Thanks to a six-figure allocation from Maryland’s government, emerging entrepreneurs from public and private colleges will get money and exposure to take their startups to the next level.
Nine ventures from students at schools in and around Baltimore will each receive $50,000 as part of the first-ever Pava LaPere Innovation Awards. The non-dilutive award comes with mentorship, education and other opportunities through the Maryland Student Venture Core Advisory Board, a group of leaders from various university and entrepreneurship support organizations that developed this program.
The winners also get a chance to present their ventures before the ecosystem at the Maryland Student Venture Showcase, taking place Feb. 18 at the University of Maryland BioPark’s new 4MLK development.
Here are the winners, listed by company name, university affiliation and a brief description of their work:
- DegreeMap (Towson University), whose platform aims to help students and advisors collaborate on degree completion by managing and tracking necessary steps
- Elastic Energy (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), a developer of an alternative energy storage solution that draws from tree sap
- Fetal Therapy Technologies (Johns Hopkins University), a surgical device company developing tools and training systems to improve safety in fetal surgeries
- Luminova Beauty LLC (Loyola University), a skincare venture using science to develop affordable skincare products
- RhizeUp (Community College of Baltimore County), which engineers the rhizobia bacteria to protect waterways from fertilizer runoff and related agricultural pollution
- SneakerSyncLabs.com (Towson), whose platform streamlines and automates the process of launching a resell business
- Somnair (Johns Hopkins), which developed a neurostimulation device to treat obstructive sleep apnea without requiring invasive surgery
- Sustainabli (University of Maryland, Baltimore), which creates internet of things systems to enhance safety and energy efficiency in healthcare settings
- WholeSite (CCBC), an AI-based platform that helps businesses simplify the process for creating websites
The awards are named after the late CEO of Baltimore-based EcoMap Technologies who helped develop much of the entrepreneurship infrastructure at her alma mater, Johns Hopkins University. LaPere’s name was also used in the Pava LaPere Innovation Act, a piece of legislation enacted after her passing that set aside funding for student entrepreneurship. The award funds are administered by the state-founded investor TEDCO and ecosystem nonprofit UpSurge Baltimore, whose staffers serve on the advisory board.
The board and leading organizations worked with universities across the Baltimore area to establish this program and identify candidates for the awards.
“The Maryland Student Venture Showcase and Pava LaPere Innovation Awards are a testament to the incredible talent and innovation coming out of Maryland’s colleges and universities,” said TEDCO CEO Troy LeMaile-Stovall in an announcement. “We are excited to support these outstanding student entrepreneurs as they work to grow successful businesses.”
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