Two grant opportunities announced for eligible applicants, pushing further growth for Maryland’s innovation ecosystem
COLUMBIA, Md., (March 18, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announces two Requests For Applications (RFAs) from the Baltimore Innovation Initiative (BII) Pilot Program. The BII Pilot Program falls under the Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII), fueling innovation and economic impact in the Baltimore region.
The BII was created to support an equitable innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem within higher education institutions in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As part of Maryland’s matching contribution toward the Baltimore Tech Hub, the BII seeks to advance technology toward commercialization of a product or service and bolster support for entrepreneurs developing technology-based ventures.
“We are excited to unveil the BII program to the community, offering two grant opportunities to students and faculty at eligible higher education institutions throughout the Baltimore region,” said Abi Kulshreshtha, MII executive director. “The creation of this program exemplifies the impact MII has on Maryland and offers new opportunities for diverse perspectives and equitable funding opportunities that will lead to an inclusive merit-based ecosystem.”
The launch of the new program introduces two grant opportunities aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. The Technology Advancement Grant offers applicants support to commercialize a new or existing technology at an eligible institution while the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Programming and Infrastructure Grant supports the creation or enhancement of entrepreneurship programs and commercialization infrastructure for technology-based ventures. Both RFAs are due by 5:00pm on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
“The collaborative nature of Baltimore communities has already led to incredible innovations and growth,” said Jalaycia Lewis, BII program manager. “I firmly believe that, through the BII program, we will see the creation of more opportunities for faculty and students, a feat that will lead to more innovative solutions to everyday problems.”
The MII was established as a collaboration between the State of Maryland and five academic research institutions, and leverages each institution’s strengths while promoting the commercialization of research conducted there. Since its inception, the program has invested more than $59 million in promising research commercialization, supported nearly 200 companies and generated almost 400 jobs. The success of the MII led to several pilot programs that expanded MII’s reach to two more comprehensive universities in addition to the creation of BII.
“Home to more than 50 accredited two- and four-year colleges and universities, Maryland has an abundance of brilliant faculty and researchers, including those at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University,” said TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall. “Baltimore is one of the most diverse cities and one of the top 100 best cities for young professionals nationwide, and data will tell us, diversity allows for different knowledge and perspectives to be shared collectively, leading to the growth of our innovation ecosystem. Entrepreneurs looking to make a difference must consider the worldwide impact of Maryland.”
To learn more about the MII and BII programs, eligibility and application details, visit tedcomd.com/funding/maryland-innovation-initiative