This story was made possible through support from TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, which enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at tedcomd.com. All stories are independently reported, with no partner review.
A Southern Maryland county and a local tech firm are working to improve rural health access.
St. Mary’s County landed a $3.5 million state grant to expand its digital health platform with support from WellCheck, a Monkton-based startup.
There’s big news in other rural parts of the state, too. Frederick County leadership rejected a proposed $110 million benefits package from a data center developer.
Plus, a Montgomery County cleantech company landed some new cash and more money moves.
$3.5M for rural health in St. Mary’s County
The Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program awarded St. Mary’s County $3.5 million to help scale its use of digital referral system WellCheck created four years ago.
Initially designed to replace paper tracking at the health department’s hub in Lexington Park, the platform lets caseworkers monitor whether residents receive necessary services.
The new grant will expand the software beyond the initial region to cover all of St. Mary’s County. It will also add new partner organizations to the network, including the local YMCA, emergency medical services and the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, where officials plan to connect formerly incarcerated residents with care upon re-entry.
“It’s really about pulling the community together to give them access to the social determinants of health,” WellCheck CEO Chris Nickerson told Technical.ly, “and get them connected to services faster.”
Beyond software expansion, the grant will also fund new care coordinator positions at local clinics and support digital literacy training for residents navigating the system.
Frederick data center moratorium extended after $110M CBA
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater rejected a proposed $110 million community benefits agreement with Catellus Real Estate Development, the developer behind the Quantum Frederick data center campus.
Citing public backlash, Fitzwater also announced an extension of the county’s moratorium on new data center development through July 2027.
Under the proposed agreement, Catellus offered a bundle of local funding promises in exchange for a freeze on county zoning laws applying to its properties. The developer’s package included:
- $30 million to renovate a local elementary school;
- $14.5 million to establish a workforce training center;
- $10 million for youth recreation facilities; and
- A nature reserve surrounding the property (a commitment Catellus previously declined to confirm to Technical.ly in June).
However, community members strongly opposed the deal during a public comment period.
Commenters raised concerns that locking in current zoning rules could shield the campus from future local oversight.
“I will never sign an agreement that undermines our ability to protect our community and hold data centers accountable,” Fitzwater said in a video announcement.
A nearly $2M seed round for Arculus
Bethesda-based cleantech startup Arculus raised $1.95 million in seed funding, according to Montgomery County Economic Development.
The company makes coatings designed to protect pipeline infrastructure against degradation. With its technology, Arculus aims to repurpose existing pipelines for natural gas transportation and support blending hydrogen with natural gas to deliver cleaner energy.
When hydrogen is burned, it releases water vapor rather than carbon dioxide, helping cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.
Arculus did not respond to a request for comment on how it plans to use the funding.
More money moves:
- TEDCO awarded $750,000 to Baltimore-based Astek Diagnostics as it gears up for clinical trials.
- The Maryland Congressional delegation announced $48 million in federal funding to support ADA accessibility upgrades at the Metropolitan Grove and Martin State Airport MARC train stations.
- Baltimore-based BC3 Technologies will start selling its wound spray at 77 military service bases, marking its first expansion into retail.
- Columbia-based Unlock, a 2026 RealLIST Startup, landed $200,000 from TEDCO’s Social Impact Fund.
- Trayverify, a Baltimore-based hospital meal tray verification system, raised $550,000, according to an SEC filing.
- Aircraft manufacturer HopFlyt nabbed $500,000 from TEDCO’s Venture Fund.
- Baltimore-based video streaming company Treseder AI secured $440,000, according to an SEC filing.
- Micropore, an Elkton-based plastic manufacturing company, bagged $750,000, according to an SEC filing.
