COLUMBIA, Md. (Nov. 12, 2014) – Entrepreneurship and innovation was on fine display today as more than 500 of the region’s aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business leaders came together to attend the 2014 Entrepreneur Expo: “E2E: Entrepreneurs Inspiring Entrepreneurs” presented by The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). This signature event was held at the BWI Marriott in Linthicum Heights, Md., and brought together top entrepreneurs, small business executives, angel and venture capital investors, federal and state economic development officials, and university leaders and legislators to inspire the next generation of innovators. Maryland Governor-Elect Larry Hogan provided remarks at the end of the day ahead of closing speaker Paul Reed Smith, founder and owner of PRS Guitars.
“Maryland is home to many growing companies that are changing the business landscape, and this event brought together entrepreneurs and business leaders to learn about entrepreneurial resources,” said Rob Rosenbaum, president and executive director of TEDCO. “In our fourth year of the expo, we’ve developed unique programming catered to both beginner and experienced entrepreneurs and were honored to have Governor-Elect Hogan join us. Entrepreneurship is the heart of our innovation economy and it was front and center today.”
This year, the agenda included working sessions with industry experts; fireside chats with inspiring entrepreneurs; a roundtable discussion with Maryland’s funding resources; and educational sessions to help entrepreneurs choose the best assistive services. Three unique components of the expo included the sessions, “Fast Pitch,” which allowed startups to speed pitch themselves to angel investor groups; “Show & Tell,” which gave startups the opportunity to demonstrate their technology to the audience; and “Speed Dating,” which allowed entrepreneurs to present a pitch to mentors and find the right expert match to their company. Expo participants also heard from a variety of industry experts, including Paul Reed Smith, founder and owner of PRS Guitars, and David Rose, founder and CEO of Gust Rose Tech Venture.
“Venable, LLP is delighted to partner with TEDCO to provide a platform for entrepreneurial resources to spur the growth of Maryland’s economy,” said Chuck Morton, partner at Venable, LLP and TEDCO chair. “This event is truly valuable as the programming is catered to the needs of tomorrow’s business leaders and provides extensive networking opportunities. We look forward to what the future holds for expo attendees.”
TEDCO would like to thank the companies who sponsored the 2014 Entrepreneur Expo, including Southern Maryland Innovation & Technology (SMIT); Venable, LLP; Womble Carlyle; Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (EAGB); Saul Ewing, LLP; Montgomery County Economic Development; Employer’s Plus LLC; BioMaryland; Department of Business and Economic Development; Human Resources Inc., Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship; Howard County Economic Development Authority; and Traitify.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photographs from the Expo and its speakers can be obtained by contacting Katie Grieco at (410) 581-5928 or kgrieco@mghus.com.