10 recipients pitched in the competition at the Entrepreneur Expo on October 21
COLUMBIA, Md., (November 3, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced the winner for the Concept Capital Pitch Competition, BioEvanesce. The pitch competition gave these founders the chance to obtain an additional $25,000 at the 2025 Entrepreneur Expo.
“The Concept Capital Pitch Competition offered more than just potential funding to the competitors – it provided a chance to practice pitching, receive real-time feedback from expert judges and connect with interested audiences,” said TEDCO CEO Troy LeMaile-Stovall. “We are honored to have hosted such an opportunity for the Maryland ecosystem, and we thank all judges, attendees and competitors for joining us. And congratulations to BioEvanesce for their win – we look forward to hearing about the company’s success in the future.”
A recent recipient of Concept Capital funding, BioEvanesce’s founder, Erin Evke, competed against nine others who previously applied to either TEDCO’s Rural Pre-Seed Fund or the Social Impact Funds and received $25,000 from the program. BioEvanesce received this funding earlier in 2025 for their work developing an innovative hydrogel-based barrier and delivery system designed to improve surgical outcomes for patients undergoing abdominopelvic procedures. Since over 90% of these patients are at risk of developing post-surgical adhesions, the company’s solution aims to significantly reduce this common and serious complication.
Other competitors in the 2025 Concept Capital Pitch Competition included:
- Neuros Biotechnology, Inc.
- Atme, Inc.
- Forager Station, Inc.
- AnnieGuard Corporation
- Kuya App, Inc.
- Spacii
- Postcare AI
- Worlds of Hello
“The Concept Capital program was born after recognizing that not all founders start on the same footing which has led to startups and innovations crashing before they could gain a true chance,” said Graham Dodge, vice president, Venture Development, TEDCO. “And as home to one of the top 20 cities for entrepreneurs, the program provides even more reason for entrepreneurial spirits to look at Maryland when considering where to grow their company.”
TEDCO’s Concept Capital program was created to provide critical early-stage funding for tech companies led by underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged founders, especially those who qualify under the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) criteria. For more information about the Concept Capital program, please visit tedcomd.com/funding/concept-capital.