Startup Maryland Announces 8 Finalists for
"Pitch Across Maryland" Competition
Separate "Fan Favorite" Voting Continues Until Nov. 12
Everywhere, Md. - Startup Maryland, today announced the 8 Finalist for the Pitch Across Maryland competition. After posting the 168 video pitches from Maryland entrepreneurs that were captured during the three-week Pitch Across Maryland bus tour, Startup Maryland is proud to reveal the Eight (8) Finalists that were selected by a panel of entrepreneur and investor experts.
The following link takes you to a Playlist with the 8 Finalists:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBN03TRv8YYfeHdh_p9eiKVx-VG5qIK3o
The companies are also listed below (in no particular order):
These 8 Finalists are now invited to present their "pitch" again at the 2012 Entrepreneur Expo on November 13, 2013. As a key Tour Partner for the Pitch Across Maryland, TEDCO has reserved the final "Closing Mayhem" session of the Entrepreneur Expo for the Finalists to present their business plans to the full community of conference attendees and another panel of investor/entrepreneur experts.
This second panel will then select and announce a Pitch Across Maryland Winner and a Runner-up at the Expo.
Separately, the online Fan Favorite competition is still ongoing. This Fan Favorite portion of the competition is a fun activity that Startup Maryland added to the pitch competition to keep the awareness and celebration aspects of the tour at a high level. Essentially, all 168 Pitch Across Maryland videos are posted up on the Startup Maryland YouTube site in a Gallery of Playlist broken down by Tour Stop locations.
So, startups and those who love them can show their support by "voting" for the best pitch. Forget the ballot box and hanging-chads, this is the Age of Social Media so the way to "Get Out the Vote" is to activate personal networks. Mobilize FaceBook, Twitter accounts and send a notice to your friends, family, peers with the following link or the link of the specific entrepreneur you support:
http://www.youtube.com/user/StartupMaryland/videos?flow=grid&view=1
Once logged in to this main YouTube Video Playlist Gallery, viewers can navigate through the playlists to find individual videos. Supporters cast their vote by simply viewing the videos. As a reminder, this online viewing and voting is simply meant to be a fun activity to produce a Fan Favorite. More information about the Tour and the Video Playlist can be found at:
http://startupmd.org/pitch-across-maryland/
"These videos are a testament to the strength, dedication and diversity of Maryland's entrepreneurial community," says Startup Maryland Co-Chair Mike Binko. "When we launched the Pitch Across Maryland tour we thought we might have 40-50 entrepreneurs join us on the Tour Bus and pitch, so 168 is phenomenal. Including all the rallies and events we held more than 200 startups actually participated in the tour."
The entrepreneur who has received the most "view-votes" by 10:00 am ET November 12, 2012 will be declared the Pitch Across Maryland Fan Favorite. The Fan Favorite is invited to present their pitch at the Maryland Entrepreneur Awards Gala on November 14, 2012 @ Howard Community College. Details on this event can be found here:
http://www.hceda.org/eventDetail.aspx?id=486
Additionally, members of the media are being directed to all Video Playlist to learn more about the innovations and entrepreneurs building great companies in Maryland and across the broader Mid-Atlantic region.
"The Pitch Across Maryland tour, which ran from September 11 - 28, 2012, held celebration and promotional rallies at 25 stops throughout the state of Maryland," added Julie Lenzer Kirk, Startup Maryland Co-Chair. "Culminating in the Last Stop, First Step party and celebration event at Merriweather Post Pavilion on September 28th this Tour has rightly placed the spotlight on the vitality in Maryland's innovation economy."
About Startup Maryland
Startup Maryland (http://startupmaryland.org) is a regional initiative launched out of the Startup America Partnership (www.S.co). It is a state-wide initiative FOR entrepreneurs BY entrepreneurs to bring entrepreneurial resources together, increase access to resources / capital / deal flow and boost awareness, while also bringing together entrepreneurs in a community of support to drive greater economic outcomes.
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]]>HP and the International Association of Privacy Professionals presented Oculis Labs with the 20152 HP-IAPP Privacy Innovation Award last week at the annual award dinner in San Jose, California. The award is in recognition of the Privacy Innovation that went into creating PrivateEye Enterprise. This award is very important to Oculis Labs. The IAPP is a 13,000-member strong global organization dedicated to advancing the practice of protecting privacy. Their members are some of the top policy makers, lawyers, and practitioners in the business and their work protects hundreds of thousands of individuals in 70 countries. To be selected by IAPP, and to be considered in such company as previous award winners Microsoft, IBM, and Novell is an honor and a recognition we take very seriously.
PrivateEye Enterprise secures the information on your computer displays to reduce your risk of data loss. We take a novel approach to information security: we secure the data at the point of use, where your valuable data enters the real world. Using facial recognition software and computer vision technology that detects and prevents over-the-shoulder eavesdroppers, PrivateEye protects while ensuring normal user productivity.
PrivateEye helps Privacy Officers, CIOs, and security personnel comply with access control and clean-screen policies, and it quickly identifies problem areas in the organization where data is actively at risk.
"Anyone who works in the government, or in any organization for that matter, can tell you that information security is a top priority... And all of this can be undone by someone looking over a remote user's shoulder at the right moment - or the wrong moment, as the case may be." - From GCN
]]>Over the last few years, the frequency and sophistication of targeted cyber attacks have increased dramatically. The rise of cyber espionage and cybercrime is causing businesses to lose hundreds of billions of dollars each year, and the total expense to prevent attacks is increasing exponentially. . . . [http://pivotalplaysblog.com/2012/09/18/pivotal-player-northrop-grumman-and-university-of-maryland-bring-real-cyber-security-solutions-to-market-with-cync-program/]
]]>The research and technology arm of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
will offer a series of courses for early-stage companies that want to learn how
to sell their goods and services to the federal government.
[Read more at
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2012/10/17/umbc-to-offer-courses-on-winning.html]
Contact: Ben Souder
Email: bensouder@targetgov.com
Phone: 410-772-3914
TargetGov and bwtech@UMBC are Teaming Up to Create the Government Contracting Institute
bwtech@UMBC and TargetGov are working together to bring early-stage companies the Government Contracting Institute, a series of courses aimed at helping businesses learn about the federal government marketplace.
October 15, 2012 – Baltimore, Maryland – Today, TargetGov and the bwtech@UMBC Research Park announce a plan to team up and produce a series of courses geared towards early-stage companies to help them learn more about the federal marketplace. The courses will take place at bwtech@UMBC.
Courses offered will include: Federal Contracting Gap Analysis, Market Identification Strategies and Tactics, Illuminating the Federal Sales Process, Marketing to Win Government Contracts, Navigating the GSA Schedule System, Proposal Writing Tools for Success, Fundamental Contract & Project Management, Essential Accounting Components, Clarifying Legal Requirements, Demystifying Security Clearances, Merits and Qualifications of Socioeconomic Certifications and more. TargetGov president Gloria Larkin will coordinate instructor selection.
This partnership uniquely positions bwtech@UMBC and TargetGov to offer this kind of training in the State of Maryland.
“Government contracting is a multi-billion dollar market and the fact that bwtech@UMBC Research & Technology Park is partnering with TargetGov on the Government Contracting Institute is testimony to their vision of supporting business incubation, acceleration and growth,” says Gloria Larkin.
Space for the courses will be limited to ensure an optimal learning environment. While companies in the park are encouraged to participate, companies outside the park are welcome as well. Forthcoming information will be posted on the TargetGov and bwtech@UMBC web sites.
“One of the important parts of this program,” says Ellen Hemmerly, president and executive director of bwtech@UMBC, “is that it will help early-stage companies learn how to expand their customer base into the government sector.”
“Being admitted to the bid process can take months or years,” says Vic Hess, entrepreneur in residence at bwtech@UMBC. “In today’s highly competitive environment, businesses must plan an acceleration strategy to rise above the pack.” And helping early-stage companies plan this strategy is just what this partnership aims to do.
About TargetGov:
TargetGov provides national support with expertise in federal government procurement related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, BPAs, IDIQs, GWACs, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. Gloria Berthold Larkin has been recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal and TheStreet.com, and she is the author of “The Basic Guide to Government Contracting” and "The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business." Visit http://www.TargetGov.com or call 443-543-5067 for more information.
About bwtech@UMBC:
bwtech@UMBC, www.bwtechumbc.com is a 71-acre research and technology community at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). It comprises the Life Science and Technology, Clean Energy, and Cyber Incubators, home to over 100 early-stage high-tech and life science companies, and the Research and Technology Park, with a capacity of 525,000 square feet of office and laboratory space. bwtech@UMBC offers collaboration with university faculty and students, and enjoys a strategic and convenient location, close to downtown Baltimore, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Washington, D.C. bwtech@UMBC’s annual economic impact on the state is estimated to be over $300 million.
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]]>Baltimore, MD (July 6, 2012) – Duane Pinnix of RMF Engineering and Christopher Brandt of Audacious Inquiry, were nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards. Both companies reside in bwtech@UMBC Research & Technology Park.
"It’s exciting to have such successful companies at bwtech@UMBC." says Ellen Hemmerly, Executive Director of bwtech@UMBC, "It’s entrepreneurs like Duane and Chris that help create the vibrant community that makes bwtech@UMBC an ideal environment for companies to grow and prosper."
RMF Engineering.
, www.rmf.com, The firm of RMF Engineering, Inc. (RMF) was incorporated in 1983 with its initial focus on mechanical and electrical engineering. Since then, RMF has expanded its services and has five office locations. The firm is nationally recognized for the analysis, planning, and design of complex buildings and campus utility generation and distribution systems. Disciplines include: mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, infrastructure, and aquacultural engineering. Other services include commissioning, plant operations, emissions testing, and non-destructive testing. The firm also has several experienced LEED Accredited Professionals.
Audacious Inquiry
http://www.audaciousinquiry.com, Audacious Inquiry is a management and technology consulting firm with domain expertise in health information systems, web application development and analytical services. The company works in partnership with client organizations, including healthcare provider organizations, businesses, non-profit associations, and government organizations to maximize positive outcomes and minimize the risks of the practical application of information technology. Audacious Inquiry also won the SmartCEO VOLT: Leaders in Technology Award in May of 2012 in the Technology Innovator Emerging category.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) Award
program honors entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, hard work and perseverance have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures. The Ernst & Young EOY Award is one of the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award program originated in 1986 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is celebrating more than 25 years of recognizing successful entrepreneurs. Now a global award, the Ernst & Young EOY Award program has expanded to more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries around the world with 26 programs in the United States this year. The Ernst & Young EOY Award has become the mark of world-class individuals leading world-class companies as it honors the men and women who create the products, services and jobs that help our economy and communities grow and whose success encourages others to follow in their paths.
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