The critical need for cybersecurity professionals continues to expand exponentially and Maryland is the nation’s epicenter of cybersecurity. However, with this designation, comes a talent shortage that TEDCO’s Cyber Maryland Program is addressing, allowing the state to become a leading cyber ecosystem by creating a more efficient and sustainable workforce pipeline. 

TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, sat down with The Monthly Blend co-hosts Anthony & Tien to reflect on how TEDCO has transformed Maryland’s startup ecosystem over the past four years. He shared insights on the ecosystem’s growth, the importance of strengthening our “muscle memory,” and why the entrepreneurial journey is rarely linear. Troy also highlighted TEDCO’s role as Maryland’s venture arm and its exciting plans for 2025.

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent Pre-Seed Builder Fund investment in Sybal. This Maryland-based software startup provides computational governance solutions designed to support various industries. 

At TEDCO, we have a playlist of songs (featured here and here) that we each find inspiring or that speak to the core values of TEDCO.  For myself, that song is Hold On Tight by Electric Light Orchestra.  The lyrics refer to the tenacity and determination needed to ‘hold on tight to your dreams’ whether you are an artist or an entrepreneur. 

Gather entrepreneurs, technologists, investors and policy leaders in a room, and you’ll pick up on plenty of shifts in how economic development is being reframed in an era characterized by increased innovation and digital connectivity. Even the whales are discussed differently these days, as was seen at Maryland’s premier entrepreneurial celebration — TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo.