Exclusive Member Benefits

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Specialized Cyber Protection for Maryland Tech Council Members

Companies have begun paying more attention to their cyber liability, and with good cause. 2017 continued the steady pattern of increasing cyber-attacks with over 7 billion records stolen, an increase of 305% from the previous year. And while high profile attacks on Equifax and Uber made national headlines, cyber criminals continued to shift their attention to small and medium size businesses (SMBs). In a report published by the Ponemon Institute about SMBs, 61% reported attacks in the past year and the average cost of damages over $1 million.  

Thankfully, there are protections in place to limit a company’s exposure. Cyber insurance markets remain competitive allowing for companies to purchase coverage for first-party costs and third-party liability in the event of a breach. Through its extensive market relationships, Gallagher developed a specialized cyber program for Maryland Tech Council members that enhances their protection with broader coverage. Equally important, Gallagher offers the e-Risk Hub, a proprietary tool that allows company leaders to evaluate their cyber exposure and determine the correct coverage to purchase. To learn more about cyber and other risk management topics, please contact Steven Matz at Steven_Matz@ajg.com or 443-283-1361.

Featured Highlight

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Lifetime Achievement Gala

Lifetime-EBanner

MTC is proud to honor three of the most influential industry titans at our Lifetime Achievement Gala on April 18, 2018 at the William F. Bolger Center in Potomac Maryland. These gentlemen share common characteristics that have enhanced life for millions, and their achievements have set a place for future generations. Join us in honoring this year’s recipients:

  • Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director, National Institutes of Health
  • Douglas Lowy, M.D., Acting Director, National Cancer Institute and Chief of Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Center for Cancer Research
  • John Schiller, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, National Center Institute, National Institutes of Health

Click here to register for individual seats or a table of 10.

Sponsorships are still available. For more information please contact Wendy Worm at wendy@mdtechcouncil.com.

Cost Savings Program

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This Month, Take Advantage of Your ALT Benefits

The Maryland Tech Council offers its members as a free benefit, the buying power of the entire industry to deliver deep savings and exclusive services from leading suppliers in these vital areas. Each has been selected to give every company advantages that might otherwise go only to the very largest enterprises.

This month, Take Advantage of your ALT Benefits

American Laboratory Trading (ALT), an Agilent Channel Partner, is the largest supplier of high-quality refurbished laboratory equipment in North America, stocking more than 12,000 instruments, ranging from benchtop accessories to robust triple quad mass spectrometers.   

REFURBISHED EQUIPMENT
The largest supplier of refurbished lab equipment – tested and serviced to meet OEM operating specifications.

MONETIZE your SURPLUS
ALT will create surplus strategies that support MTC Member’s Corporate Responsibility and monetize idle equipment so you can invest in more.

In 2017, ALT monetized lab assets for over 300 customers

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Call (860) 691-2213 for your quote today!

Mentoring Services

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January was National Mentoring Month, bringing with it an opportunity to thank our mentors who volunteer their time and share their expertise.  

The Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentor Services thanks its Mentors for their commitment, assistance and knowledge, which they give so very generously. Their contributions are immeasurable.

What a few of our Mentees are saying –

“Better than I hoped”

“Our Mentors and this program are bringing the Bio an Tech communities together”

“Thank you. We love the program”

The Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Service is focused on companies in the technology and life sciences fields that are preparing to raise their first venture capital or institutional round of financing.  Potential mentees are carefully selected and may include individuals whose organization is their first or second venture.

Entrepreneurs whose applications are accepted will have the opportunity to present at the monthly VMS mentor meeting.  Members of each mentor team are selected with the CEO’s concurrence following the presentation.  Teams generally meet every 4-6 weeks with digital and voice communication between sessions.  The approach is very much entrepreneur driven, requiring CEOs to be committed to the program.  

To learn more and apply online, click here or stop by and meet us at the CONNECTpreneur event, February 28th.

Member Spotlight

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Meet Sharon Tiger and Raffa Financial Services

We recently caught up with Sharon Tiger, Vice President of Business Development at Raffa Financial Services.

Raffa Financial Services is an insurance and employee benefit brokerage and consulting firm headquartered in Rockville, Maryland and serving the greater Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area.

Raffa works with businesses who value their employees, are vested in their physical and financial wellness, and want a high quality employee benefits strategy to attract and retain the best and brightest.

 We can help you with:

  • Employee benefits
  • Executive benefits and business continuation planning
  • Retirement plan advisory services
  • Risk Management
  • Individual financial and insurance planning

Contact:
Sharon Tiger
Phone:   240.386.1892
Email:    Sharon@RaffaFinancial.com
Web:      www.raffafinancial.com

 

Cost Savings Program

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Let us show you how to start the New Year off with savings!

Your first step in 2018 can be accessing deep savings on business and essentials through the Maryland Tech Council Cost Savings Program. Request a FREE cost savings program analysis and review which programs and benefits would be the best fit for your company!

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You also don’t have to change the way you do business to enjoy the discounts and other benefits. The individual cost-savings programs do not restrict your purchasing selection to a short list of obscure “close out” items. In most cases, the full selection of products and services offered are available to you at a discounted price.

Enrollment is quick and easy!
Visit the MTC Cost Savings Program to learn more about the savings and services available to you or email membership@mdtechcouncil.com

 

Mentoring Services

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Matching experts from the business community with carefully selected entrepreneurs to create tomorrow’s next success story

The Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services Program (MTC VMS) was established in partnership with Montgomery County, but belongs uniquely to the Maryland Tech Council. Specially trained teams of volunteers with expertise in entrepreneurial activity and start-up businesses, are matched with carefully selected mentee companies to assist them in becoming successful operating companies.

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 to grow faster. MTC VMS will provide mentoring services to Maryland tech and life sciences companies with a demonstrated proof of concept that are preparing for their first venture or institutional financing. 

The MTC VMS is focused on companies in the technology and life sciences fields that are preparing to raise their first venture capital or institutional round of financing. Potential mentees are carefully selected and may include individuals whose organization is their first or second venture.

Potential mentee companies must be led by an individual or individuals who work full-time on the business and will be committed to the program and willing to take responsibility for engaging with their mentor team.

Potential entrepreneurs whose applications are accepted will have the opportunity to present to potential mentors at a monthly mentor meeting, after which the VMS will facilitate matches with interested mentors. The VMS team will provide guidelines to support the start-up of the relationship and assist in the ongoing management of the team mentoring meetings.

2017 MTC VMS At-A-Glance

  • $5M + Capital Raised
  • $45K/month Recurring Revenue
  • 60 + Hours/month Volunteer Time
  • 12 Monthly Mentor Breakfasts
  • 4 Mentee CEO Breakfasts

Apply Here or contact mentor@mdtechcouncil.com for more information.

THE MTC VMS will provide mentoring services to Maryland tech and life sciences companies with a demonstrated proof of concept that are preparing for their first venture or institutional financing.

Meet us February 28th at CONNECTpreneur Bethesda Forum 

 

30th Anniversary Industry Awards Celebration

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Nominations open January 3, 2018 – February 2, 2018

The Maryland Tech Council’s Industry Awards Celebration is the only awards ceremony that honors the best in Maryland’s technology and life science communities and is one of Maryland’s largest and most prestigious award ceremonies. This is our 30th anniversary where we recognize the work of individuals and companies that have changed the landscape of their industries and have ultimately touched the lives of millions of people.

We encourage you to nominate yourself, company or client for one of the coveted awards.

How to Nominate: Nominations are being accepted from any company or individual that has done business in the Mid-Atlantic region during 2017. You don’t have to be a MTC member to submit.

The nomination process is very easy and only takes only a few minutes. Click here and follow these steps to nominate today:

  • Click “Nominate Here” to start
  • Create an account to save, edit or add more nominations
  • Carefully review to ensure all listed information is correct
  • Submit (multiple nominations are permitted and encouraged)

Award Categories to Nominate Include:

  • Chief Executive Officer of the Year
  • Financial Executive of the Year
  • Life Science Company of the Year
  • Technology Company of the Year
  • Government Contracting Company of the Year
  • Emerging Company of the Year (under $25,000,000)

Criteria: Click here to read the criteria for each category.

Award Submission Deadline: February 2, 2018.

Click here for more information.

 

CEO Corner

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Tami Howie // CEO Corner

There comes a time in everyone’s life, whether a person or a company, when they must take action.  In Maryland, for technology and life science companies, the time is now. We are on the cusp of being one of the top innovation hubs in the country. We have the support of Governor Hogan and the Maryland Legislature on many needs and we have the greatest technology and life science companies in the country.  We also are home to federal labs and agencies and over 20 incubators.

We have the 2017 momentum as our tailwind pushing us forward into 2018.  Some of those successes include:

  1. The merger of two largest technology councils in the state to create the new Maryland Tech Council with one voice for life science, technology and innovation
  2. We helped to increase the research and development tax credit 
  3. We pulled together and fought in Annapolis to continue to empower technology and life science companies to thrive in Maryland
  4. We celebrated the 1 year anniversary of the Venture Mentor Program with 21 mentees and 55 trained mentors
  5. We launched the Young Professionals Society
  6. We launched the beta version of a statewide internship platform in-md.org with partners Breezio, Fearless, Maryland Department of Commerce and Maryland Department of Labor. Learn more >
  7. We worked on a beta version of a statewide platform to match companies to potential investors with Evergreen and Maryland Department of Commerce
  8. We held over 35 events on many different subject matters and made thousands of connections
  9. Our members saved over $73,000 participating in our Cost Savings Program
  10. We relaunched our Foundation to help mentorship and internships
  11. We were featured in a nationwide magazine as the next technology hub. Preview magazine >
  12. And so much more

In 2018 we need your help to keep the momentum going.  Please do not sit on the sidelines and think everyone else will make this happen.  The Maryland Tech Council needs each and every one of you to actively participate to make Maryland the next great technology hub.  Here are a few ways you can help, if you would like to get involved, contact me at tami@mdtechcouncil.com:

  • Help us fight back against the report from the Legislative Services that R&D Tax Credit and Bio Technology Investor Tax Credit are not valuable by joining our Legislative Initiatives
  • Participate on a committee http://www.mdtechcouncil.com/committees/
  • Participate in the Legislative Coalition meetings on Monday mornings at 8:30am
  • Mentor a company
  • Sponsor an event
  • Donate to our Foundation to encourage mentorship and internships
  • Post an internship and mentor a student
  • Chair an educational program
  • Email me with other ideas—but don’t do nothing!!

Some of the things to look forward to in 2018 are:

  • Governor Hogan keynoting our Leadership Dinner on January 18. Tickets are selling fast, don’t miss this opportunity to spend an evening with the Governor
  • The launch of our new International Series starting February 15th
  • CXO Breakfast Series with topics for CXOs from all companies
  • Lifetime Achievement Gala on April 17 honoring Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Douglas Lowy and Dr. John Schiller
  • 30th Anniversary Industry Awards Celebration on May 18
  • Ultimate Golf Tournament at Cattail Creek Country Club on June 18
  • Bio+Tech18 Conference at the Baltimore Hilton on September 20
  • Annual Tech Tasting on November 8

As always we are here to help you grow your technology and life science business.  Please help us achieve our goal of making Maryland a top Innovation Hub in America.

 

Advocacy

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Legislative Call to Action – Save the Biotech Investor Tax Credit and Research and Development Tax Credit

While the official legislative session for the state of Maryland starts January 10, 2018 and ends April 9, 2018,  it is important for the Maryland Tech Council and its members to start working NOW to make sure Maryland biotech and technology companies are heard and protected in Maryland.   Many of you have heard me say over the last year that Maryland is one of the top innovation hubs in the United States.  In order to stay at the top, we must have a talented workforce, great educational institutions, capital and legislation that supports our biotech and technology companies.   I believe that there is a huge movement by both the companies and the government to make sure that we have all of these things.  However, sometimes politics get in the way and some laws come out that threaten our companies’ ability to survive.  That is why the Maryland Tech Council is committed to advocating in Annapolis for laws that help our biotech and technology companies and defend against those that harm our companies.   

We have had many times in the past when we have spoken out loudly to help our companies and have been heard.  Now that we have merged the two largest tech councils in the state, we have doubled our voice and people are listening.   In the past the biotech and technology community assembled to fight the tech tax, price gouging bills and support tax credits to spur innovation.  We once again need everyone to assemble to have our voice heard. 

On December 5th a hearing in Annapolis discussed a report recommending that the General Assembly eliminate the biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit and the Research and Development Tax Credit.  The Maryland Tech Council was at the hearing on this report loudly supporting the need for both of these tax credits.  We will hold an emergency meeting next week to mobilize the biotech and technology companies  to get out and make sure our legislators know that both of these tax credits MUST remain and in fact get additional financial support.  It is all of our duties to make our voice heard and let Maryland know the needs of our biotech and technology companies.   

We will also host a Legislative Day on January 18th starting with sessions in the morning, meetings with legislators, a rally and ending with a Leadership Dinner.  It is important that each and every bio and tech company participate and are heard so that the legislators know how strong we are and what our issues and needs are in the state.

Please help the Maryland Tech Council’s voice be heard loudly this year in Maryland.  Together, we need to make sure that Maryland is a state where Innovative companies have all of the resources they need to grow and thrive. 

If you would like to get more involved..contact me at tami@mdtechcouncil.com.  We welcome anyone who wants to help us in this mission to make Maryland a top innovation hub in the United States.