Baltimore weekly roundup: An exclusive Q&A with Gov. Moore; ecosystems’ in-person needs; more suits against Dali owner

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‘You have to be able to bet big on small’

Gov. Wes Moore, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, wasn’t shy in pointing out where Maryland needs to improve. For example, he said, the state has long focused on a few traditional industries  (“the eds, the feds and the meds”) and must now branch out to make the economy more vibrant. 

He’s also rallying behind founders. Entrepreneurs are the key players in innovation, he said. 

“While I understand the role of the large companies and large corporations, I would rather bet big on small,” he told Technical.ly in an exclusive new interview. 

➡️ Read the full conversation with Moore here

Robust tech ecosystems thrive IRL

After resurfacing last year, Baltimore Tech Meetup has offered a space for technologists to network and learn from one another, data and tech professional Gregory Johnson writes.

He recently attended an “Introduction to Figma” class at one of the group’s meetups and saw first-hand the benefits of in-person connection.
 
➡️ Get the details about the meetup in Johnson’s guest post here

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News Incubator: What else to know

• The FBI just raided the government IT contractor Carahsoft’s offices in Reston. According to court records filed in Baltimore, the DOJ has been looking into if Carahsoft conspired with the German software firm SAP to fix prices. [Newsweek]

• Baltimore’s Constellation Energy will lead Microsoft’s effort to restart the nuclear plants on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. [Technical.ly]

• Maryland officials are looking to nuclear to fulfill clean energy mandates. Part of that push comes alongside talks to develop more data centers, known to guzzle energy, in the state. [Maryland Matters/Technical.ly]

•  The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, host of events like Artscape, is reportedly insolvent. Its CEO is asking for a bailout from the city. While Baltimore will keep giving the organization cash to fulfill a previous contract, the city is now ordering its own audit of BOPA. [Baltimore Banner]

•  Baltimore County is suing the owner of the cargo vessel that collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. Its suit follows similar ones from the State of Maryland and DOJ. [Baltimore Sun/NPR]

• Six companies also filed a class action lawsuit against the Singaporean manager and operator of the Dali, including Baltimore-based American Publishing LLC and the California trucking company Captain C Logistics. [Baltimore Biz Journal]

•  Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures has raised more than $4 billion in venture funding and has helped launch more than 150 startups. With programs like the Social Innovation Lab, JHTV remains one of the main drivers behind the tech scene in Baltimore. [Fast Company]

• The University of Maryland Medical System is integrating a new program for billing. Gallion was developed by the system’s innovation center, iHarbor. [UMMS]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Oct. 2: Meet and network with fellow technologists at the CharmCityJS monthly meetup. [Details here]

• Oct. 19: Attend Baltimore Code & Coffee’s first symposium about AI. [Details here]