At TEDCO, respect is a core value and a guiding principle of our philosophy. We uphold a culture of respect at work, within our communities, and nationally. We value our employees for their individuality and the unique perspectives they bring to the organization.
I’m excited for this chance to share my thoughts on this particular core value that I hold sincerely in my professional and personal life. Respect is very important to the indigenous culture of the Andes mountains where my family is from. Our way of life is guided by a balance between oneself, the community around us, and what nature has to offer.
For example, Pachamama, “Mother Earth” in Quechua, is honored every August 1st with crop offerings and a ritualistic resetting of the earth before starting a new harvest. The community gives back to Pachamama that which she provides, sharing the same nourishment from the bounties cultivated together. It’s a balance that is promoted by harmony and the mutual respect between humans and the environment.
At the time of writing this article, the city of Cuzco, Peru is already bustling with festivities and excitement as our version of the “new year” approaches. The festival of the Sun, Inti Raymi, is held every June 24th in the former capital of the Incan empire to celebrate the Sun God Inti and offer thanks for the year’s harvest.
Traditionally, this festival also served as a place for the Incan Emperor to meet with the leaders of each region. Over the course of the day, various ceremonies and rituals are performed by local Cuzqueños in key locations across the city. These theatrical recreations are not just about keeping tradition alive for future generations and connecting us to our heritage—it’s how we show respect and continue to give thanks to the deities that guided our ancestors and continue to guide us now.
It’s a somewhat familiar ideology with my current role as part of TEDCO’s Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) program. TEDCO serves as a hub of Maryland’s innovation ecosystem by supporting translational research, and MII focuses particularly on our university collaborators. We provide entrepreneurs with resources and guidance. In turn, as they grow successful companies, we see a return on our investments. And this return is not always in a monetary sense, but through the connections these entrepreneurs foster as they flourish into mentors themselves and become leaders in their industries. It's a beautiful chain reaction as they give back in their own ways—highlighting the true meaningfulness of our work.
For most of our MII awardees, we are their first source of funding; they make it into our program because we see and value them. Because the Site Miners that support and Reviewers that critique see and value them. We all respect their vision, and that vision has always been to make a better future. It’s extremely rewarding to see how that first step of trust and respect empowers these entrepreneurs and supports economic growth in Maryland.