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Sep 17 2026
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2026 BioHealth Capital Region Week Recap: Growing the BioHealth Capital Region of Tomorrow

By News

The 12th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum brought leaders from industry, academia, government, investment, research institutions, economic development, and entrepreneurship together on September 15 and 16 at U.S. Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland.

Under the 2026 theme, “Growing the BioHealth Capital Region of Tomorrow,” the two-day Forum focused on the people, technologies, infrastructure, capital and partnerships needed to strengthen the region and support its next stage of growth.

The Forum was part of BioHealth Capital Region Week, which continued September 17 with the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference.

2026 BioHealth Capital Region Week by the Numbers

This year’s participation reflected the strength and reach of the regional ecosystem.

Nearly 1,100 people registered for the BioHealth Capital Region Forum, bringing together leaders from across the region and beyond.

The BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference drew approximately 350 registrants, creating another opportunity for companies, investors and strategic partners to connect.

The Crab Trap Competition received a record 82 applications, highlighting the depth of the emerging company pipeline.

And more than 50 sponsors supported BioHealth Capital Region Week, helping make an event of this size possible while keeping the Forum free for everyone to attend.

Day 1: The Region Today and Where It Goes Next

Welcome Remarks

Rich Bendis, Founder, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), opened the Forum alongside Fouad Atouf, Chief Science Officer at U.S. Pharmacopeia, welcoming attendees and setting the stage for two days focused on the future of the BioHealth Capital Region.

GEN Top 10 BioCluster Update

Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor at Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, returned to the Forum with the annual GEN Top 10 BioCluster Update.

The BioHealth Capital Region again ranked among the Top 3 U.S. Biopharma Clusters, marking the fourth consecutive year the region has held a Top 3 position. The update provided a national view of how the region compares across research, talent, companies, funding, and other factors that shape leading life sciences ecosystems.

BioHealth Capital Region Update

Pete Briskman, Executive Managing Director at JLL, followed with the annual BioHealth Capital Region Update, sharing a look at market conditions, development trends, and the broader forces affecting companies, institutions, and communities across the region.

Philippidis and Briskman then came together for a Q&A, connecting the national BioCluster rankings with what is happening on the ground throughout the BioHealth Capital Region.

EY Keynote: The Race for Growth: How Competition, Capital and Innovation Are Reshaping Life Sciences

Subin Baral, EY-Parthenon Global Life Sciences Deals Leader, delivered the Day 1 keynote.

His remarks looked at a changing life sciences environment in which access to capital, differentiated science, strategic partnerships, and execution are increasingly shaping how companies grow and compete.

The BioHealth Capital Region as the Nation’s Standard-Setter

Moderator: Amanda Cowley, Executive Vice President, Programs, Regional Operations & Strategy and Chief Growth Officer, USP

Panelists:

  • Rebecca Bradford, Senior Vice President, ATCC Federal Solutions
  • Sheng Lin-Gibson, Chief, Biosystems and Biomaterials Division, NIST
  • Laurie Locascio, President and CEO, ANSI
  • Diane McCarthy, Vice President, Global Biologics, U.S. Pharmacopeia

The panel highlighted a major strength of the BioHealth Capital Region that extends beyond company formation and biomedical research. The region is also home to institutions that help establish the standards, measurements, and quality systems supporting life sciences nationally and internationally.

Securing the Future of the U.S. Medicine Supply: Investments in Onshoring and Innovative Production of Medicines in the Capital Region

Moderator: Betsy Baer, Senior Resiliency Center Business Development Director, USP

Panelists:

  • Karina Barao, Policy and External Affairs Advisor, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology
  • Stanley Kwok, Director in Biologics Product Development, AstraZeneca
  • Andrew Maygar, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Capra Biosciences

The conversation examined onshoring, advanced manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and the investment required to expand U.S. medicine production, including the role the BioHealth Capital Region can play in strengthening domestic capacity.

Biotech in the BioHealth Capital Region

Moderator: John Newby, CEO, Virginia Bio

Panelists:

  • Eric Arocho, Associate Vice President and Site Head, Eli Lilly and Company
  • Tshaka Cunningham, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Director of Research & Development, Polaris Genomics Inc.
  • Timothy Dec, Senior Vice President of Finance, Supernus Pharmaceuticals
  • Dan Wygal, Vice President, U.S. Corporate & Government Affairs, AstraZeneca

The panel focused on what helps biotech companies start, stay, expand, and invest in the BioHealth Capital Region, along with the challenges the ecosystem must continue to address to support future growth.

Computational Health

Moderator: Matt Cimino, Senior Manager, Business Development, Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce

Panelists:

  • Harry Coker, Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce
  • Rozalina McCoy, Associate Professor and Vice Chief of Clinical Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine
  • Eric Van Gieson, CEO, Epoch Epigenetic
  • Rose Wang, Founder and CEO, 1104Health

The panel explored how AI, data, and computational technologies are influencing research, clinical care, company development, and decision-making across health and life sciences.

The Infrastructure Behind the BioHealth Capital Region: Design, Financing, Construction and Demand

Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, Association of University Research Parks

Panelists:

  • Stephen Blair, Principal and Science & Technology Practice Leader, CannonDesign
  • Matt Brady, President, Scheer Partners
  • Mark VanderZyl, Director, Connect Labs Baltimore, Wexford Science & Technology

The discussion focused on the physical infrastructure behind a growing biohealth ecosystem, including laboratory and innovation space, financing, construction and how future development can respond to changing demand from companies and researchers.

Rich Bendis closed Day 1 before attendees moved into the evening networking reception.

Day 2: Quantum, Commercialization, Talent and Investment

Opening Remarks and Fireside Chat on Quantum in BioHealth

Day 2 kicked off with a Fireside Chat on Quantum in BioHealth, moderated by Rich Bendis, Founder, President, and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

He was joined by:

  • Cameron Chehreh, Vice President of Engineering and CTO, IonQ
  • Travis McCready, Head of Industries, Leasing Advisory, JLL

The conversation looked at where quantum technology is headed, what emerging capabilities could mean for life sciences and healthcare, and how the BioHealth Capital Region can position itself as quantum and biohealth continue to converge.

Quantum in BioHealth: From Infrastructure to Research Impact

Moderator: Matt Cimino, Senior Manager, Business Development, Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce

Panelists:

  • Matt Keesan, Vice President and GM, Quantum Platform, IonQ
  • Wolfgang Losert, MPower Professor of Physics, University of Maryland
  • Geetha Senthil, Deputy Director, Office of Special Initiatives, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health
  • Amanda Stein, CEO, Quantum Catalyzer

The discussion moved from quantum infrastructure to potential research and life sciences applications, connecting emerging capabilities with translational science, partnerships, and future commercialization opportunities.

Universities and Innovation Districts Driving the Region Forward

Moderator: Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, Ph.D., Vice President, Office of Technology Commercialization, Georgetown University

Panelists:

  • Amy Adams, Executive Director, Institute for Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University
  • Norman Beauchamp, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, Georgetown University Medical Center
  • Noah Olson, Vice President of Innovation, Enterprise and Expansion, Delaware Prosperity Partnership
  • Patrick O’Shea, Vice President and Chief Research Officer, University of Maryland, College Park and Baltimore enterprise

The panel examined how universities, commercialization programs, innovation districts and economic development organizations can connect research, talent, entrepreneurship and physical infrastructure to create stronger pathways from discovery to company formation and growth.

Bridging the BioHealth Commercialization Talent Gap

Moderator: Donna Edmonds, CEO, BRAINBox Solutions Inc.

Panelists:

  • Liz Doerr, Partner and Co-Founder, Sandbox
  • Sam Gussman-Toh, Small Business Program Portfolio Manager, ARPA-H
  • Luis Gutierrez, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
  • Caron Trumbo, Vice President of Operations, Virginia Bio

The conversation examined how universities, startups, and early-stage companies can access leadership, fractional C-suite support, workforce talent, and commercialization expertise as they work to move discoveries toward viable products and companies.

Turning Breakthrough Medical Innovation into Impact for Military and Civilian Markets

Moderator: Liz Powell, Founder and CEO, G2G Consulting

Panelists:

  • Deborah Hemingway, Managing Partner, Ecphora Capital
  • Benjamin Holmes, CEO and Founder, Nanochon
  • Retired Commander Chris Steele, Chief of Strategy and Business Development, MTEC
  • David Stewart, COO, Theradaptive

The panel looked at how companies can navigate funding, partnerships, product development and commercialization when technologies have applications across both military health and civilian healthcare markets.

2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition

The afternoon then shifted to the 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition, bringing six finalists to the stage from a record field of 82 applicants.

Actuated Medical, Inc. of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, was named the 2026 Crab Trap winner.

Maureen L. Mulvihill, Ph.D., President, CEO, and Co-Founder, presented the company’s NeuralGlider® platform, a precision brain access and deep brain therapy delivery technology.

As the winner, Actuated Medical received $15,000 from VIPC and BioHealth Innovation, Inc., $10,000 in IT and cybersecurity services from Info Pathways, and $10,000 in CRO services from Noble Life Sciences.

Building a Thriving BioHealth Economy Through Investment Funding and Public-Private Partnerships

Moderator: Rich Bendis, President and CEO, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

Panelists:

  • Danny Chavez, Vice President of Business Development, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
  • Rebecca “Becky” Fisher, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Program Management, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
  • Sam Gussman-Toh, Small Business Program Portfolio Manager, ARPA-H
  • Tami Howie, Deputy Associate Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Matt McMahon, Director of SEED, National Institutes of Health

The final conversation brought together federal funding, economic development and commercialization perspectives to look at how companies can access resources, build partnerships, attract investment and grow within the region. The published program had originally listed Howie, McMahon, Smith and Gussman-Toh alongside Bendis as moderator.

Closing Remarks

Rich Bendis and Ron Piervincenzi, CEO of U.S. Pharmacopeia, closed the two-day Forum before attendees moved into the final networking reception and a live performance by the USP House Band, the Impurities!

Also in Attendance: The Next Generation of BioHealth Leaders

Also in attendance at the 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Forum was a group of students from the Georgetown University Biotechnology Program, representing the next generation of biotechnology and biohealth professionals.

The students bring diverse backgrounds, scientific curiosity, and a shared interest in innovation. Georgetown’s Biotechnology Program combines science, business, entrepreneurship and hands-on industry experience, preparing students to translate scientific advances into meaningful impact across biotechnology, healthcare and society.

Having students in the room alongside industry executives, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and public-sector leaders is an important part of building the future of the BioHealth Capital Region. We were glad to welcome the Georgetown group to this year’s Forum and give them an opportunity to connect directly with the people and organizations shaping the region today.

The Investment Conference Continues the Conversation

BioHealth Capital Region Week continued on September 17 with the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference, bringing companies, investors, and strategic partners together for a full day focused on introductions, conversations, and potential opportunities to work together.

The morning also marked the return of the Quick-Pitch Session in the U.S. Pharmacopeia Auditorium.

A total of 20 companies took the stage for seven-minute introductions, giving the audience a quick look at their technologies, businesses, and plans for growth. Each presentation was followed by a few questions from the crowd, providing an opportunity for companies to introduce themselves to a wider audience before conversations continued throughout the Investment Conference.

The Quick-Pitch Session complemented the day’s one-on-one meetings, giving investors and other attendees another way to discover companies, make connections, and identify follow-up opportunities.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

An event of this size does not happen without the organizations that choose to support it.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. is grateful to the more than 50 sponsors who helped make the 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Forum and BioHealth Capital Region Week possible.

Their support helps bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, executives, investors, government leaders, universities, economic development organizations, and ecosystem partners from across Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and beyond.

It also allows BHI to keep the BioHealth Capital Region Forum free for everyone to attend.

That accessibility is an important part of BioHealth Capital Region Week. Emerging companies, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, government leaders, and other members of the ecosystem can participate, build relationships, and be part of the conversation without a registration fee determining who gets to be in the room.

Thank you to every organization represented on this year’s sponsor graphic for investing in the region and helping make an event of this scale possible.

Sep 16 2026
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Actuated Medical Wins 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition

By News

Actuated Medical, Inc. of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, has been named the winner of the 2026 BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition, following a live pitch on September 16 during BioHealth Capital Region Week at U.S. Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland.

Maureen L. Mulvihill, Ph.D., President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Actuated Medical, presented the company’s NeuralGlider® platform, a precision brain access and deep brain therapy delivery technology designed to improve the placement of increasingly small and sophisticated neurological devices and therapies.

The company’s pitch focused on a growing challenge in neurotechnology. As brain therapies use smaller probes and cannulas, accurately reaching the intended target can become more difficult. Actuated Medical is developing NeuralGlider for applications including DBS and SEEG electrode placement, brain-computer interfaces, next-generation brain implants, and longer-term CNS biologics and gene therapy delivery.

Actuated Medical entered the competition with substantial technical and commercial progress already behind it, including more than $18 million in NIH SBIR and DARPA non-dilutive funding, 15 issued U.S. and international patents with additional patents pending, use in more than 41 global brain research labs, and more than $500,000 in early preclinical brain research sales.

As the 2026 Crab Trap winner, Actuated Medical received a prize package totaling $35,000 in cash and services:

  • $15,000 from VIPC and BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
  • $10,000 in IT and cybersecurity services from Info Pathways
  • $10,000 in CRO services from Noble Life Sciences

Actuated Medical was selected from a record 82 Crab Trap applications and a group of six finalists representing four U.S. states and France.

BioHealth Innovation also thanks the five other finalists who took the stage and shared their companies, technologies and commercialization plans:

  • Aidar Health, Columbia, Maryland, developer of MouthLab, an FDA-cleared handheld platform for rapid collection of multiple clinical-grade vital signs.
  • Cortexx Medical Intelligence, Paris, France, developer of AI-enabled clinical decision software for spine-surgery planning and patient selection.
  • Lisen Imprinting Diagnostics, Wilmington, Delaware, developing cancer diagnostics based on Loss of Imprinting biomarkers and artificial intelligence.
  • Liquet Medical, Glen Allen, Virginia, developer of the Versus Catheter for pulmonary embolism treatment with continuous pulmonary-artery pressure monitoring.
  • Phycin, Frederick, Maryland, developing engineered bFGF growth factors for bioprocessing, regenerative medicine, wound healing and tissue-repair applications.

The finalists presented before judges Matthew Miessau of Epidarex Capital, Brett Shealy of J.P. Morgan, Teddy Gresser of TEDCO, John Newby of Virginia Bio, Tien Wong of Opus8, Tai Mai of VIPC and Ethel Rubin of BioHealth Innovation. BioHealth Innovation President and CEO Rich Bendis served as moderator.

The competition evaluated companies across product and technical strategy, business strategy, leadership, financials and overall presentation. Each finalist had seven minutes to pitch followed by three minutes of questions from the judges.

Actuated Medical is now focused on moving NeuralGlider toward clinical use. Its presentation outlined a $10 million Series A to support clinical optimization, studies and FDA 510(k) activities, building on a platform the company says has already been developed and validated.

Aug 03 2026
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The Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Part of the 12th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week

By News

BioHealth Capital Region Week returns September 15–17, 2026, at US Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland, bringing together leaders from across industry, academia, government, investment, research institutions, economic development, and entrepreneurship.

This year’s theme, “Growing the BioHealth Capital Region of Tomorrow,” reflects a practical question facing the region: How do we turn our scientific assets, federal presence, talent, infrastructure, and industry base into more companies, stronger partnerships, greater investment, and sustained economic growth?

BHCR Week creates three distinct opportunities to take part in that work: the BioHealth Capital Region Forum, the Crab Trap Competition, and the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference. Each serves a different audience and purpose, but together they span the full path from ideas and research to company formation, commercialization, financing, and growth.

1. The region’s full biohealth ecosystem will be in one place

BHCR Week is one of the few events where executives, founders, researchers, investors, government leaders, economic development organizations, universities, health institutions, and professional service partners come together around the same regional agenda.

Each year, the event draws hundreds of attendees representing biotech, biopharma, medtech, digital health, academic and research institutions, investment organizations, government agencies, economic development groups, and companies that provide legal, financial, technical, real estate, consulting, and commercialization support.

That mix matters. Most companies do not grow through one relationship or one source of support. They need capital, talent, facilities, regulatory guidance, research partnerships, service providers, customers, and a network that can help them move from one milestone to the next.

BHCR Week gives attendees access to many of those relationships in one place. A founder can meet an investor, an economic development leader, a university partner, and a potential service provider during the same week. An established company can connect with emerging technologies, regional decision-makers, and potential collaborators. Investors can see both the companies seeking capital and the institutions helping create the next generation of opportunities.

2. The program is focused on the issues shaping the region’s next decade

The 2026 program looks beyond a single trend or industry challenge. It will examine the combination of technologies, resources, policies, and partnerships needed for the BioHealth Capital Region to continue growing.

The Forum will include conversations around AI and quantum applications in biohealth, commercialization, financing, economic development, infrastructure, manufacturing, standards, supply chains, workforce, dual-use technologies, company formation, and regional collaboration.

These subjects are connected. Companies need access to capital, but they also need the physical and digital infrastructure to operate. Research institutions need commercialization pathways and experienced leadership. Emerging technologies need practical use cases, trusted standards, and partners capable of moving them into the market. The region must also understand why companies choose to start, remain, expand, or relocate here.

The Forum is designed to bring those conversations together rather than treating them as separate issues. Attendees will hear from leaders who are working on these challenges from different perspectives and have opportunities to connect those ideas to their own organizations.

3. Three different events create three different ways to participate

BioHealth Capital Region Week is not a single-format conference. Its three events are designed for different stages of the innovation and company-growth process.

BioHealth Capital Region Forum

September 15–16, 2026

The Forum is the thought-leadership and regional-convening portion of BHCR Week. Across two days, attendees will hear keynotes, panel discussions, regional updates, and conversations focused on the future of the biohealth ecosystem.

The Forum is a strong fit for company leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, government agencies, economic development organizations, investors, professional service firms, and anyone working to strengthen the regional life sciences economy.

Attendees should register if they want to understand what is changing across the region, meet decision-makers from multiple sectors, discover potential partners, and take part in conversations about how the BioHealth Capital Region grows from here.

Registration is free thanks to sponsors, but advance registration is required:

https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026

Crab Trap Competition

September 16, 2026

The Crab Trap Competition gives emerging biohealth companies an opportunity to pitch live before investors, judges, industry leaders, and regional partners.

Selected finalists gain more than stage time. They receive visibility across the regional ecosystem, direct feedback, and opportunities to build relationships with people who may be able to support their next stage of development.

The current prize package includes $15,000 in cash and more than $20,000 in professional services, with additional prizes still being added. Those services can be especially valuable for early-stage companies that need specialized support but may not yet have the budget or internal capacity to secure it.

Companies working across biotech, medtech, diagnostics, digital health, AI-enabled health, and other areas of life sciences should apply if they are ready to raise their visibility, sharpen their story, connect with investors and partners, and compete for resources that can help them move forward.

Apply for the 2026 Crab Trap Competition here:

https://bit.ly/CrabTrap2026

BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference

September 17, 2026

The Investment Conference is a full day focused on connecting companies with capital, strategic partners, economic development leaders, and regional resources.

Emerging and growth-stage companies can meet investors and organizations that understand the life sciences development cycle. Investors can gain exposure to promising companies and technologies across biotech, biopharma, medtech, digital health, AI-enabled biohealth, and related fields.

The conference is also valuable for technology transfer leaders, accelerators, research institutions, service providers, and economic development organizations that help companies become more investable and connect with the resources needed to scale.

Companies should register if they are seeking funding, partnerships, strategic guidance, or greater visibility with the investment community. Investors should attend to identify new opportunities, meet company leaders, and gain a clearer view of the innovation pipeline emerging from the BioHealth Capital Region and beyond.

Investment Conference registration is separate from Forum registration:

https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026/investment-conference

Attendees interested in both events must complete both registrations.

4. BHCR Week is built to create connections that can lead to action

The value of BHCR Week is not limited to what happens on stage. Much of the event’s value comes from the conversations between sessions, introductions made through regional partners, and follow-up discussions that continue after the week ends.

For an early-stage company, one introduction could lead to a future investor conversation, pilot opportunity, service relationship, or research partnership. For an established company, the week can provide access to new technologies, talent, policy perspectives, and regional resources. For an investor, it offers a chance to meet both companies and the institutions supporting their development.

The three-event structure helps create those connections across different settings. The Forum establishes shared context around regional priorities. Crab Trap puts emerging companies and technologies in front of the community. The Investment Conference creates a more direct environment for conversations around capital, company readiness, and growth.

That combination makes BHCR Week more than an annual gathering. It is a platform for turning regional relationships into tangible opportunities.

5. BHCR Week is free to attend thanks to sponsors

Many major industry events come with registration fees that can limit who is able to participate. BHCR Week takes a different approach.

Sponsor support allows the Forum and Investment Conference to remain free to attend. That removes a financial barrier for entrepreneurs, researchers, students, emerging companies, investors, public-sector partners, and others who should be part of the conversation.

Free registration also strengthens the event itself. It creates room for a wider range of organizations, career levels, and perspectives. It allows smaller companies and institutions to participate alongside major corporations, government agencies, universities, and established investors.

Sponsors make that access possible while gaining visibility across the Forum, Crab Trap Competition, Investment Conference, and VIP Leadership Dinner. Their support helps create a stronger audience, more productive connections, and a more accessible platform for the region.

Be Part of BHCR Week 2026

The BioHealth Capital Region has the research, companies, institutions, talent, federal assets, and infrastructure to remain one of the country’s leading life sciences ecosystems. Continuing that momentum requires the right people to come together, understand what is changing, and build the partnerships needed for the next stage of growth.

Register for the BioHealth Capital Region Forum:

https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026

Register separately for the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference:

https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026/investment-conference

Apply for the Crab Trap Competition:

https://bit.ly/CrabTrap2026

Organizations can also support the week as sponsors. Sponsorship helps keep the Forum and Investment Conference free to attend while giving companies, institutions, and regional partners visibility across the full week. Sponsors are also invited to the VIP Leadership Dinner, which provides a more focused setting to connect with senior executives, investors, speakers, and regional leaders.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact:

Rich Bendis at rbendis@biohealthinnovation.org and Andy Eckert at aeckert@biohealthinnovation.org.

BioHealth Capital Region Week takes place September 15–17, 2026, at US Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland.

Jul 20 2026
Love0

Don’t Miss the Region’s Flagship BioHealth Event: Register Now for BHCR Week 2026

By News

Registration is open for the 12th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week, taking place September 15–17, 2026, at US Pharmacopeia (USP) in Rockville, Maryland.

BioHealth Capital Region Week brings together leaders from industry, academia, government, investment, economic development, research institutions, emerging companies, and regional partners for three days of programming focused on the future of the region’s biohealth ecosystem.

This year’s theme, “Growing the BioHealth Capital Region of Tomorrow,” reflects the need for stronger collaboration, commercialization, investment, infrastructure, and innovation as the region continues to build on its position as one of the nation’s leading biohealth clusters.

Attendees can register now for the BioHealth Capital Region Forum and the BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference, and emerging companies can also apply for the Crab Trap Competition, all through the event site:

Register and apply here: https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026

BioHealth Capital Region Forum: September 15–16

The BioHealth Capital Region Forum will feature two days of panels, keynote conversations, regional updates, networking, and ecosystem-building discussions.

The agenda is coming together with conversations focused on the issues shaping the next stage of growth for the region, including:

  • The BioHealth Capital Region’s national ranking and competitiveness
  • Regional standards, quality, regulatory science, and life sciences measurement leadership
  • Onshoring, domestic medicine production, and supply chain resiliency
  • Biotech company growth across the BioHealth Capital Region
  • Computational health, AI, data, and decision-making
  • Infrastructure, facilities, financing, construction, and demand
  • Quantum in biohealth and future computational capabilities
  • Universities and innovation districts as drivers of regional growth
  • Commercialization talent, fractional leadership, and company-building support
  • Market opportunities for breakthrough medical innovation
  • Public-private partnerships and investment funding to grow the biohealth economy

The Forum will also include networking breaks, receptions, and opportunities to connect with leaders from across Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and beyond.

Crab Trap Competition: September 16

The Crab Trap Competition returns as part of BioHealth Capital Region Week, giving emerging biohealth companies the opportunity to pitch live in front of investors, judges, industry leaders, and regional partners.

Crab Trap is designed for companies developing promising technologies across biotech, medtech, diagnostics, digital health, AI-enabled health, and other areas of life sciences innovation. Selected finalists will gain visibility, feedback, and connections that can help support their next stage of growth.

Companies interested in competing should apply now through the BHCR Week event site.

BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference: September 17

The BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference will take place on September 17 and is designed to connect companies with investors, strategic partners, economic development leaders, and regional resources.

Companies seeking capital, visibility, and strategic connections should register early and complete as much of their profile as possible. Strong profiles help support better engagement, better visibility, and more productive company-investor connections before and during the event.

Investors are also encouraged to register now to identify promising companies, review profiles, and participate in conversations around the next generation of biohealth opportunities.

Registration for the Investment Conference is separate from Forum registration.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

BioHealth Capital Region Week remains free to attend thanks to the support of our sponsors. That is one of the things that makes this event different from many other industry conferences. Sponsor support helps ensure entrepreneurs, researchers, students, companies, investors, public-sector partners, and regional leaders can participate without cost barriers.

Every dollar raised goes toward producing the event and supporting the programming, visibility, logistics, and convening power that make BHCR Week possible.

Thank you to this year’s current sponsors and partners:

Alexandria Real Estate Equities
BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BlackBird Labs
BrainBox, Inc.
Emmes
FNIH
George Mason University
George Washington University
Henry Jackson Foundation
Johns Hopkins University
Maryland Department of Commerce
Mirecule
Kelly Services
KPMG
Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC)
NIH Federal Credit Union (NIHFCU)
The NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT)
Noble Life Sciences
PIC MC
Precigen
PWC
Rose Li Associates
Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.
Scheer Partners
TEDCO
United Therapeutics
University of Maryland BioPark
University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing (UM-IHC)
US Pharmacopeia (USP)
Venable
VIPC
Virginia Bio
WellDoc
Women in Bio

Organizations interested in joining this group as sponsors are encouraged to contact BioHealth Innovation.

Sponsorship provides visibility across BioHealth Capital Region Week, including recognition through event materials, signage, the registration site, BHI communications, and onsite programming. Sponsors also gain access to the invite-only VIP Leadership Dinner, a smaller and more focused setting that brings together senior executives, investors, speakers, public-sector leaders, university partners, and key opinion leaders for high-value relationship building.

If you’re interested in joining your peers as a sponsor, email Rich Bendis at rbendis@biohealthinnovation.org AND Andy Eckert at aeckert@biohealthinnovation.org.

Register Now

BioHealth Capital Region Week is one of the region’s most important annual gatherings for biohealth leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and ecosystem partners.

Register now for the Forum and Investment Conference, and apply for the Crab Trap Competition here:

https://eventmobi.com/website/BHCR2026

Aug 18 2025
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Building Maryland’s BioHealth Future: Maryland Commerce’s Stefanie Trop on Growing the Life Sciences Sector

By BioTalk with Rich Bendis Podcast, News


In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Stefanie Trop, Ph.D., Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce joins the conversation to discuss Maryland’s position as a leading life sciences hub. Stefanie shares how the Department of Commerce supports company attraction and growth through programs like Global Gateway, and how it’s amplifying the state’s recent #3 biopharma hub ranking. The discussion also explores Maryland’s unique ecosystem, including the work of the Governor’s Life Sciences Advisory Board, the state’s leadership in computational health, and the importance of industry collaboration during BioHealth Capital Region Week.

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform:
Apple: https://apple.co/4oHp9Po
Spotify: https://bit.ly/4fEIooK
iHeart: https://ihr.fm/4fGY3UL
Amazon Podcasts: https://amzn.to/47Awvya
YouTube Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3V7rJAI

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.

Dr. Stefanie Trop brings a unique blend of hands-on scientific expertise and high-level strategic insight. With a Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, she has worked at the ground level in immunology, clinical trials, and vaccine development, while also driving growth through scientific partnerships and business development. Her deep understanding of the science and passion for problem solving guides her ability to build effective collaborations that advance both innovation and commercial success.

At the Maryland Department of Commerce, Stefanie works to connect Maryland’s life sciences companies with national and global resources, expanding the industry’s impact at home and globally. In current and prior roles, she bridges communication gaps between scientific and business teams, ensuring that customer needs translate into innovative products and business wins.

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