Columbia

ADASHI Systems; Clear Guide Medical; Curiosityville; GCC Technologies, LLC; Plasmonix, Inc.; Riskive; Savenia Labs; and Social Growth Technologies, Inc. recognized

COLUMBIA, Md. (June 13, 2013) – The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), Lonza Group LTD, McGladrey LLP, Millennial Media, Saul Ewing LLP, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) and the BioMaryland Center announced the winners of the 13th annual Incubator Company of the Year Awards Thursday evening at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore, Md. The awards, chosen by a selection committee of regional industry leaders and early-stage investors, recognized the achievements of current and graduate companies within Maryland’s incubators.

“The Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards honor the level of entrepreneurship achieved within our State’s business incubator network,” said DBED Secretary Dominick Murray. “The companies recognized today are bringing technologies to market, creating jobs and strengthening our State’s economy. Congratulations to this outstanding group of Maryland businesses.”

Winning companies were selected based on their goals and success in achieving their objectives. Judges considered factors such as technology or product development, intellectual property, increase in employee numbers, growth in revenue or earnings, engagement of significant customers and strategic partners, receipt of awards or grants, attraction of outside investors, innovation, self-sufficiency, impact on the region and usage of the incubator’s services.

In addition to the Incubator Company of the Year awards, honors were given to leaders in the region. Governor Martin O’Malley and former DBED Secretary Christian Johansson (currently president of Laureate University Partnerships at Laureate Education) were also each recognized at the awards ceremony with the Robert A. Spar Hall of Fame Award for their efforts on the InvestMaryland program. This year, a special Community Service Award was presented to Kimberly Brown, Ph.D., founder of Amethyst Technologies, Inc., for her outstanding commitment to her work in STEM education for women and girls in the Baltimore-Washington region and in Africa.

Attendees were treated to a keynote delivered by Vince Talbert, a co-founder of tech company Bill Me Later which was acquired by PayPal for nearly $1 billion. Talbert served as vice president of marketing for Bill Me Later prior to its acquisition, and went on to become a vice president of merchant services at PayPal. Currently, he is an investor and an advisor in the Baltimore education community.

“The 2013 Incubator Company of the Year winners represent the most outstanding group of startups in the State,” said Rob Rosenbaum, president and executive director of TEDCO. “Having provided entrepreneurial support to many of the honored companies, TEDCO is proud to see their continued success. We congratulate this year’s winners and look forward to watching them grow.”

“The businesses we are celebrating tonight represent a broad range of new technologies, highlighting the talent and expertise in Maryland,” said Brian Merritt, partner at McGladrey LLP. “As a founding partner of the Incubator of the Year Awards, McGladrey is pleased to showcase the best and brightest of our State’s incubators through this annual program.”

“Incubators provide entrepreneurs with the support they need to thrive, helping to grow Maryland’s economy,” said Phil Bogart, an attorney at Saul Ewing LLP. “Saul Ewing congratulates this year’s honorees on their accomplishments and looks forward to their bright futures.”

The categories and winners are:

 Cyber/Homeland Security

Riskive (Betamore) created cloud-based technology that identifies, monitors and protects against malicious attacks across socially connected enterprise. www.riskive.com

 Educational

Curiosityville (ETC) is a personalized learning platform that utilizes games, characters and technology to teach children ages three to eight. www.curiosityville.com

 Environment/Energy

Savenia Labs (BGBI) is an independent testing laboratory providing energy and environmental impact ratings on consumer appliances and electrical products. www.savenialabs.com

 Graduate

GCC Technologies, LLC (GIEC), provides administrative, acquisition, business and programs operation and security support to several federal agencies. www.gcctechllc.com

Life Sciences/Medical Device & Research Tool

Clear Guide Medical (JHU) combines computing science expertise with clinical experience to deliver medical imaging and device technology that solves clinical problems via engineering solutions. www.clearguidemedical.com

 New Incubator

ADASHI Systems (ETC) provides a comprehensive response and command software platform for efficient management of critical incidents. www.adashisystems.com

 Technology

Social Growth Technologies, Inc. (MCE), allows brands, online publishers and agencies to advertise and monetize virtual currency within social games and ecommerce. www.socialgrowthtechnologies.com

Technology Transfer

Plasmonix, Inc. (UMBC), licensed an extensive patent portfolio through the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County that allows it to apply a powerful new technology to life science and diagnostic laboratory investigations. www.plasmonixinc.com

Incubator Key: Betamore, Baltimore; Bethesda Green Business Incubator (BGBI), Bethesda; bwtech@UMBC at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Catonsville; Emerging Technology Center (ETC), Baltimore; FastForward at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Baltimore; Garrett Information Enterprise Center (GIEC), McHenry; and Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship (MCE), Columbia.

Application finalists and category winners were chosen by a selection committee. This year’s committee includes Henry Ahn, TEDCO; Jacque L. Allen, Saul Ewing LLP; Meg Anderson, Oracle Capital Strategies; Gianna J. Arnold, Saul Ewing LLP; Donna R. Balinkie, Firedrive Marketing Group, LLC; Philip Morris Bogart, Saul Ewing LLP; Chris Brandenberg, Millennial Media, Inc.; Mary F. Brightman, Saul Ewing LLP; Rebecca Carland, Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Brian Castleberry, Maryland DBED; Joey Tsu-Yi Chen, Saul Ewing LLP; Jonathan Cohen, Saul Ewing LLP; Chris College, TEDCO; Martha J. Connolly, Maryland Industrial Partnerships; Charles P. Cullen, Grotech Ventures; Brian Darmody, University of Maryland, College Park; Ronald C. Diegelman, Red Bridge Associates, LLC; Randy Domolky, TEDCO; Robb Doub, New Markets Venture Partners; E.J. Edelman, McGladrey; Donald W. Fallon; Yair Flicker, SmartLogic Solutions; John Fortin Lonza America Inc.; David J. Freschman, Innovation Capital Advisors; Yali Friedman; Umar Hadeed; Rosel Halle; Kathryn L. Hickey, Saul Ewing LLP; Jack P. Hollerbach, Hollerbach & Associates LLC; Konstantina M. Katcheves, Lonza America Inc.; Don Mallon, Emergent BioSolutions; Lenard Marcus, Edison Venture Fund; Scott McCadden, McGladrey LLP; Robbie Melton, TEDCO; Brian S. Meritt, McGladrey LLP; Eric Nass, Chesapeake Corporate Advisors; Eric G. Orlinsky, Saul Ewing LLP; Heather Pruger, Saul Ewing LLP; Anthony R. Raley, Silicon Valley Bank; Robert Rosenbaum, TEDCO; Michael L. Salgaller, SAIC; Paul Silber, Blu Venture Investors, LLC; Kyp Sirinakis, Rock Spring Ventures LP; Jae Sly, Strategic BioPharm Consulting, Inc.; Brian H. Taylor, Growing Company Solutions, Inc.; and Patrick Tonui, Maryland DBED.

Visit http://mdincubatoraward.com for more information.

About TEDCO

TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

Media Contact
Tammi Thomas, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, TEDCO, tthomas@tedcomd.com