1776 is opening an incubator location in North Bethesda this winter

After announcing the shuttering of its Crystal City office and the return of its D.C. location this year, 1776 is expanding into a new state.

The prominent D.C.-based incubator network is partnering with the Greencourt Innovation Center (GIC) in North Bethesda to open its first Maryland campus this winter.

https://twitter.com/1776/status/1151114277970952192

Located at 12358 Parklawn Drive, GIC has more than 100,000 square feet of space in the North Bethesda Warehouse District. GIC is a collaborative and open workplace environment designed to foster innovation in tech, a press release states. The two companies are partnering to create a 15,000 square-foot incubator campus within GIC.

“1776 is thrilled to partner with Greencourt Innovation Center to create a new platform for business growth fueled by entrepreneurial energy and collaborative impact with corporations and institutions. Montgomery County’s aspirational innovators will have full access to 1776 multiple work and meeting spaces, growth-focused services, programming and online resources.” 1776 CIO Shelton Mercer said in a statement.

Outside of 1776 members having full access to the incubator space, they will also gain access to GIC’s three-story atrium, training rooms and fitness center, 1776 Senior Director of Strategy Lucas McCanna told Technical.ly. GIC is fully constructed and open, but McCanna said the 1776 section is being built out now.

“Greencourt owners Matthew Chervenak and Stephany Yu heard of our success with [Philly-based] Pennovation Center and reached out in 2017,” McCanna told Technical.ly when asked how this partnership came to fruition. “1776’s Shelton Mercer negotiated a multi-year agreement for 1776 @ GIC. He and Jerre Riggs have been working with the Greencourt team since 2018 on growth strategy and space design.”

Riggs is 1776’s chief real estate officer, who leads the incubator’s expansion strategy.

The incubator network said in the news release that it’s actively looking for partnerships with Montgomery County, local venture capital opportunities — specifically for life sciences, cybersecurity, hospitality and emerging tech companies — government agencies and Maryland global corporations.

“The Greater Washington area has been a center for innovation along the Northeast corridor. Now Montgomery County’s focus on innovation and Greencourt’s vision for an innovation center will together bolster the resources and connectivity of the Greater Washington area. We look forward to working with Greencourt and expanding the reach of Maryland startups,” Jenn Maher, 1776 CEO, said in a statement.

McCanna said that 1776 plans to hire a full-time managing director, campus manager, plus several part-time employees to work out of its GIC location.