More than 100 startups from more than 60 countries applied. Only nine will make it to Baltimore to present their solutions to a panel of corporate partners in front of a live audience.
April 4, 3 - 7:00 pm
JHU Carey Business School - 100 International Drive, Baltimore, MD
$145 (Free for WTCI members)
Maryland’s thriving food sector is embracing collaboration and innovation to lead. The inaugural Startup Pitch Event for the Maryland Innovation Lab will feature nine disruptive startups competing for a spot in a 10-week corporate accelerator with one of three Maryland-based companies, Pompeian, Sodexo, SIMPLi - to refine their innovative solutions to pressing business challenges.
About the Maryland Innovation Lab
The Lab is a public-private corporate innovation accelerator
run by a partnership between UK-based L Marks, the World Trade Center Institute, and the Maryland Department of Commerce.
About Pitch Day
Join us on the 24th floor of the JHU Carey School of Business for a high-energy, competitive Pitch Event, with startup pitches and live Q&A from our corporate judging
panel.
In addition to hearing the pitches, you will have the chance to meet the participants, corporate innovation teams from Sodexo, Pompeian, and Simpli, and special invited guests.
Pitch Day Agenda
3:00 pm - Welcome Remarks
3:30 pm - Pitch Competition
4:30 pm - Intermission
4:45 pm - Pitch Competition Continue 5:45 pm - Audience Poll Results and Closing 6:00 pm - Reception Begins
Who Should Attend
Innovators, venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, economic development officials, and anyone interested in how corporate innovation can enhance our economy.
CEO
Chesapeake Sun
Senior Director, Innovation Partnerships - NORAM
Sodexo
Vice President Finance & Operations
Ciena Communications, Inc.
Director of Innovation
Pompeian
Senior Director of Public Policy & Social Impact
Bowery Farming
Deputy Secretary
Maryland Department of Commerce
Founder
Keffa Coffee
Samuel Demise was born and raised in a small town in Ethiopia. As a child, he learned about the coffee industry from his father, a longtime coffee industry professional. Samuel has competed in the United States Coffee Cup Tasters Championship. He placed 3rd in 2017 and 2015 and 2nd in 2013 and 2011. He is a licensed Q-grader and an assistant Q-instructor for the coffee industry. He launched Keffa Coffee, named for the province where he grew up, in 2006 after noticing a dearth of Ethiopian coffee imports in the U.S. Now, Keffa Coffee is a $10 million-a-year business that is expanding approximately10% annually. Samuel is a recipient of the 2022 Maryland International Business Leadership Award.
CEO
TEDCO
Co-Founder
SIMPLi
April 2, 6-8pm | Guilford Hall Brewery
Building on the vision of an equitech city, Upsurge Baltimore along with co-host WTCI invites you to celebrate global diversity at Equitech Tuesday. Help us welcome the nine global startups who are coming to Baltimore as part of the Maryland Innovation Lab's Bootcamp week. Get bootcamp week started right - by enjoying some local beers with the leaders of our region's innovation ecosystem.
This event is free and open to all.
