on-one counseling; workshops;seminars; a full complement of federal, state and locally-sponsoredbusiness development programs; a library of useful materials;meeting facilities; conference rooms; computer workstations; andother office infrastructure.

The NeoTech Incubator, now in its eighth year, can house up to 12resident companies, along with 14 graduate companies, and providejobs for more than 200 people. It is the only incubator in thecountry to have received three awards for innovation from theNational Business Incubation Association. CBTD also hosts a rangeof seminars and events focusing on such diverse topics as"Developing Your First Business Plan," "Certifications: Learn theBasics and the Crucial Next Steps" and "Franchising for the RetiredLifestyle."

As the nation's business climate evolves, more and more companieswill require the assistance and resources available through thesediverse technology organizations. Whether the need is startupfunding, technical expertise, access to markets or simply some goodadvice, regional technology companies have supporting organizationswaiting to help.