Across the globe, 43% of entrepreneurs are women. However, research has found that women entrepreneurs only secure around 0.4% of all venture capital investments, and each of these investments provide, on average, 5% less funds than male counterparts. These numbers are staggering, but when we look at the averages for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual (SEDI) entrepreneurs, the difference continues to grow.
This is one reason why TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology and life sciences-based companies, is critical to the state’s continued growth. The organization offers a wide variety of opportunities for innovators, including different investment funds and grants carefully curated to support SEDI founders, and plays a part in growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem while staying true to the tagline – leading innovation to market. One of these offers includes TEDCO’s Business Resource Information, Development and Guidance (BRIDGE) program. The BRIDGE program was created to provide legal, accounting and financial advisory services to SEDI – owned businesses and Very Small Businesses (VBSs) with fewer than 10 employees. The three-year project is led by TEDCO in collaboration with several entities throughout the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. region, which includes the Institute for Women Entrepreneur Excellence, Inc (IWEE).
The IWEE is a nonprofit organization established by TEDCO to forge an alliance of diverse founders and CEOs, bridge the accessibility gap many communities and founders face and provide more avenues for the continued growth of women in Maryland’s innovation ecosystem.
“IWEE itself is an organization unlike any other in the state,” said interim director, Teresa Payne-Nunn. "The current structure was created through careful consideration, experience and review to harness the collective strength of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to empower entrepreneurs around the state.”
The organization’s continued commitment to address critical gaps across communities has led to their newest collaboration with TEDCO’s program which is leveraging IWEE’s relationship with two distinct HBCUs – Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
A Cohort-Based Initiative to Fill the Gaps
Designed as a collaboration between TEDCO and IWEE, the IWEE BRIDGE program provides a cohort-based initiative to support innovative SEDI entrepreneurs across the state.
By addressing the critical gaps in financial literacy, strategic planning and investor readiness, the program aims to close the numbers, providing a solution to one of the biggest challenges some entrepreneurs face – knowledge and connections. The inaugural cohort, held at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, welcomed 24 business owners into eight weeks of learning in a cohort-based design.
"The BRIDGE program gave me the confidence, knowledge and practical tools to move my business forward,” said participant Guerline Laguerre Desimond. “It connected me with experienced mentors, valuable resources and a supportive community that helped turn my business ideas into actionable plans. Every aspiring entrepreneur should have access to a program like this."
Across the course, participants were offered in-person workshops, mentorship opportunities and insights directly from experts. Session topics included: legal structures and compliance, debt financing and loan readiness, equity financing and investor pitching, marketing for fundraising, regulatory compliance and risk management, and strategic growth and business planning. Individual mentoring was also offered to participants, allowing them to receive tailored support.
“We realized during the course of the program that the entrepreneurs were gaining more than just knowledge – they were gaining community, understanding and conviction,” said Pamela Allison, University of Maryland Eastern Shore. “Stay alert for the growth of these amazing businesses – we cannot wait to continue the program at other colleges and universities throughout the state.”
Additionally, the program offered childcare for the entrepreneurs participating in the program – this served to address barriers for participation among parents, allowing for continued learning and the creation of a growing community.
“We saw that many entrepreneurs were finding it difficult to plan around their personal lives, so we thought, ‘why not help?’” said Allison. “And we are glad we did. This decision allowed all participants to be fully present while providing peace of mind about any childcare needs.”
The program concluded on May 11, 2026, when the entrepreneurs were offered the chance to participate in a pitch day, allowing them to practice and receive real-time practical feedback from experts.
"The BRIDGE [program] didn't just teach me about entrepreneurship; it helped me find my place in it,” wrote another participant, Portia Ogbuja.
An Upcoming Opportunity
While the cohort at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, concluded, the program is far from over. This fall, Coppin State University will take the mantel, offering a program for students, supporting entrepreneurial growth and creating a network of innovation.
The university’s Women Entrepreneurs Leading with Dollars and Decisions (WELD) cohort is set to welcome entrepreneurs to the cohort-based initiative from September 16 through November 4, 2026. While more information is on the way, the program will equip individuals with technical knowledge, resources and personalized guidance to support their journey to accessing debt and equity capital.
Stay tuned for more information at https://oiwee.org/.