Nine student-founded startups to receive $50,000 non-dilutive awards and ecosystem support
COLUMBIA, Md., (February 3, 2026) — UpSurge Baltimore today announced the 2026 recipients of the Maryland Student Venture Showcase & Pava Innovation Awards, recognizing nine student-founded companies from Maryland colleges and universities that are advancing innovative, market-ready solutions.
The awardees will be recognized at the Maryland Student Venture Showcase, taking place Wednesday, Feb. 19. The event is open to the public and will bring together student entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and innovation ecosystem partners from across the state.
Powered by the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Showcase is made possible through collaboration with TEDCO and the State of Maryland, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Maryland’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
Each awardee will receive a $50,000 non-dilutive award from the State of Maryland through TEDCO, along with mentorship, training, and strategic support from the Maryland Student Venture Core Advisory Board and representatives from a network of entrepreneur support organizations across the local tech ecosystem. Together, these resources are designed to help founders accelerate product development, strengthen business models, and scale their businesses.
“This showcase reflects what’s possible when partners across Maryland come together to support student founders early,” said Mark Anthony Thomas, GBC President and CEO. “By aligning capital, mentorship, and ecosystem support, we’re strengthening the student entrepreneurship pipeline - and helping ensure these founders build and scale their companies with Maryland in mind.”
2026 Pava Innovation Award Recipients
The 2026 Pava Innovation Award recipients are:
- ACC Industries (Loyola University), a startup developing an EV battery that is easier to recycle and disassemble.
- Event Hopper (Towson University), a market management software for community events.
- Heisler Semiconductor, LLC (Johns Hopkins University), which supports next-generation manufacturing with AI-enabled solutions spanning electronics design, process development, and custom equipment manufacturing.
- iBraid (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), a beauty-tech startup building the first augmented reality braiding app to help users part faster, see more clearly and confidently braid their own hair.
- Kairos Nexus Global (Stevenson University), a startup connecting U.S. businesses with verified global talent, enabling up to 60% cost savings through a technology-enabled platform.
- Modelus (Johns Hopkins University), a startup using AI to help biotech manufacturers catch cell quality problems early—preventing costly delays and bringing better treatments to patients faster.
- Opsify (Towson University), an AI-powered operations platform for service-based small businesses.
- Perfect Place (Morgan State University), dedicated to turning chaotic spaces into functional, stress-free environments by empowering people to declutter, organize and redesign their environments to support a more balanced and productive lifestyle.
- Strike Sense (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), a startup developing cost-effective attachments that transform any existing martial arts chest protector into an electronic, gamified, sparring system, allowing all athletes to train and spar without the need for a referee.
A select group of recipients will present their ventures during the Showcase, while others will exhibit, offering attendees opportunities to engage directly with the founders and learn more about their businesses.
“Supporting student entrepreneurs is critical to building Maryland’s long-term innovation pipeline,” said Troy LeMaile-Stovall, chief executive officer of TEDCO. “By pairing $50,000 in non-dilutive capital with mentorship and access to Maryland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, we are helping these founders move their ideas closer to commercialization and prepare for the next stage of growth.”
The program builds on momentum from last year’s inaugural cohort, whose participants advanced product development, took their venture on full time or were able to hire staff and outside support to help advance their work, reached more customers, and secured follow-on funding and pilot opportunities after completing the program.
"The award was absolutely huge for us. It allowed us to hire some outside software engineering help and push out some new features to our members which also allowed us to grow our customer base,” said Hermes Bunch, founder of SneakerSync Labs out of Towson University.
The Maryland Student Venture Showcase is part of UpSurge Baltimore’s broader work to grow an inclusive, connected innovation ecosystem by aligning founders, capital providers, and support organizations around shared economic goals.
To learn more about the event or register to attend, visit:
www.gbc.org/event/the-maryland-student-venture-showcase.
To learn more about the 2026 award recipients and the Maryland Student Ventures program, visit:
www.upsurgebaltimore.com/md-student-ventures.
About UPSURGE BALTIMORE
UpSurge Baltimore is dedicated to building a thriving ecosystem for innovation and startup advancement in the Baltimore Region. Acquired by Greater Baltimore Committee in 2025, the private sector initiative is strengthening the startup pipeline, convening for impact, and positioning the Baltimore Region for national and global competitiveness.
About THE GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE
The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) is the leading voice for the private sector in the Baltimore region, providing insightful economic and civic leadership to drive collective impact. Comprising more than 300 organizations—including businesses, nonprofits, foundations, and healthcare and educational institutions—the GBC is dedicated to fostering the prosperity of the Greater Baltimore region. For more information, visit gbc.org.
GBC Media Contact:
Amy Burke Friedman, PROFILES, afriedman@profilespr.com