European Mission Sparks Global Cyber Ties

Howard County Economic Development Authority recently led a successful 11-day European trade mission to foster international collaboration and explore export opportunities for our cybersecurity/IT sector. The delegation, which included Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, visited Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and facilitated partnerships, encouraged foreign direct investment (FDI) and promoted trade. The delegation also included Dr. Daria Willis, President of Howard Community College (HCC), HCEDA Board Chair Marcellous Frye and executives from three cyber companies – TeamWorx Security, Hopr, and IntelliGenesis.

Howard County Builds Cybersecurity Alliances in Germany:

Partnership Milestones at It-Sa Expo&Congress

Our delegation attended It-Sa Expo&Congress in Nuremberg, Germany, the world’s largest cybersecurity conference. County Executive Ball was invited to speak on “Exploring U.S. Market Entry: A Gateway to the Capital Region’s Cybersecurity Ecosystem,” where he discussed ways to enhance cyber cooperation, promote business and academic exchanges and support economic growth.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, HCEDA CEO Jennifer Jones and Dr. Matthias Kampmann of the German Cyber Cluster signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Maryland Innovation Center and IT-Sicherheitscluster e.V., establishing a framework for collaboration and mutual support in the cybersecurity sector.

The event was a valuable opportunity to build international partnerships and promote Howard County’s role in cybersecurity.

Howard County Strengthens Economic Partnerships in Ireland:

Building Ties in Dublin and Galway

Following our time in Germany, we spent two productive days in Ireland, forging new connections and strengthening economic ties. The visit began at the U.S.-Ireland Economic Summit hosted by the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, where we joined Irish-American companies to celebrate 100 years of partnership. 

We then toured the Guinness Enterprise Centre, Ireland’s leading hub for startups, where we explored collaboration opportunities for Maryland Innovation Center companies, including Columbia’s HOPR. HOPR CEO Tom McNamara noted that the trade mission facilitated valuable partnerships that will support future European expansion.

At Trinity College, we discussed collaborations in education, workforce and innovation, particularly aligned with HCC’s commitment to preparing students for future challenges. We also met with the Lord Mayor of Dublin to establish economic and diplomatic ties. In Galway, we visited Platform94, where we discussed a partnership to foster innovation and growth in the cybersecurity sector and connected with University of Galway leaders to explore student exchange and workforce development programs.

Through these visits and new agreements, we made significant strides in building partnerships that will drive economic growth and innovation between Maryland and Ireland.

Strengthening UK Cybersecurity and Economic Ties:

Partnership with Midlands Cyber and Gloucestershire

We concluded our European Trade Mission with productive stops in the United Kingdom, focused on advancing cybersecurity partnerships and economic development. The visit began with a strategic meeting at Midlands Cyber in Birmingham, where the existing MOU between Maryland and Midlands Cyber has already set a foundation for collaboration

We also visited Birmingham City University’s STEAMhouse, a collaborative innovation center combining arts with STEM fields, where we explored novel approaches to sustainability and workforce development. This connection fosters potential academic partnerships between Birmingham City University and Howard Community College.

In Cheltenham, we met with cybersecurity leaders and signed a Letter of Intent with Gloucestershire County Council and Cheltenham Borough Council to collaborate on cybersecurity, advanced engineering, agri-tech and other key sectors. This LOI sets the stage for a long-term, binding agreement that will support mutual growth in economic development, trade and workforce training.

The mission wrapped up with a visit to University of Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire College to explore apprenticeship programs and workforce exchange opportunities, furthering Howard County’s commitment to creating valuable international partnerships.

MIC Global Launches to Empower International Innovation

During the trade mission, the Maryland Innovation Center Global (MIC Global) program was unveiled. This pioneering initiative offers mentorship, business resources and guidance to international businesses considering U.S. market entry. The program aims to streamline market entry by providing virtual support before businesses establish physical operations in Howard County.

Recent Highlights: What You Need to Know

• Howard County Office of Workforce Development Information Session for Jobseekers is November 18th. Learn More

• Networking Night with HCEDA and MBOC is on November 19th. Learn More

• Howard County Office of Workforce Development Business Apprenticeship Fair is on November 20th. Learn More

• Check out our new and improved website at www.howardcountyeda.org