The Da Vinci Surgical System is a set of four robotic arms that are controlled by a surgeon, mimicking and miniaturizing their hand gestures. 

It allows for more precision and dexterity, while reducing blood loss and tissue damage. 

University of Maryland Colony Ballroom, Stamp Student Union April 12, 2017 4:30-6:30 pm

Please join us to honor inventors, entrepreneurs, innovators, and partners.

When Americans think about U.S. leadership in the world, they often think of military power, famous presidents, or economic achievement. But they might be less likely to name an area in which the United States has led the world for decades: science.

From lifesaving vaccines for devastating diseases like smallpox and polio, to novel materials like semiconductors and superconductors, to robotic rovers that can explore Mars, science has made possible discoveries that revolutionized the world, and much of it started right here in the United States.

To increase new company creation and commercialization of its leading-edge research, the University System of Maryland (USM) is launching a $25 million early-stage investment fund to be known as the Maryland Momentum Fund.

The money-raising process for start-up companies typically is an uneven one. Therefore, the Maryland Momentum Fund will concentrate on filling gaps in the funding pipeline to push USM's most innovative ideas into the marketplace.

The Trump Administration’s skinny budget proposal released today calls itself, “A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again.” From the information contained in the document, it is clear the Administration does not view science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship and the economic development efforts built around those activities as the path forward to making “America great again.” The program eliminations and drastic cuts are not the way to move the country forward economically. So what is behind this proposal? Two things: 1) a fight over the proper role of the federal government in the economy, and 2) a negotiating tactic to attempt to lull advocates into thinking program survival or lesser cuts are a victory. A full community response is needed and all of us must get off the sidelines and on to the playing field.

Digital health leader WellDoc® and the Healthy Trucking Association of America (HTAA) announced today their partnership to help truckers living with diabetes. Additionally, WellDoc unveils its consumer diabetes health app, BlueStar® C, which is designed to aid individuals living with diabetes to manage their chronic condition.

Both organizations, through this initial launch, will introduce BlueStar C to truckers and fleets at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Kentucky, which takes place from March 23-25. Renegade Radio Nashville (RRN) is also partnering with HTAA and WellDoc, as the national media partner for BlueStar C. RRN’s President and COO Jack Aponte (also known as on-air personality “Captain Jack”) will join the HTAA and WellDoc teams at the MATS Booth (#76 173) to help introduce BlueStar C to truckers and fleets in attendance at the meeting. Access to and set up for BlueStar C will be available at MATS for the trucking audience.

Amid the uncertainty surrounding immigration laws, five of the city's colleges are teaming up in an effort to help foreign student entrepreneurs stay in Chicago to build their startups.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to announce this afternoon that Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago and Northwestern University each will adopt global entrepreneur-in-residence programs.

Wed, Mar 29, 2017 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT

USDA ARS and the USDA SBIR program formed a partnership to encourage USDA SBIR applicants to develop research collaborations with ARS scientists and/or to license ARS technologies. The purpose is to increase the likelihood of success by providing both money and technologies to small U.S. businesses. The relevant language in the SBIR’s “Request for Application” states: "Additional factors that will be considered in the review process include whether an application involves a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with a USDA laboratory, or a license to a USDA technology, or is a resubmission.”

This webinar will include an overview of the USDA SBIR program and crafting a competitive SBIR proposal. Also an overview of ARS and how to develop a successful research collaboration (CRADA) with an ARS scientist and/or license an ARS technology will be discussed. The webinar will address coordinating the statement of works in an ARS CRADA and a USDA SBIR proposal.

A new 40,000-square-foot accelerator space for Johns Hopkins is officially online in East Baltimore, and set to be home to nine startups by April.

FastForward is housed in the newest, $65 million building in the Hopkins biotech park, at 1812 Ashland Ave. It was designed to help young companies with all of their growing business needs, from conference rooms to office space to lab space. The new space replaces the former six-office hub near the Hopkins medical campus.

SineWave Ventures wants to bring money and ideas together. Vornado’s got the office space to make it happen. And Arlington County wants to back the pairing to boost jobs, tax revenue and the economy.

The three are working together on The Venture Hub, which will locate at Vornado Realty Trust’s (NYSE: VNO) 2231 Crystal Drive in Crystal City — the same building where stalwart incubator 1776 leases space.

Under Armour has hired a former General Motors executive to serve as chief innovation officer.

Clay Dean, who will help the Baltimore sports apparel brand shape its global innovation vision and strategy, will work from the Baltimore headquarters and report to Kevin Haley, president of category management and innovation, the company said Monday.

The University of Maryland is planning to expand entrepreneurship space and activities at its campus in Baltimore, and a new innovation center on the southwest side of the city is part of the plans.

The aim is to open a new space during the summer, UM Ventures Director Jim Hughes said at a President’s Symposium event at the UMB campus. The location of the new space has yet to be finalized.

The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) Program provides funding for university-based research projects that help Maryland companies develop technology-based products, combining the creative expertise of Maryland's university faculty with the drive of the state's entrepreneurs and companies. Up to $100,000 per year is available for each project.

If you are a seed, early stage or start-up high technology company in the areas of Life Sciences, Biotech, Alternative Energy or Cyber Security, then you do not want to miss this seminar. This year the MWBC is rolling out a new Advanced Technology Program, and we want you to join us for our FREE introductory session on the resources that will help you grow. We will feature a panel discussion with representatives from TEDCO, MTECH, and MD Department of Commerce to discuss competition, alternate sources of funding, tech transfer/licensing, and commercialization. Also to be featured are incubator programs and their services in Montgomery, Frederick and Prince George’s Counties. This informative seminar will acquaint you with resources and programs that will help lay out a strategic approach for your company to take it to the next level. Register today as space is limited.

Bill Schmidt, Managing Partner of Cultivation Capital’s Life Science Fund, is optimistic about the future of Life Science investment in St. Louis. He said,  More capital is flowing in St. Louis, with us, BioGenerator, RiverVest Venture Partners, Lewis & Clark Ventures, Ascension Ventures, iSelect Fund, St. Louis Arch Angels, Missouri Technology Corporation, and others. And, we are starting to get attention from upmarket VC firms on the coasts, which is great, as our companies are going to need it.”

For industries that depend on innovation, sustaining it is a constant challenge. This is particularly the case in biopharmaceuticals, where turning molecules into medicines is notoriously fraught with risk, and failure.

When one of us (Vivek) and his team launched Roivant Sciences in 2014 and began developing treatments for Alzheimer’s disease — they were determined to learn from the pharma industry’s innovation issues and build a more sustainable innovation engine. After extensive assessment, they settled on two initiatives: realigning incentives for employees and systematically introducing outside talent and practices.

I’m in the process of writing an e-book for publication this summer called A Bold Approach to Grants Research. This book encourages grantseekers to challenge their thinking when it comes to identifying funders for a particular program or project.

I am writing this book because I think we often get stuck in a rut when it comes to seeking support. We tend to drift toward those grantmakers who have supported us in the past, or grantmakers we think should have supported us! We rely on the regional community foundation, or the family fund that is most active in our area. We turn to those two or three businesses that seem to support everything (even if it is a small amount). It is hard to break out of this mold not only because we are familiar with these grantmakers, so approaching them seems easier, but also because we really don’t know where else to look or how to think about funding in a different way.

Tue, April 4, 2017 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM EDT Add to Calendar LOCATION

Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center (7400 Wisconsin Ave) Bethesda, MD 20814 

The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Spring Forum BETHESDA April 4, 2017

First time attendees use code "LORE" for 40 percent off!

"The Best Networking Event in the MidAtlantic."

This will be our 23rd consecutive SOLD OUT event over the last 5 years! Over 70% of previous attendees surveyed say that CONNECTpreneur is the "Number One" tech and investor event in the Mid-Atlantic region!

DCInno calls CONNECTpreneur "The Best Networking Event in DC" and a "NETWORKING JACKPOT" of the Region's TOP Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders, CXOs, Angels, and VCs.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Old Town Pour House, 212 Ellington Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is hosting our inaugural Young Professionals Society event at Old Town Pour House in Gaithersburg. Join us for a networking cocktail reception to meet and mingle with other young professionals in Maryland.

The Maryland Tech Council’s Young Professionals Society advances young professionals through leadership and professional development, networking opportunities, educational events and community outreach. The society strengthens the life science and technology communities in Maryland by providing an opportunity for collaboration among these two industries.

The Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Showcase is quickly becoming the show to attend. We have had overwhelming interest in this show and we’ve made improvements again this year. The show features:

Over 75 exhibitors expected from all areas of the biotech and pharmaceutical industry including: universities, manufacturing, research, government, suppliers, and more.

Tue, March 21, 2017, 7:30am-10:30am

The March EAGB Breakfast Series panel features leaders who are shaping the future of economic development through placemaking strategies and innovation districts. The EAGB invites you for breakfast and an engaging discussion on this topic of particular interest to the Greater Baltimore region. The Breakfast Series seeks to shine a light on the region’s assets and share the wisdom of its thought leaders – including those from industry, government and education. Join us!

It’s fair to say we’ve entered a new era in biotech and pharma. Whether it’s diagnostics, drug development or medtech; informatics, mathematics and machine learning are marching their way in. Biology is being digitized. Big Data is taking population-wide information and distilling it down for treatment plans at an individualized scale.

The science within startups is evolving.

The folding of genomic DNA from the beads-on-a-string-like structure of nucleosomes into higher-order assemblies is crucially linked to nuclear processes. Here we calculate 3D structures of entire mammalian genomes using data from a new chromosome conformation capture procedure that allows us to first image and then process single cells. The technique enables genome folding to be examined at a scale of less than 100 kb, and chromosome structures to be validated. The structures of individual topological-associated domains and loops vary substantially from cell to cell. By contrast, A and B compartments, lamina-associated domains and active enhancers and promoters are organized in a consistent way on a genome-wide basis in every cell, suggesting that they could drive chromosome and genome folding. By studying genes regulated by pluripotency factor and nucleosome remodelling deacetylase (NuRD), we illustrate how the determination of single-cell genome structure provides a new approach for investigating biological processes.

March 31st, 2:30-4:30pm

Join us to learn more about bioscience as an industry and career opportunities available in Montgomery County

Presentation on BioScience + Tour of Montgomery College BioLab for staff and partners working with job seekers

FLC Business – Your Tool for Improved Federal Resource Searchability!

"We’re excited to announce that the new and improved FLC Business is officially live to the public! Over the past year, many major enhancements went into revamping the search functionality and adding to the breadth of federal laboratory data that this unique, comprehensive search tool now offers."

At University of California Berkeley researchers have developed an innovative new way of delivering vaccines that may one day be an option over scary, and slightly painful, needle injections. The MucoJet device is a pill that, when pushed against the cheek, releases its cargo in the form of a microjet. The pressure generated is enough to push large molecules through the mucosal layer and into tissue that’s usually highly concentrated with immune cells.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today launched DrugCostFacts.org, a new interactive web tool designed to help healthcare stakeholders gain a better understanding of the true facts surrounding drug costs, spending and value.

The site features a series of commonly asked questions—ranging from “Why are some drugs expensive?” to “What role do PBMs, insurance companies and wholesalers play in determining what patients pay for their drugs?”—and then answers these questions using infographics, videos and interactive tools. The site also has additional research and reading materials for those who want to dive deeper into these issues. The tool is mobile responsive, allowing users to access information on their phones and tablets.

Scott Gottlieb, a former deputy commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the agency, according to an emailed statement from the White House.

Gottlieb, 44, served in several senior positions at the FDA during the George W. Bush administration. He has talked extensively about how to lower the cost of prescription drugs by modernizing the agency’s approval process and speeding cheaper generic competitors to market.

Many global cities want to be named the next tech innovation hub. But who’s really in the running?

It’s a question on which there are myriad perspectives and theories — the latest taking the form of a survey by professional service company KPMG. The company recently released part one of it’s yearly technology industry innovation survey (now in its fifth year) — a survey of over 800 “global technology industry leaders” in which KPMG asks about the changing landscape of tech. Part one the survey explores “the rise of new ecosystems of incubators, accelerators, and venture capital alongside government incentives across the world.”

The conviction that competitive differentiation will require effective digital initiatives has led many life-sciences companies to create a new leadership role, chief digital officer (CDO), to guide their digital initiatives.

To understand how these leaders see the digital future and how they are managing for success, we spoke to CDOs and their equivalents at ten pharma companies. These conversations suggest three imperatives for digital efforts: focus on the team applying the tools, not on the tools themselves; make bold, disruptive bets; and optimize the portfolio of initiatives to achieve company priorities, while taking finite resources into account.

The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) today released new data showing record growth in entrepreneurial activity at the state’s universities as part of its Illinois Innovation Index, which reports on the key metrics of the state’s innovation economy. The report found that during the past five academic years, students and faculty at Illinois universities created 804 startups through technology licensing, entrepreneurship programs, competitions and other university initiatives. A record number of these startups, nearly 500, are also staying in the state.

Wed, April 5, 2017 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT

Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology Research 9600 Gudelsky DriveRockville, MD, Maryland 20850

From patient engagement to data analytics, the Health IT space is one of the hottest sectors in healthcare today. Join our next SoPE event and learn from developers, investors and entrepreneurs how to best get your innovative idea from inception to consumers while anticipating and avoiding the common pitfalls you are bound to encounter along the way.

Moderator: Jeffrey N. Hausfeld MD, MBA, Founder and Chairman - Society of Physician Entprepreneurs, Chairman of the Board and Chief Medical Officer - BioFactura, Inc.

NextGen Venture Partners,  a young, Washington, D.C.-based venture firm that’s quarterbacked by a handful of investors but fueled financially by a network of hundreds of part-time investors who help with its portfolio, has raised $22 million for its debut fund. (This if you don’t count a $1 million pool of capital that it raised from its network in 2015.)

We had a quick chat with Jon Bassett, one of the firm’s five partners, late last week to talk about what NextGen is trying to create. That conversation has been edited for length.

The Next Step: VC Investment Update

Entrepreneurs, investors and others: Join the NVTC Small Business and Entrepreneur Committee for the second part of this practical series on raising investment capital. This expert panel will feature some of the most active VCs investing in Greater Washington region companies. The panelists represent active venture investors who have participated in venture rounds in the last year in Greater Washington and are looking to make more investments. The panel will discuss their recent experiences, their desired investee profiles and offer practical advice on raising venture stage capital.

Moderator:

Norm Snyder, CPA, Partner, Aronson LLC

Speakers:

J.S. Gamble, Co-Founder, Blu Ventures Todd Klein, Managing Director and CIO, SWaN & Legend Ventures Adam VeVerka, Director- Business Development, NewSpring Capital Kristin Gunther, Vice President, Revolution Growth

USDA ARS and the USDA SBIR program formed a partnership to encourage USDA SBIR applicants to develop research collaborations with ARS scientists and/or to license ARS technologies. The purpose is to increase the likelihood of success by providing both money and technologies to small U.S. businesses. The relevant language in the SBIR’s “Request for Application” states: "Additional factors that will be considered in the review process include whether an application involves a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with a USDA laboratory, or a license to a USDA technology, or is a resubmission.”

This webinar will include an overview of the USDA SBIR program and crafting a competitive SBIR proposal. Also an overview of ARS and how to develop a successful research collaboration (CRADA) with an ARS scientist and/or license an ARS technology will be discussed. The webinar will address coordinating the statement of works in an ARS CRADA and a USDA SBIR proposal.