News Archive

During a tour to Paris, Bruce Springsteen explained that his dream was for the US to adapt a Swedish style welfare state. The famous musician is far from alone in idealizing Nordic policies. The four Nordic nations (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) are often regarded as prime role-models the policies to be emulated by others. Internationally, advocates of left of centre policies view these countries as examples of how high tax social democratic systems are viable and successful. Paul Krugman, for example, has said: “Every time I read someone talking about the ‘collapsing welfare states of Europe’, I have this urge to take that person on a forced walking tour of Stockholm”.

Baltimore will be the first stop for billionaire investor and entrepreneur Steve Case, who in September kicks off a $1 million investment round.

Case, CEO of the Washington, D.C., venture firm Revolution, plans to invest $1 million in startups in cities that are off the beaten path for most venture capitalists. The Rise of the Rest bus tour kicks off Sept. 28 in Baltimore and will make stops in Philadelphia, Buffalo and Manchester and Portland, Maine.

Today Startup Maryland announced updates to the schedule (September 12 – October 2) and the rough route for the Pitch Across Maryland, the fourth annual state-wide tour and celebration of entrepreneurship and high-growth startup companies.

The Pitch Across Maryland tour will again traverse the state all in the name of celebrating Maryland’s diverse communities of venture building. A sampling of details, key data and results from previous tours follow:

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) today announced that it is launching a ruggedized, military-grade auto-injector device, known as Emergard™, which is designed for intramuscular self-injection of antidotes and other emergency response medical treatments that can address exposure to certain chemical agents and other similar emerging threats. Emergard is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not currently marketed in the U.S., although the company intends to pursue FDA approval of the device. The company has received preliminary interest for Emergard from countries outside the U.S. and anticipates making its first deliveries in limited quantities in Q4 2015.

The world population is continuing to grow for various reasons, and it’s growing fast.

A recent report released by the United Nations revealed that the current world population is 7.3 billion, is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100.

Tom Sadowski, president and CEO of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, joins the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) Board of Directors as a representative appointed by Governor Larry Hogan.  

“It is imperative that our planning efforts complement economic development activity as we work to promote prosperity in the Baltimore region,” said Michael B. Kelly, executive director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. “In Tom Sadowski, BMC’s Board of Directors gains a wealth of knowledge and experience – especially in fostering and maintaining regional partnerships and promoting positive economic development initiatives. We look forward to working with him.”

Three Maryland colleges cracked the top 100 of the 2015 Forbes’ Top Colleges list.

The schools and their rankings on the list are:

No. 27: U.S. Naval Academy No. 62: Johns Hopkins University No. 93: University of Maryland, College Park

Chevy Chase-based New Enterprise Associates ranked among the VC firms with the best exits (meaning biggest acquisitions and initial public offerings) between 2009 and 2015, according to a new report from CB Insights.

Silicon Valley firms Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners were also included at the top of the list.

A gel being developed in the lab at Johns Hopkins University is designed to make all signs of wounds disappear.

Gemstone Biotherapeutics, which focuses on wound care, grew out of the research of Hopkins engineering professor Sharon Gerecht. The winner of Hopkins’ first-ever President’s Frontier Award, Gerecht’s work is focused on tissue repair.

MedImmune has received a state award recognizing the company’s commitment to environmentally conscious practices.

Maryland’s Green Registry announced Thursday that MedImmune was one of its five 2015 Leadership Award winners.