Baltimore daily roundup: A founder’s journey to the ‘Shark Tank’; tech and the Key Bridge collapse; Dali owner seeks $43.6M damages cap

Takeaways from a tragic infrastructural disaster

Baltimore-area experts in engineering, cybersecurity and automation offered insights into the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in the days after the March 26 incident. They emphasized the potential for technology to aid in disaster response and recovery. Topics they addressed included cybersecurity vulnerabilities, exploring innovation opportunities in infrastructure management and leveraging advanced engineering techniques for rebuilding and reinforcing infrastructure.

➡️ Find out more about tech in the Key Bridge collapse in editor Sameer Rao’s full report here.

Dawn Myers’ full-circle ‘Shark Tank’ moment

The CEO of Richualist’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2017 when she saw an episode of the popular ABC show featuring the Sleep Styler and realized its limitations for Black hair. This inspired her to create The Mint, an all-in-one styling device for textured hair, which won the 2023 Technical.ly Awards Invention of the Year.

She spoke about all of this, as well as the support she received from the Baltimore ecosystem, ahead of her “Shark Tank” episode airing this Friday, April 5.

➡️ Find out more about Myers’ path to the tank in my full report here.

News Incubator: What else to know today

• The owner of the ship involved in the Key Bridge collision is seeking to cap damages at $43.6 million in federal court. However, the total value of potential claims from victims and their families is expected to be much higher, potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. [Baltimore Business Journal]

• Despite President Biden’s emphasis on a manufacturing resurgence, approximately 39,000 jobs have been lost, undermining his efforts. Furthermore, these job losses have particularly impacted swing states crucial to Biden’s reelection campaign [Business Week]

• With a growing disenchantment toward pursuing higher education, trades such as plumbing and electrical work are gaining popularity among Gen Z. [Wall Street Journal]

• As part of a proposed class action settlement filed with a California federal court, Google has agreed to delete browsing data collected in Incognito mode. [The Verge]

• Learn more about the unspoken rules of eating crabs, a cherished tradition in Baltimore during the warmer months. [Baltimore Banner]

🗓️ On the Calendar