DC daily roundup: Maryland Tech Council award noms; an MLB legend’s youth STEM mission; Google’s DOJ payment

Meet some Maryland tech ICONs

The Maryland Tech Council’s annual awards ceremony, which takes place Thursday in North Bethesda, will celebrate executives and companies from the state’s main tech sectors. The trade group’s 41 nominees largely hail from the state’s main population centers of Baltimore, Columbia, the DC suburbs and Frederick. This year’s awards also features a special category, named after late EcoMap Technologies CEO Pava LaPere.

“Each year the ICON Awards recognize the companies and leaders that are taking excellence to a new level,” said Kelly Schulz, the Maryland Tech Council’s CEO. “This year’s awards ceremony will have added significance as we remember and honor the memory of Pava LaPere, who embodied the very best that Maryland’s technology community has to offer.”

➡️ Get the details in editor Sameer Rao’s latest report here.

Cal Ripken Jr.’s drive to build STEM centers

The MLB Hall of Famer and self-described “math kid” writes that science and tech education are key to the success of future generations.

Ripken and his family founded the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in 2001 to honor his late father. The foundation creates youth programming across disciplines, including a growing focus on STEM centers for elementary and middle schoolers. These places let kids explore science, technology, engineering and math in a fun, structured way. There are more than 500 of these centers across 23 states and 22 district-wide public school systems.

“It’s a true team effort, and not merely a gift or a ribbon-cutting,” Ripken wrote. “We make sure these tools are working to educate the next generation of STEM learners and impact the lives of at-risk youth for the better.”

➡️ Read more in his guest essay here.

News Incubator: What else to know today

• DC is one of the top freelance hubs in the country, according to a new report. The highest earners are in technical industries. [Axios]

• UrbanStems, a flower delivery startup in DC, has hired a new CEO. [Washington Biz Journal]

• The founder of the DC-based nonprofit Mission: Launch is hosting a new podcast. “Come Home Ready,” created by Securus Technologies, chronicles incarcerated individuals’ journey in reentering communities. [Securus Technologies]

• Google cut a check of an unknown amount to the Justice Department, attempting to avoid a jury trial for a case filed last year alleging the Big Tech giant was oppressing competition for advertising tech. [Reuters]

🗓️ On the Calendar