Let’s vote (again), Baltimore: Meet your 2024 Technical.ly Award nominees

Let’s get something out of the way: We know this timing is peculiar. You just finished voting, and are probably pretty grateful that’s over. But this is also important! 

If you’re reading this, Baltimore, it’s because you care about the people, companies, organizations and products that make this innovation scene hum — and it’s time to celebrate the best of the bunch in the annual Technical.ly Awards. 

In this spirit, we now ask you to vote for something you actually enjoy.

Our annual year-end honors go beyond our RealLISTs to let you recognize more of the hard work put in to build up our tech, startup and related communities.

Our categories this year expand the definition of “innovation,” incorporating social media creators, educators and support programs. We curated the following nominees from a mix of your own submissions, outside research and our prior coverage. 

Support the community you call home by casting your vote for this year’s Technical.ly Awards below. The deadline to vote is Nov. 18, and we’ll announce the winners by Thanksgiving!

Learn more about the nominees below.

Product of the Year

Think of this as the Sliced Bread Award: The technology product, service or upgrade from your area that had the most impact this year in society at large.

• EcoMap Technologies’ Pathways: Debuted during the company’s inaugural SuperConnect conference, Pathways takes the premise behind the startup’s tech — AI-enabled platforms to help entrepreneurs navigate resources — and expands it through algorithmic matching to offer personalized advice and data. 
• Balto UMD app: This Google Play app came about through collaboration between the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance-Jacob France Institute, the University of Maryland and the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance. While it was technically released last year, its continued deployment aims to engage Baltimore residents in community data collection around ever-relevant local transportation issues.
• Baltimore Economy Dashboard: Released by the public-private Baltimore Development Corporation and funded by Bloomberg Associates, this platform collects metropolitan area economic data every quarter and maps stats and trends about office occupancy, venture capital, job growth and more economic indicators. 
• Open Works’ solar-powered WiFi and charging station devices: After partnering with Central Baltimore Partnership to prototype similar tech last year, the makerspace and manufacturing nonprofit demoed the latest versions of these devices at Artscape this year. 

Educator of the Year

Who’s the Madam C.J. Walker of your community? The person, program or organization that made the greatest strides in helping people or companies in your area become more knowledgeable and aware. 

• Tarrin Morgan II: The Morgan State University alum returned to his alma mater to become the inaugural leader of its esports program. 
• Wendy Bolger: The founding director of Loyola University Maryland’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship continues to make a local impact through programs like the Baltipreneurs accelerator. 
• The Be. Org: The organizer of the high-profile Sneaker Ball benefit continues to organize STEM education programming, among other youth development offerings for kids in the city.  
• Colby Davis: A confluence of local organizations and government agencies’ digital equity priorities led to the creation of a digital literacy coordinator position at Greenmount West Community Center. Davis, the first person in that role, has coordinated esports, computer skills and other educational opportunities for the city’s youth. 

Program of the Year

What brought all the buzz this year? The activation or effort that was the most memorable, touched the most people or made the most difference in the local innovation community.

• Latimer House: As part of his ongoing aim toward equitable and robust supports for founders from marginalized communities, especially Black and Latino ones, Latimer Ventures’ Luke Cooper launched this so-called “mini-accelerator” to help startups reach their next stage.  
• CLLCTIVLY: The organization’s ongoing work to support Black leadership and other Black-led orgs throughout Baltimore led to the launch of the Drs. Elmer and Joanne Martin Social Impact Fellowship. This new six-month project with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy offers 18 leaders (including a few with tech priorities) $2,000 per month, among other concerted programming.  
• Scaling Deep: This collaboration between UpSurge Baltimore, Loam and Code City Strategies aims to help female, nonbinary and gender-expansive startup sector leaders grow their competencies through time in nature and programming that leans into vulnerability as a leadership quality.
• Baltimore Climate Tech Meetup: If meetups are the lifeblood of an innovation ecosystem, then this one, which celebrated its first birthday this year, opened doors for people working on climate- and energy-related topics to build new connections and explore sector-wide opportunities. 

Creator of the Year

The online creative who best represented your hometown by sharing original, informative or engaging content — on social media or elsewhere. 

• Dave Bittner, Maria Varmazis and Joe Carrigan: The hosts of “Hacking Humans,” one of several podcasts produced by N2K and CyberWire, aim to simplify cybersecurity by tying it to real stories of scams, fraud and other digital deception. 
• Krishna Sharma: The bespectacled and mustachioed face of the Baltimore Banner’s audience engagement editor will be familiar to anybody who’s used the news outlet’s Instagram or TikTok, where Sharma breaks down colleagues’ reporting on the region’s biggest stories into digestible soundbites.
• Stavros Halkias: Baltimore Ravens fans likely know this local comedy superstar as Ronnie, his team-endorsed character providing unhinged post-game rants and analyses in the thickest of Bawlmer accents all over social media. Beyond that, Stavvy is a podcast co-host and prolific stand-up comic making on-screen waves on Netflix’s “Tires.” 
• Aaron Dante: Baltimorean artists, civic leaders, corporate players and everyday citizens have been coming to Dante’s “No Pix After Dark” podcast for years to discuss their work and lives. The acclaimed podcast stepped further into Baltimore’s innovation scene this year with appearances from UpSurge CEO Kory Bailey, Latimer Ventures General Partner Luke Cooper and Slutty Vegan creator Pinky Cole.

Power Move of the Year

Making waves: The strategic move that made the most difference to the local region overall. 

• ETC Baltimore names new executive director: After over a year of transitions that included quietly replacing its longtime leader, shutting down its coworking space and launching a new strategic plan, one of the ecosystem’s oldest entrepreneurship support programs opened a new chapter by appointing Arti Santhanam to its top spot. The Baltimore Development Corporation initiative’s new leader previously led TEDCO’s Maryland Innovation Initiative, also a public-private effort to encourage the commercialization of academic research.
• Healthworx program rebrands: Biotech and life sciences reign supreme throughout Metro Baltimore tech. Early-stage founders pursuing solutions in this locally lucrative sector have the option of applying to the Healthworx Accelerator, the successor to CareFirst’s 1501 Health program that condenses the earlier iteration’s timeline from a year to three months. 
• Greater Baltimore Committee’s 10-year economic plan: This summer, the regional economic development agency and lead organizer of an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hub bid (more on that later) brought regional leaders to Sparrows Point — right near the site of the devastating Key Bridge collapse — to unveil its ambitious decade-long plan for the region’s vitality. The plan revolves around key pillars like equity-driven growth, collaboration across silos and a globally reaching brand.
• Moore-Miller admin beefs up digital services: Down in Annapolis, the state’s economic development-focused leadership kicked off 2024 with what Gov. Wes Moore called “a software update.” That included an executive order on artificial intelligence, a new digital service team, a digital accessibility policy and a cybersecurity partnership with the National Guard. 

Money Move of the Year

The financial transaction that made the biggest splash in the local innovation community.

• EDA Tech Hubs Phase II funding loss: Okay, this wasn’t a “win” in the traditional sense, but hear us out. This summer’s denial of a $70 million bid to supercharge regional tech, particularly around its precision medicine and biotech assets, didn’t destroy the coalition that put it together. Rather, it kept the partners’ model alive and in position to take advantage of any new funding the still-interested EDA, whose program leader visited Baltimore and spoke to bid leaders, might still provide. 
• Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act: The passing of EcoMap’s late and beloved cofounder last year led to various initiatives to honor her legacy, from her alma mater to the state legislature. This bill, one of two named after LaPere, set an unspecified amount of money aside for TEDCO to administer for the sake of supporting student entrepreneurs. $500,000 of that money has already funded a grant program between several local universities.  
• Facet’s $35 million raise: Though far from the biggest regional VC raise in 2024, the financial management tech firm’s chart-topper stood out not only for dominating the quarter, but also doing so in an infamously slow venture capital climate. 
• Midsummer Studios launches with $6 million: Baltimore’s abundance of life sciences, cybersecurity and government contracting companies overshadows its longtime video game development credo. Firaxis Games alums continued that legacy with the $6 million launch of Midsummer Studios, a new game studio developing a life simulation game similar to “The Sims,” in Hunt Valley this spring.