Creating a hub for innovation and collaboration, and bringing more investors and entrepreneurs to Maryland
COLUMBIA, Md. (October 6, 2021)—TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced today its collaboration with various Maryland partners in creating the BlueTechMD Consortium (BlueTechMD). The goal of BlueTechMD, comprised of for-profits, universities, and non-profits, is to attract more of the myriad of climate tech investors and blue tech entrepreneurs to Maryland, and create more collaborative opportunities and solutions to solve our climate change problems. The challenges to our waters are unprecedented and acute with acidification, warming and sea level rise, pollution, and the loss of critical marine biodiversity. The Maryland ecosystem, with its breadth and depth of capabilities, is naturally poised to join other emerging blue tech clusters.
Blue Tech is defined as aquaculture, offshore wind, sustainable maritime, stormwater and flooding management, bay and ocean restoration, urban waterfront, and more. Our goal is to build on our region’s core competencies to make Maryland one of the top blue tech innovation hubs and center of excellence in the country.
The Maryland market’s assets include: great anchor institutions with an educated workforce, proximity to federal government resources and the Chesapeake Bay, and accessibility to customers and organizations that help start-ups scale.
“BlueTechMD is bringing a multitude of collaborations together to support technological advancements in areas that include sustainable aquaculture, offshore wind, and the health of our harbors and oceans - issues that will improve lives” said Russell Hill, executive director, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET). “The Blue Tech industry has a strong future in Maryland, and we’re looking forward to building a more sustainable future of growth for the industry and companies in Maryland.”
In partnership with TEDCO, the Maryland Momentum Fund, IMET, Early Charm Ventures, Ferry Cove Shellfish, and others, BlueTechMD will host its inaugural BlueNexus event on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The event will include an investor discussion, a roundtable discussion, and information on what benefits Maryland has to offer entrepreneurs and investors. There will also be an announcement of a new partnership with two other blue economy/blue tech innovation cluster groups and information about a future business plan contest. Companies interested in participating should contact Claire Broido Johnson, cbjohnson@umaryland.edu.
The current partners in the BlueTechMD Consortium include:
- Bethesda Green
- bwtech@UMBC
- Early Charm Ventures
- Ferry Cove Shellfish
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
- Maryland Clean Energy Center
- Maryland Department of Commerce
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator
- Maryland Momentum Fund
- Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)
- Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute
- University System of Maryland
- UpSurge Baltimore
“This new Consortium will help lead economic development for our State’s Blue Tech industries,” said Brian Toll, director of the Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator. “Maryland’s physical proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and its robust Port of Baltimore provide strong place-based foundations for Blue Tech innovation. If we want to see more companies, technologies and jobs, we need to focus on bringing more funding and support to develop the State’s Blue Tech ecosystem.”
“Maryland has all of the right assets to make it to a top three center of Blue Tech innovation in the country,” said Claire Broido Johnson, managing director, Maryland Momentum Fund. “Our group wants to energize the ecosystem and bring more Blue Tech entrepreneurs and investors to Maryland.”
To learn more about the BlueTechMD Consortium, to include how to join, please visit https://bluetechmd.com/.