Breakthroughs and Big Wins at Market Pulse Pitch

The Market Pulse Pitch Cybersecurity event, held yesterday at the Maryland Innovation Center, brought together investors, entrepreneurs, and community partners for an evening focused on the future of cybersecurity. The event featured live pitches from a competitive group of early-stage companies developing innovative, product-focused cybersecurity solutions.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
🥇 First Place: CyDeploy
🥈 Second Place: Sentinel Forge
🥉 Third Place: Hopr

Each of these ventures impressed judges and attendees with compelling products, strong market potential, and a clear path to impact. Their success underscores the depth of talent and innovation driving cybersecurity forward in our region.

Howard County’s Innovation Summit Is Back — And Bolder Than Ever

Join us for County Executive Ball’s Innovation Summit – a full-day event dedicated to the future of technology, collaboration, and digital transformation. This is your chance to connect with innovators, business leaders, and visionaries shaping the next wave of digital impact.

Date: June 3, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Fueling Inclusive Innovation: Apply Now for TEDCO’s Equitech Growth Fund

TEDCO’s Equitech Growth Fund is now open for applications — offering a critical opportunity for Maryland-based founders building inclusive, innovative companies. Part of TEDCO’s Cultivate Maryland Initiative, this fund is designed to support underrepresented entrepreneurs and accelerate the growth of scalable, tech-enabled ventures statewide.

If you're a visionary founder driving innovation and equity, this fund can provide the capital and support to help take your company to the next level.

Applications are due by August 8, 2025.

Interested in learning more before applying? Join TEDCO’s informational webinar on June 11, 2025, from 12–1 p.m. Register here.

BGE Empowering Local Businesses for a Brighter Future

In partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, the Energizing Small Business grant program offers $20,000 awards to help businesses across Central Maryland grow, innovate and better serve their communities. Since 2021, BGE has awarded more than $14.8 million in funding to 741 small businesses across the region.

If you’re a business owner working to take your next step—whether it’s hiring staff, launching a new product or expanding your reach—this grant may provide the support you need.

Applications are open now and due by June 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET. If you applied in a previous round but were not selected, you are encouraged to apply again with updated information. Apply through Hello Alice.

This is an excellent opportunity to secure funding that can move your business forward. We encourage all eligible Howard County businesses to apply.

Power Down, Plan Ahead: Prepare Your Business for Utility Disruptions

Join us for a critical information session designed to help business owners prepare for unexpected utility outages that can disrupt operations. Whether it’s a prolonged power failure, water outage or HVAC system disruption, this session will provide practical strategies and expert insights to help you develop a proactive response plan.

This session is part of a business resilience workshop series in partnership with the Howard County Office of Emergency Management. Each session features subject matter experts providing guidance, resources, and action plans for various disaster preparedness topics, including cyber threats, flood risks, and emergency response.

Don’t wait for an emergency to strike—get prepared today!

Success on Your Terms—Join the Women’s Catalyst Circle

Join us for a transformative Women’s Catalyst Circle designed to foster community, connection, and personal growth. This interactive experience is all about celebrating successes, redefining what success means for us today, and committing to bold action that propels us forward.

As founders, leaders and businesswomen, we often don’t take the time to reflect on our progress or embrace new definitions of success that align with where we are now. This session will challenge us to redefine our goals, embrace our growth, and take courageous action toward our aspirations—with the support of a like-minded community.

Recent Highlights: What You Need to Know

• Community Foundation of Howard County names Melissa Curtin as president and CEO. Learn More

• Howard County Farmers Markets Open for the 2025 Season. Learn More

• The Howard County Agricultural Grant for Innovation and Expansion is open until June 6, 2025. Learn More

• HCEDA is inviting local artists to exhibit their work in our Accelerator Space at the Kenneth S Ulman Innovation Hub. Learn More