Rural startup seeks to expand sarcoma early detection efforts
COLUMBIA, Md., (September 19, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced AnnieGuard Corporation (“AnnieGuard”) as a recent Concept Capital program recipient. The Concept Capital program is part of the Venture Development department at TEDCO and is focused on bridging the early-stage funding gap for underrepresented founders across Maryland. With a focus on socially and economically disadvantaged and rural-based founders, the program offers convertible notes ranging from $25,000 to $50,000.
AnnieGuard, located in Waldorf, Md., is developing a multimodal, multistage sarcoma detection API that uses cybersecurity threat-modeling principles to flag risks before symptoms start. The product, SarcRiskTM, leverages proprietary, provision-patent-backed algorithms fusing electronic health records, pathology and genomic data.
“As technology continues to permeate our daily lives, more and more people are coming up with innovative ideas that bridge the gap in areas of general health and wellbeing,” said Justin Ferguson, innovation manager, Venture Development. “Concept Capital was designed to support that journey, evening out the playing field so that we can expand into a diverse, merit-based and sustainable ecosystem.”
TEDCO’s Venture Development department has an arsenal of resources and opportunities geared toward supporting and uplifting founders on their business journey.
“Starting a company has a series of challenges that every founder faces, but balancing that with family life can be stressful,” said TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall. “Maryland was ranked the second happiest state in the country, making it a great place to start growing both family and business.”
For more information about Concept Capital, visit tedcomd.com/resources/venture-development/concept-capital.