Baltimore weekly roundup: RealLIST Connectors; podcasts of note; new opportunities for federal workers

Welcome to the roundup of the latest from Baltimore's tech and entrepreneurship scene. Want this in your inbox? Subscribe for free.

This week, Technical.ly announced the 20 latest ecosystem members deemed RealLIST Connectors. Also, check out a slew of local podcasts that embrace the role of storytelling for innovation scenes.

Scroll down for more news from throughout Baltimore.

📰 News Incubator: What to know

• Check out insights on higher education stats, shared concerns and more details from our RealLIST Connectors lists across Technical.ly’s ecosystems. [Technical.ly]

• LifeBridge Health finished a $61.6 million redo of Grace Medical Center after five years of work. [Baltimore Business Journal]

• Most US regions lack a strong institutional venture capital scene, but air travel (especially direct flights) helps connect entrepreneurs across ecosystems to cash. [Technical.ly]

• Local and state officials in Maryland are finding ways to get former feds connected to jobs, from the public sector to high-growth private industries like quantum, cyber and life sciences. Also, Maryland is continuing to join lawsuits against the Trump administration, including ones focused on mass layoffs at the federal level. [Baltimore Banner/Maryland Matters]

• Local company (and 2024 RealLIST Startup) Storytime AI is a semifinalist in the 2025 Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition, a contest for education entrepreneurs. [Storytime AI/Technical.ly].  

• Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott hosted a town hall on Tuesday for comments about the upcoming budget as the city faces an $85 million deficit. [WJZ]

• Remington residents are critiquing BGE’s plan to install an overhead transmission line because of how it could affect the city’s skyline. [WYPR]

• Attendees compared the Million Lives Book Festival to the Fyre Festival over poor planning and broken promises. [NBC]

• A food hall in West Baltimore is now open with seven local vendors. [Baltimore Beat]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Partner event: Hacks/Hackers is hosting a summit May 7 to 8 for journalists and technologists to learn how AI can enhance news sharing. [Details here]

• For teens and young adults: Learn all about advanced manufacturing and explore career paths on May 10. [Details here]

• Celebrate the National Science Foundation’s 75th anniversary on May 10 at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. [Details here]

• Network with technologists and entrepreneurs on May 13 at the 200th Equitech Tuesday.  [Details here]

• Attend a debate about the AI race and chip controls between the US and China on May 14 at Johns Hopkins University. [Details here]

• Have brunch and listen to lightning talks with Baltimore Climate Tech Meetup on May 17.  [Details here]

• The annual National Economic Mobility and Opportunity Conference takes place May 21-23. [Details here]

• Watch demos from local technologists on May 24 at the next Baltimore Code and Coffee. [Details here]