Maryland is donating $9 million to boost technological innovation

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Commerce has announced that 11 companies will share $9 million in grants to help them expand and grow. The money comes from the Build Our Future Grant Pilot program, which is part of the Governor’s Innovation Economy Infrastructure Act of 2023.

The grants range from $1 million to $2 million and will be used to fund projects designed to develop innovative products and services in a number of technology sectors, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, blue technology , cybersecurity, defense, energy and sustainability, life sciences, quantum, and sensors and robotics.

“To make Maryland more competitive, we must boost those areas of our economy that produce fresh ideas and innovative new technologies,” said Governor Moore. “These grants not only help individual businesses grow, but also help build tools and resources to support growing industries.”

After a two-stage application process, the ministry approved eleven projects for funding:

• CraniUS – $1,000,000 to establish a Device Innovation Lab to prototype and test implantable medical devices, allowing direct delivery of drugs to the brain. (Baltimore City)
• Early charm ventures – $500,000 to convert the HEAT Center in Aberdeen into an innovation hub, including wet labs, safety features and instrumentation for the materials industry. (Harford County)
• InventWood – $1,000,000 to build a pilot manufacturing and innovation center to produce MettleWood®, a 100% wood material that is 50% stronger than steel while providing significant carbon sequestration benefits. (Frederick County)
• Ion storage systems – $1,000,000 to build out a solid-state battery research and development and manufacturing facility. The batteries use a ceramic solid-state electrolyte structure and are intended to replace lithium-ion batteries. (Prince George’s County)
• Johns Hopkins University Remington Energy Accelerator Labs – $1,250,000 to equip a 12,000-square-foot center for the discovery and production of advanced materials. The “R.Labs” New Energy/Tech Infrastructure Hub will focus on innovations in the energy transition, including carbon management, energy storage, wind energy and grid optimization. (Baltimore City)
• Association of Maryland Community Colleges – $935,680 to create the Maryland Cyber ​​Workforce Accelerator with the purchase of eight BCR Cyber ​​Series 3000 cyber series for 16 community colleges. (Anne Arundel County)
• QC82 – $200,000 to build a 10,000-square-foot integrated photonics, testing and packaging facility for its unique detectors and quantum optical devices, part of an investment to build room-temperature quantum computers. (Prince George’s County)
• Quantum space – $1,000,000 to construct Maryland’s first spacecraft assembly, integration, test and engineering facility dedicated to the production of satellite constellations. (Location to be determined)
• Soft America – $996,120 for the conversion of 4,700 square feet of office space to a conditioned “dry room” environment specifically designed for lithium-ion cell production with the installation of automated production equipment. (Baltimore County)
• The Mill of Black Horse LLC – $1,000,000 to build a 16,000-square-foot fertilizer plant for precision-blended fertilizers using climate-smart technologies serving more than 1,000 farmers in the region. (Harford County)
• University of Maryland Advanced Quantum-Centered Experience for Startups and Students (AQCESS) – $118,600 to implement a “shared laboratory” concept for quantum technology startups – equipment, platforms and training – at the Quantum Startup Foundry. (Prince George’s County)

“The Build Our Future program is a bold new way to accelerate growth in the innovative sectors where Maryland is poised to lead and dominate,” said Kevin Anderson, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce. “These grants will support innovation and stimulate economic growth across Maryland and ensure we are competitive in these important industries.”

This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Image via Pixabay

Follow and like us:

Related