Author Archives: Angela Hongmannivanh

Government Relations

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Helping Protect Maryland’s Innovation Economy and Shaping the Policy Debate

Your membership will make a difference! See below how the Maryland Tech Council and its members help protect Maryland’s innovation economy and played a major role in shaping the policy debate.

We asked our members to contact their representatives about onerous drug price legislation that would have threatened Maryland jobs and the environment that makes innovation in the state possible. The legislation failed to account for the extraordinary development requirements and complex distribution channels for innovative drugs and therapies. It would have impeded patient access to care by undermining competition, disrupted drug product availability due to onerous and unproductive reporting requirements, and stifled investment in the Maryland innovation economy – all while doing nothing to address the price consumers actually pay for medicine.

Their voices were heard! With over 900 letters sent to legislators, they help defeat the Drug Transparency Bill.

Together we:

  • Developed petitions attracting 4,366 signatures calling for lawmakers to support innovation-friendly legislation in Maryland
  • Launched a statewide radio ad educating about the impact of the Drug Transparency Bill
  • Ran digital advertisements through a homepage takeover linking to blog posts where lawmakers, lobbyists and staff can find more information
  • Served social media advertisements to people within one square mile of the Annapolis statehouse, giving influencers more information
  • Throughout the course of the campaign, the Maryland Tech Council served: 
    • 216,114 total ad impressions to its target audiences including
      • 36,971 from the Capital Gazette homepage takeovers
      • 177,679 from Facebook advertising campaigns
      • 1,464 from the LinkedIn advertising campaigns

Our work isn’t done! Join the Maryland Tech Council and together we will keep Maryland a hub for innovation. For more information, visit www.mdtechcouncil.com.

Mentoring Services

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The Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services has now been in operation for just over a year, successfully completing its pilot phase.

The Mentors, as a group, are helping to grow the eco-system in Maryland, not only in growth, but with the sharing of their own special connectivity.

The MTC VMS program has a complete infrastructure carefully built to support the program as it grows and is vitally important to our community. As the program moves from pilot to full-scale operation and for years to come, we look forward to recognizing ventures and mentors who are committed to the VMS program.

This Program is one of Montgomery County’s true public private partnerships and was established in partnership with Montgomery County and the Department of Commerce, but belongs uniquely to the Maryland Tech Council and most importantly, for our tech and life science communities.

The MTC VMS program was recently awarded at the Maryland Tech Council Industry Awards Gala, celebrating the success of the pilot year and the stunning statistics.

Mentee Companies

  • 22 Entrepreneurs
  • 15 Companies
  • 50+ full time MD-based Employee’s
  • 2 Partnerships Established
  • Over $2 Million Capital Raised
  • Recurring Revenue-$45k/month
  • 127 MTC VMS Team Meetings
  • Six Monthly Breakfasts

Mentors

  • 58 Mentors
  • 50 hours month-Volunteer Time
  • 7 Mentor Training Classes
  • 18 Monthly Breakfast’s
  • 127 MTC VMS Team Meetings

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The MTC VMS program is looking for startup companies in the technology and life sciences field, led by an individual or individuals who work full-time on the business that are preparing to raise their first venture capital or institutional round of financing.

About the Program: The Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Service Program (MTC VMS) is a team mentoring program based on a model developed by MIT. The program has been adopted in over 70 communities around the globe; the MTC VMS program is the 50th program. The ultimate goal of the program is to bring employment opportunities and capital to the area in the technology and life sciences fields by helping companies grow faster.

For more information about the program, visit our website at http://mdtechcouncil.com/careers/mentor-opportunities-new.php

Member Spotlight

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HackEd

It’s no secret that there is a big demand for cybersecurity jobs in this area, and HackEd—a talent community providing cybersecurity training and recruiting services—was created to train job seekers and match them with local employers. The Maryland Tech Council spoke with Jon Ferris, CEO of HackEd to tell us about how the company is accomplishing its mission.

How did HackEd come to be?

We started HackEd in 2016 with two goals. First, we provide hands-on-keyboard technical training to students, job seekers, and career changers in cybersecurity, and second, we help employers find and retain qualified cybersecurity employees. There has been a lot of talk about the number of cybersecurity jobs that are open in the DC area but it’s not always obvious to job seekers how to obtain those jobs, especially when they have little training. When job seekers want training, they typically follow one of three paths: 1) They train themselves, which requires quite a bit of discipline and there isn’t a teacher available to answer questions; 2) They enroll in a university program which is usually geared toward policy, as opposed to hands-on-keyboard skills, or 3) They enroll in a hands-on-keyboard course which can cost between $5,000 – $6,000 per week. We stepped in to offer them a better solution that not only meets their needs but also sets them up to be hired by one of our corporate partners. It’s a win-win for the local workforce.

What’s different about our program is that it’s free—there is no tuition. There is also no fee to hire from HackEd. Our revenue comes from recruitment practice, corporate training engagements, and employer sponsorships.

Tell us about the classes that you offer.

Our goal is to graduate professionals who are trained and ready to make an immediate impact in SOC/NOC Administration, Vulnerability Assessment, Forensics, Incident Response and Penetration Testing roles. Our curriculum is paired with a series of real-world labs on our proprietary corporate network, Sentinel™, to help participants develop the technical skills employers are urgently in need of.

We run a six-week, full-time program every quarter. Our classes are taught by full-time teachers, so they are committed to helping us develop the curriculum and really making this program a success. The program is taught in Arlington, Virginia right near the Crystal City metro station. We are also teaching in Maryland this summer.

Explain the types of experience/education that applicants need and describe the class profile.

We accept 12-15 students for each class, and we like to say that we screen for passion. The types of students we look for are typically hackers tinkering on their home networks, going to networking groups, and getting certifications as opposed to people who are just interested in lucrative cybersecurity jobs. A degree is not required (which is common for cybersecurity jobs) but we do look for some type of technical background in understanding, for example, how the Internet works and how networks operate. Since we have about 85 local corporate partners that hire from our classes, we look primarily for people who want to work in the DC area.

Our class profile is very diverse. We see people with minimal experience and others with 30 years of experience along with career changers who need to get technical skills. Our classes have men, women, minorities, veterans, university professors, you name it.

What are the plans for HackEd?

It’s an exciting time for us. We are unable to meet the student demand (700+ applicants for 10-15 spots) and 85+ companies with hundreds of job openings. We are planning to build the country’s first Cybersecurity Talent Accelerator. In the accelerator, across 12 classrooms, we’ll be able to train about 800-1000 people per year, which will definitely make a dent in the number of cybersecurity openings in the region. The accelerator will also serve as a training center for our corporate partners, office space for early-stage cybersecurity companies, an after-school cyberlab for high school students, and an event space for the cybersecurity community. We’ve gotten a lot of support locally, and if there is interest in building something like this in Maryland, please contact us.

What other services do you offer?

We also offer corporate training (day or night) and full-cycle recruitment. This means that our recruiters are able to manage accounts, as well as recruit for them which is how we build trust and valued relationships. Our goal is to offer outstanding recruiting services to our clients by developing and fostering relationships and getting to know our customer’s work environment, so that we are able to provide candidates that fit not only the skillset but also the company culture, thus ensuring a better match.

Our team is also experienced in recruiting across multiple lines of business so we are able to offer that “one-stop shop” to our business partners. Rather than having to go to one vendor for financial placements, another for admin./clerical, and yet another for IT services, our team has full-time recruiters that are experienced in each of these areas.

Tell us about your experience with MTC

We’re new to MTC and were introduced by one of our clients, the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC). AAWDC has engaged us to train veterans and unemployed individuals on an entry-level cybersecurity curriculum. This 8-week program ends on August 4, and our participants will be looking for jobs. The interview process starts in July, and we would greatly appreciate companies reaching out to us if they have job openings for entry level IT and cybersecurity-related positions. We will also be holding a hiring event on July 27, so please contact Rachel Chen at rachel.chen@hackeducate.com for an invitation.

Where can prospective students and corporate partners get more information?

Employers can visit our website at www.hackeducate.com. I’d also like to add that we are offering discounted rates to our fellow MTC members for our recruiting services. Interested members can contact Rachel Chen at rachel.chen@hackeducate.com for more information.

We are new to Maryland and appreciate the Maryland Tech Council and its members giving us a chance to be of service. Thank you for being so welcoming to HackEd.

Cost Savings Program

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The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is dedicated to providing solutions that address the business needs of your industry and ensuring our members are aware of the products, services and value that our cost savings programs offer.

As a FREE member benefit, MTC leverages our industry’s financial power to give you direct access to the quality products and services – at the best possible savings with UPS, VWR, ShareVault, Office Depot, Nikon and Business Wire to name a few!

The cost savings program available to MTC members is a unique set of programs designed to help save money on everyday expenses. We want to do more than improve bottom-line costs and operating value; we want to help keep costs down so that our members can reinvest in themselves.

To learn more, enroll and see the actual member savings, visit our website at  http://www.mdtechcouncil.com/membership/savings-mtc.php

Workforce Development

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Two MTC Members Partner to Offer Cybersecurity Training to Job Seekers

The Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC) is a nationally recognized organization that provides high quality workforce development services in Anne Arundel County and across Maryland. The AAWDC serves as the bridge between understanding the workforce and talent development needs of regional businesses and training individuals to fill those positions. The organization has teamed with another MTC member, HackEd—a talent community providing cybersecurity training and job placement—to train long-term underemployed and unemployed individuals.

The idea for the partnership came out of a Maryland Tech Connection grant which is funded through the Department of Labor. Pipe industries are chosen for grants based on the needs of the local workforce, and it’s not surprising that cybersecurity training was seen as a necessity for the region. AAWDC has a cyber navigator who matches employers’ needs with the type of training that AAWDC should offer. It was found that cybersecurity training with a hands-on component would be beneficial to students as it helps with skill development and learning retention. Taking this into consideration, HackEd’s cutting-edge training that is geared toward real-world scenarios along with its connections to local companies was deemed to be the perfect fit.

The first class of 11 participants started the 8-week training during the week of June 19 in Laurel, and it consists of veterans and underemployed and unemployed men and women each with varying degrees of technical experience. The students work with code to do offensive and defensive work and learn how to protect systems. Given the large number of AAWDC and HackEd corporate partners, the students are in an excellent position to secure jobs at the end of their training. In addition to the cybersecurity training, AAWDC conducts more formal instructional training where students take a break from the classroom to get intern-type experience and then they return to complete their training. In the bio space, students go through occupational training for 3 months and then work in a 3-month internship. The cyber training provides a bit of a break from that model and enables students to focus solely on hands-on classroom training.

Individuals who are looking for training can go to www.mdtechconnection.org where they can fill out an interest form and embark on the career restart program. The AAWDC staff helps to prepare participants for their next job by providing feedback on resumes and LinkedIn profiles, sharpening interviewing skills, and helping them understand how they fit into their desired job. Reports show that 80% of job seekers find positions through connections, so the staff also teaches the finer points of networking and teams with companies, like HackEd, that have established corporate connections.

AAWDC invites corporations to get involved with the organization, as it offers a lot of opportunities from providing business-focused feedback to the staff to offering internships for IT and bioscience for 3, 4, or months. AAWDC has job training funds, so they can help support in-job training with anywhere from 50 – 90% reimbursement. They also have advisory positions where companies can offer consultations to the organization. Currently, there are candidates who are eager to work and ready to hire, so if you have positions available or if you want to volunteer, please visit www.aawdc.org.

Capital

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A Look at the NIH SBIR and STTR Programs

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, are one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for technology commercialization in the United States. These programs allow US-owned and operated small businesses to engage in federal research and development that has a strong potential for commercialization. In Fiscal Year 2017, NIH’s SBIR and STTR programs will invest over $925 million into health and life science companies that are creating innovative technologies that align with NIH’s mission to improve health and save lives. A key objective is to translate promising technologies to the private sector and enable life-saving innovations to reach consumer markets.

About the SBIR Program
The NIH SBIR program funds early stage small businesses that are seeking to commercialize innovative biomedical technologies. This competitive program helps small businesses participate in federal research and development, develop life-saving technologies, and create jobs.

The SBIR program allows and encourages research partnerships, within these parameters:

  • Phase I: The small business typically performs a minimum of 67% of the work supported by the award.
  • Phase II: The small business typically performs a minimum of 50% of the work supported by the award.

For the SBIR program, the Program Director/Principal Investigator must be primarily employed (greater than half time) with the small business at the time of award and for the duration of the project period.

About the STTR Program
Though similar in overall objectives and structure to SBIR, the STTR program aims to facilitate cooperative research and development between small business entities and U.S. non-profit research institutions. To do so, the STTR program requires the small business applicants to formally collaborate with a research institution.

The STTR program also allows and encourages research partnerships, within these parameters:

  • The small business must perform at least 40% of the work.
  • The research institution must perform at least 30% of the work.
  • The remaining 30% may be done by the small business concern, the non-profit research institution partner, or an additional third party.

For the STTR program, the PD/PI may be primarily employed either by the small business concern or the collaborating non-profit research institution.

Both the SBIR and STTR programs include three phases.

Phase I: Feasibility and Proof of Concept
The objective of Phase I (R41 or R43) is to establish the technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of the proposed R&D efforts and to determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization prior to providing further federal support in Phase II.
Phase II: Research and Development
The objective of Phase II (R42 or R44) is to continue the R&D efforts initiated in Phase I to develop the project’s commercial viability. Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II.
Phase III: Commercialization
The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II R/R&D activities. The NIH SBIR/STTR programs do not fund Phase III.

The NIH has a fast-track application option that allows small businesses to submit one application for Phase I and Phase II. It also offers a pilot Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR solicitation that permits small businesses to receive a Phase II award even if they have not previously received a Phase I award for the research/research and development of their technology.

To learn more about the NIH grants and contracts, statistics and success stories, visit bit.ly/2td7CWu.

Source: sbir.nih.gov

Featured Highlight

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The Maryland Tech Council Hours Connect You With Amazing People for 20 Minutes of Free 1:1 Meetings

There is no member who won’t need specific guidance at some point in their journey. The Maryland Tech Council Office Hours gives its’ members the opportunity to sit down with our professional service members to discuss any questions you may have. Sessions are available by appointment only. Click here to schedule your time.

Benefits of Maryland Tech Council Office Hours

  • Exclusivity– the members of the Maryland Tech Council are volunteering their time exclusively for fellow members
  • Expertise– the members are compiled of investors, accountants, video surveillance, human resources and cloud computing (just to name a few) with years of experience and have consulted for hundreds of organizations
  • FREE– The Maryland Tech Council members volunteer their time to speak with you for free
  • Stay tuned for details – How to get involved and information about the first event! Have questions, contact Pam Lubel at pamela@mdtechcouncil.com or (240) 243-4049.

Capital

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State of Maryland Creates Gap Investment Fund

Managing the financing of a company in its growth stages can be challenging, especially in that gap period between when it receives seed funding and when it’s large enough to attract venture capital. Fortunately, the state of Maryland announced $1 million in new economic development funds that will provide technology companies with investment capital specifically for that gap between seed funding and venture capital investments. The fund aims to spur economic development and it encourages companies to remain in the state. The Gap Investment Fund program is part of Governor Hogan’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget and is being developed and administered by TEDCO. The fund will be available on July 1 of this year.

According to TEDCO’s press release, the state’s current Seed Investment programs support approximately 50 companies per year – creating a funnel of companies that serve as a source of deal flow for the new Gap Investment Fund initiative. A Seed Investment of $100,000 can support a project that advances a technology toward commercialization. TEDCO’s later-stage fund, the Maryland Venture Fund, and other venture capital funds support companies further along in their development – often with significant revenues and complete management teams – that are raising investment rounds of more than $2 million. This established structure leaves a significant funding gap between the state’s seed investments and the investments made by institutional investors, such as venture capitalists.

In outlining the goals for the Fund, Newt Fowler, TEDCO Board Chair and business transactions partner of Womble Carlyle, LLP said in the TEDCO press release, “To help ensure that companies started in Maryland stay in Maryland, resources were needed to address the financing needs of growing companies, especially those that had already received investment through one of the State’s seed investment programs but are still vulnerable to leaving the State to receive their next round of funding. The Governor has provided a critical tool for building one of the nation’s leading technology clusters and TEDCO, which sees many of these companies at the seed investment stage, is well-equipped to administer the funding.”

TEDCO is seeking innovative, technology-based, and highly-scalable companies that are likely to be ready for a venture investment 12-18 months following a Gap Investment. Competition for the limited Gap Investment Funds is anticipated to be strong, so the selection process will be very competitive. TEDCO anticipates making two investments in its first 12 months, but hopes to have the ability to make up to 10 investments in subsequent years.

Source
http://tedco.md/press/tedco-announces-new-gap-funding-for-startup-companies/

Mentoring Services

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Grow your future with the Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services Program (MTC VMS)

The MTC VMS is looking for startup companies in the technology and life sciences field, led by an individual or individuals who work full-time on the business that are preparing to raise their first venture capital or institutional round of financing.

  • Potential Startup Companies whose applications are accepted will have the opportunity to present to potential mentors at a monthly meeting, after which the MTC VMS will facilitate matches with interested mentors.
  • About the ProgramThe Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Service Program (MTC VMS) is a team mentoring program based on a model developed by MIT. The program has been adopted in over 70 communities around the globe; the MTC VMS program is the 50th program. The ultimate goal of the program is to bring employment opportunities and capital to the area in the technology and life sciences fields by helping companies grow faster. The MTC VMS has 58 Mentors and is working with 14 Maryland based companies.

 

Workforce Development

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Four Maryland-based Organizations Create
Internship Platform

The State of Maryland has identified a problem—a skills gap problem. Most recent college graduates lack the validated skills needed to hit the ground running as an intern or entry-level employee and it’s often too challenging to hire good interns. The Maryland Department of Commerce, along with three Maryland-based organizations—the Maryland Tech Council, Fearless, a Baltimore-based software company, and Breezio, an online community platform solutions provider based in Rockville, have created the Internship Network of Maryland (inMD).

inMD is a digital marketplace where students, mentors, and companies converge in an online learning and information exchange. By posting your organization’s internships, sharing information on your company, and engaging your employees in the community, you’ll join an ecosystem where students are actively exploring their career options and earning badges for completing training on your company or industry, doing informational interviews, and engaging with industry experts. inMD uses this information to score them and sends you recommendations during the year as to who matches your company. In all, the platform connects 165,754 businesses, 360,000 students, and 57 universities.

In developing inMD, all four partners just needed to look at the numbers to know that a platform of this type was needed. Eighty percent of jobs are filled through networking and internal referrals, more than 4 out of 5 recent college graduates do not have a job when they graduate, and just 40% of college seniors feel they are prepared for a career. The inMD platform will offer a number of features to address those statistics including an interactive job board, video conferencing, virtual career fairs, skills training and digital micro-badging, searchable student profiles, virtual interview scheduling, and more.

inMD plans to open for Beta testing in June with a soft launch in October. As early adopters, companies that participate in Beta testing will have increased visibility among students and will receive special recognition when it launches this fall. Companies interested in Beta testing can complete a form on the inMD website.

Companies interested in partnering on any aspect of inMD can contact Bret Schreiber (bret.schreiber@maryland.gov) or Tami Howie, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council at (tami.howie@mtc.org).