TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo to Host “Where Maryland’s Lighthouse Industries Converge” Panel

Session will feature leaders from the University of Maryland, BGE and Síol VC, moderated by Maryland Department of Commerce’s Kavita Verma

COLUMBIA, Md., (September 3, 2026) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announces the “Where Maryland’s Lighthouse Industries Converge” session at the upcoming 2026 Entrepreneur Expo taking place at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor on October 27, 2026.

The session will bring together Gretchen Campbell, associate vice president for quantum research and education at the University of Maryland and formerly director of the National Quantum Coordination Office at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Zachary Mitchell, director of economic development and large projects for BGE, Maryland’s largest gas and electric utility; and Michael O’Brien, founder and managing partner of Síol VC, an early-stage firm investing in companies building at the intersection of disruptive technology and emerging policy — for a conversation moderated by Kavita Verma, director of domestic investment at the Maryland Department of Commerce.

Maryland has organized much of its economic strategy around a set of lighthouse industries — life sciences, information technology, aerospace and defense, and manufacturing — sectors where the State holds distinctive assets and where emerging technologies are reshaping how companies operate and compete. This panel examines what happens at the boundaries between them, where research institutions, established industry and venture capital increasingly find themselves working on the same problems.

“Maryland’s advantage has never been any single sector, it is the density of them and how close together they sit,” said Verma. “The most interesting opportunities we see are showing up where these industries overlap, and this panel brings together the university, utility and investor perspectives that founders need to understand if they want to build at those intersections.”

Panelists will discuss where cross-sector collaboration is already producing results, what the State’s workforce and research infrastructure means for early-stage companies, and what founders and investors should be watching as these industries converge.

The State has backed that strategy with direct investment. In February 2026, Governor Wes Moore announced a $4 million commitment to prepare Maryland workers, employers and community organizations for an economy shaped by AI and emerging technologies, including $2.5 million for internships and upskilling in the lighthouse industries specifically. Maryland is also pursuing a statewide vision to become the global Capital of Quantum, an effort that runs directly through the University of Maryland and illustrates the convergence this panel takes up: quantum research that began in physics departments now bears on computing, defense, manufacturing and the energy systems that support them.

TEDCO’s award-winning Entrepreneur Expo shines a spotlight on regional entrepreneurship. Attracting more than 1,170 attendees, the event collects some of the region’s top entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, venture capital investors, legislators and resources for a day of celebration. This year, the event will take place in Baltimore, one of the top 20 best cities for entrepreneurs, offering a full day of interactive workshops, insightful discussions and inspiring connections.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from the region’s top experts, including keynote guests Anirban Basu, Tamla Olivier and TEDCO’s very own Troy LeMaile-Stovall; secure your spot  here.