Emerging Technologies : Innovation + Job News

WebAdvantage.net, an Internet marketing and advertising agency based in Havre de Grace, has launched its new Social Media Roadmap product. The consulting service is designed to assist brand owners interested in creating effective social media strategies.

The Social Media Roadmap utilizes the organization's marketing goals to identify the best social media channels, tactics, and strategies for engaging the target audience, while providing built-in metrics for tracking, measuring, and analyzing the results. The service expands WebAdvantage.net's suite of Social Media Marketing services including Social Media Optimization and Blog Support used by Baltimore-area clients like K'NEX, Visit Baltimore, and Freedom Federal Credit Union.

"Our agency has been providing social media services to clients long before 'social media' was defined. Our new service addresses the growing market need for business guidance and best practices in creating and executing social media strategies," says Hollis Thomases, president of WebAdvantage.net.

Source: WebAdvantage.net
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The University of Maryland, College Park officially launched the new Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2) last week.

MC2 will promote education, research, and technology development in the emerging field of cybersecurity in partnership with government agencies and industry. The new center will adopt a "more than tech," interdisciplinary approach, capitalizing on College Park's close proximity to Washington, D.C. and key government agencies engaged in cybersecurity.

MC2 will bring together experts from engineering and computer science with colleagues from across the College Park campus in fields such as information sciences, business, public policy, social sciences, and economic policy to develop innovative new solutions to cybersecurity.

With the initiative, the university aims to stimulate public-private partnerships and address national vulnerabilities, including those facing industry. The idea is to help "connect the dots" in the region's burgeoning federal and private cyber sector.

"The nation's information systems have outgrown our ability to assure their security, and no one institution or sector can undertake a task of this magnitude alone," says Nariman Farvardin, interim president of the University of Maryland, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. "As one of the nation's top research universities, and with our strategic location, we are perfectly positioned to provide the education, expertise and collaboration that will help advance national and regional cybersecurity efforts."

Source: University of Maryland, College Park
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Fiberlight, a provider of fiber optic networks, has officially kicked off its latest project, a new $20 million, 104-mile network that will provide local businesses access to a secure, high-speed broadband network and a telecommunications infrastructure stretching into D.C. and Virginia. The new network will extend from downtown Baltimore to the communities of Laurel, Columbia, Elkridge, and Greenbelt and will connect to FiberLight's 299-mile Virginia and D.C. networks.

FiberLight President and COO Kevin Coyne, a Baltimore native, says Baltimore was selected because it is a hub for innovation. He wanted to show his support of his hometown by building a high capacity, 100 percent underground fiber optic network to serve as a high tech bridge to other cities and data centers in the region.

"We selected Baltimore as a primary market to invest our capital dollars, including more than $1 million in conduit, as a way to provide greater economic opportunity for all citizens and businesses in the Greater Baltimore region," Coyne continues. "In today's economy, cities must position themselves as being forward thinking, innovative and technology rich in order to secure new economic opportunities. FiberLight's high fiber count network future proofs Baltimore and its surrounding communities and offers secure connectivity to Washington, Virginia and beyond while reducing the overall cost of broadband solutions through a choice of providers for service delivery."

Source: FiberLight
Writer: Walaika Haskins

A partnership between the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Research Park Corporation will create a new incubator tailored to the specific challenge of developing technology to protect the nation from a growing range of cyber threats.

The Northrop Grumman Cync Program will build on bwtech@UMBC's successful business-incubation framework by offering a "scholarship program" for companies with the most promising cyber security ideas. Participants in the program will draw on UMBC's research expertise and Northrop Grumman resources to develop tools that will secure and protect the computer hardware, software, and networks vital to national defense.

The Cync Program will accept applications from high-potential, early-stage companies from across the country looking to commercialize and develop their technologies. The companies will collaborate in the Advantage Incubator at the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park in Baltimore.

"Northrop Grumman is excited to partner with bwtech on this important initiative," said Chris Valentino, Northrop Grumman cybersecurity director and technical fellow. "This technology is even more important as our reliance on cybersecurity increases, and collaborating with both academia and small businesses brings a breadth of technological expertise that goes beyond what any one entity is able to supply."

Ellen Hemmerly, executive director of the UMBC Research Park Corporation, which operates the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park, noted that the program is a perfect fit for a region with a strong information technology workforce and a growing array of businesses and governmental agencies working on cybersecurity.

"UMBC and Northrop Grumman share a culture of innovation," she said. "This program will build on UMBC's strength in information technology and its success nurturing new companies. Businesses started through this partnership will come from across the country, expanding the local business base and spurring economic growth in the region."

Applicants with the best ideas for technologies that will protect the country from cyber threats will be selected in a nation-wide search to join the Cync Program. Participating companies will be provided with office space, business support services and academic resources, including access to faculty and student employees.

Source: Univeristy of Maryland Baltimore County

Based on input from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers across Maryland and initial funding from AT&T, the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) announced plans last week to build the STEMnet Teachers Hub. The network will be a one-stop-shop for STEM teachers to find the resources, support, and professional connections they need to strengthen STEM teaching and learning statewide.

Phase One of the online tool, a joint project with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), will launch during the 2010-11 school year. The STEMnet Teachers Hub will feature three components identified by teachers as "most needed and favored," including a Resource Clearinghouse through which teachers will have online access to STEM curriculum, lesson plans, webinars, tutorials, classroom-ready experiments, and professional development; a System-Wide STEM Connections portal that will enable teachers to link with STEM educators across Maryland at all levels and with private-sector STEM professionals to share knowledge and resources; and the Specialists in the Classroom compenent that will offer teachers a roster of STEM practitioners from federal agencies, industry, and higher education who are available to visit their classrooms, augment curriculum-based learning, and inform and inspire students about real-world STEM work.

"Strengthening Maryland's STEM advantage means giving teachers all of the support they need to provide students with strong STEM knowledge and skills," says MBRT Executive Director June Streckfus. "It's a place where teachers can make connections and access resources. We think that as a result of that innovation will really flourish."

Plans for the network included in the state's "Race to the Top" application for federal education funding, received high marks, says Strecfus. A major contribution from AT&T as well as support from Citi, Northrop Grumman, IBM, and MSDE have made the creation of the network possible.

According to Streckfus, the concept for STEMnet originated with Gov. Martin O'Malley's STEM Task Force. In 2009, the Task Force offered seven recommendations for securing Maryland's future as a global leader in STEM-based education, research, and economic development. The final recommendation was to "create Maryland's STEM Innovation Network to make STEM resources available to all."

As a first step in making that network a reality, MBRT made creating a support hub for teachers its first priority. MBRT conducted focus groups and an online survey in spring 2010 to gain detailed input from STEM teachers throughout the state.

Based on the results of that market research, MBRT identified and then ranked 11 proposed initiatives to reflect the explicitly stated needs of Maryland STEM teachers. Phase One of STEMnet includes implementation of the three initiatives teachers identified as most important. "These initiatives represent the core imperative driving the first stage of Maryland's statewide STEM Innovation Network, the STEMnet Teachers Hub," says Streckfus.

Additional initiatives recommended by STEM teachers will be phased in over the next few years with support from stakeholders throughout Maryland whose shared interest in advancing STEM teaching and achievement will transform the state's ability to compete successfully on the international stage.

"We're starting with teachers, but it will support students and parents. Eventually, [one idea] is for it to support research in STEM across the state and to encourage people to enter that field. So we're looking at a major electronic system that will really promote STEM education in Maryland," she says.

Source: June Streckfus, MBRT
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Israel-based Alvarion, a global leader in the wireless broadband market, is moving its North American headquarters from California to Montgomery County. The move will create 25 new jobs by 2013. To assist the company with the relocation, the State and Montgomery County have agreed to provide $95,000 in conditional loans that are contingent on job creation at the new location, which is yet to be determined.

"We are excited to have Montgomery County, Maryland as the new location of our North American headquarters," says Eran Gorev, president and CEO of Alvarion. "Our world-class team of employees is our most important asset, and we look forward to taking advantage of all that this area has to offer a growing technology company like ours. We thank Congressman Chris Van Hollen, the State of Maryland, Montgomery County and the Maryland/Israel Development Center for their support in making this happen."

The Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC), a public-private partnership charged with creating jobs and promoting trade and investment in Maryland and in Israel, was instrumental in attracting Alvarion to Maryland. MIDC Executive Director Barry Bogage reached out to company officials to promote Maryland as a location for their U.S. headquarters and helped connect the company with economic development officials from the State and the County.

"Alvarion is considered one of Israel's high tech success stories," says Bogage. "Relocating their North American headquarters to Maryland is a strong statement to the Israeli high tech community that Maryland is the prime location in the U.S. for Israeli companies. Currently about 30 Israeli businesses have offices in Maryland including such leading names as Teva Pharmaceuticals, BioLineRX and Verint."

Source: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Ben Walsh, co-founder of the popular Innovate Baltimore technology-centric networking events, has launched Pure Bang Games, a social gaming development company.

Walsh, a veteran of two local gaming firms, Bethesda Softworks and Big Huge Games, has developed games both personally and professionally for over 15 years. He was responsible for producing multi-million dollar blockbuster console games, including AMF Bowling Pinbusters, Star Trek : Conquest (Winner of IGN's Game of the Month), Age of Empires 3: Asian Dynasties, and WET.

"I'm hoping that Pure Bang will become a catalyst for more gaming companies coming to the city. And as we continue to grow we'll definitely be reinvesting in our neighborhood and the city. I love Baltimore and want to see more creative tech companies get started. If I can help bring more young professionals to the city that is definitely a side benefit of being able to do what I already love -- create video games," Walsh says.

The new gaming firm, based in Highlandtown, will release its first game, My Pet Rock, on the Facebook gaming platform in December. The virtual pet game offers social gamers of all ages fun times as they adopt a pet rock. They can chose from a variety of shapes, then customize the rock's look and its garden home. According to Walsh, players will be able to interact with friends through rock battles or dating their friends' rocks which will eventually lead to a baby rock.

Players will be able to purchase items for their pet rocks using "game money" or more unique items and extra energy for between $.10 and $1.70. A new Halloween pack of costumes has been released enabling players to dress their pet rocks up as Frankenstein or Bride of Frankenstein, etc. Anyone interested in playing the game before it is released should "like" My Pet Rock, and send Walsh an email requesting an invite.

"We want our games to represent our sense of humor and our belief in quality. This is our first game and it will be the best game that we can make. I think a lot of people will enjoy it. They'll smile when they see it. Laugh when they play it. That's definitely success for me, seeing and hearing people enjoying our game," says Walsh.

Pure Bang is also working on a simple arcade game it expects to also release on Facebook by the end of the year. The company will also partner with less-tech savvy individuals who have an idea for a game but no programming experience.

The company is currently hiring for a variety of positions, including engineers, product managers, artists, and marketers.

Source: Ben Walsh, Pure Bang Games
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Energy Answers International, an Albany, NY-based company, is preparing to break ground on a planned renewable energy plant in Curtis Bay. The plant will be located on the "brownfield" site of the former FMC Corp., an agricultural chemical manufacturer. The 90-acre facility will include a 140 megawatt combined heat and power plant as well as an "Eco-Industrial Park." 

According to the company, the heating and electricity power plant is designed to provide wholesale energy to help meet regional demands, as well as reduced-price retail for co-residents of the industrial park, by burning shredded municipal waste, tire chips, auto parts, and woody debris. The plant has received all necessary municipal and state approvals.

Local environmentalists have expressed concerns about the site, however, arguing that it will increase air pollution and emit mercury and other potentially harmful toxins.

Energy Answers says there will be no solid waste, unprocessed waste, or hazardous materials used in the plant, and that all fuel will be delivered in enclosed vehicles. In addition to the generation of steam and electricity, the Fairfield facility will recover ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the combustion residue for recycling and produce Boiler AggregateTM for use in concrete products and other construction materials.

The facility will create up to 400 jobs during a planned three years of construction, set to begin in December, and at least 180 permanent green jobs when it begins operations in 2013.

Source: Energy Answers
Writer: Walaika Haskins

A team of scientists from Coppin State University's nanotechnology research center have created the most efficient solar energy cells in the world. Dr. Jamal Uddin, a Natural Sciences professor, and five undergraduate students have created model cells that are nearly four percent more efficient than solar cells developed by Spectrolab, a Boeing company based in California that had held the title for most efficient simulated cells since 2006.

Dr. Uddin's team made the discovery as it worked to develop a solar energy source for night vision goggles used by the U.S. Army. The goggles are currently powered by Lithium ion batteries, which are very heavy, says Dr. Uddin. The Army is seeking a lighter, longer lasting alternative battery.

The researchers used nanotechnology particles to make the new solar cells. So far, simulations have shown 43.4 percent of solar cells effective for reusable energy. Spectrolab's highest result was 40.7 percent. Dr. Uddin says his team utilized the metaphysics software COMSOL and the online software program PC1D to break the world record.

The team will continue to try and improve, says Dr. Uddin. "We hope to get it up to 50 percent by December. We'll try using different combinations of materials."

The team is currently seeking additional funding to begin fabricating the solar cells, which Dr. Uddin says could be used to power an array of electronic devices. The cells could also be used as the foundation for future technologies.

"I'm excited because this has been an unexpected discovery," he says.

Source: Dr. Jamal Uddin, Coppin State University
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP) has launched its statewide health information exchange (HIE). HIE is the infrastructure that supports the private and secure flow of health information among physician practices, hospitals, labs, radiology centers, and other healthcare institutions.

The information exchange is a major step towards the ubiquitous delivery of the right health information to the right place at the right time providing safer, more timely, efficient, patient-centered care. 

Healthcare organizations currently participating in the HIE include: Holy Cross Hospital, Suburban Hospital, Montgomery General Hospital, Community Radiology (a RadNet partner), Advanced Radiology (a RadNet partner), American Radiology Services, Quest Diagnostics, Laboratory Corporation of America. Several more organizations will connect in the next few weeks

All 48 Maryland hospitals have recently committed to sharing data with the statewide HIE. This commitment covers 11,175 in-patient beds, from Garrett County to the Eastern Shore.

"We at Holy Cross Hospital believe a statewide health information exchange can help make care safer and more efficient for Marylanders," says Kevin J. Sexton, president and CEO of Holy Cross Hospital. "We are delighted to join CRISP, state government and other healthcare providers in getting Maryland to this important milestone."

Other hospitals, physician practices, and clinics will be coming online before the end of the year, including many of the state's federally qualified health clinics, which predominantly serve Medicaid, uninsured and other underserved patients. CRISP will also be expanding the kinds of data the HIE is able to exchange as participation grows, from today's hospital discharge summaries, lab results and radiology results to medical documents that contain more complete medical information, sometimes referred to as continuity of care documents, or "CCDs."

This summer, Lt. Gov. Brown joined Gov. Martin O'Malley to convene a roundtable forum of industry leaders and experts, including medical system presidents, hospital CEOs, state officials and other stakeholders to discuss health care reform and innovation in Maryland. The governor has set a goal for the state to become a national leader in health information technology by 2010 by developing a safe and secure statewide HIE and promoting the adoption of electronic medical records among providers. Maryland is well on its way to achieving that goal.

"This is a major step in developing an electronic system that protects individual privacy while improving the quality of health care and controlling costs," says Lt. Gov. Brown. "Soon, every Marylander will be able to enjoy the benefits of having their critical medical information delivered with speed and accuracy to the point of care, avoiding medical mistakes especially in case of an emergency."

Source: CRISP
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Microsoft, the Redmond, WA-based tech giant, has added a Baltimore company to its long list acquisitions. The company announced last week that is has purchased AVIcode, a developer of of real-time, always-on application monitoring solutions, for an undisclosed amount.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft, AVIcode will use its monitoring technology to provide a 360-degree view of Microsoft's ever-expanding portfolio of cloud-based technologies. Micorosoft says it has been using AVIcode's solution in conjunction with its own System Center Operations Manager for years in its datacenters.

According to a Microsoft spokesperson, AVIcode will continue to be based in Baltimore.

"AVIcode will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft and will maintain AVIcode offices in Baltimore, MD, for now. We're excited about the caliber of employees at AVIcode and are working closely with AVIcode's management team to bring a number of AVIcode employees to Microsoft across most functions of the company," he says.

Source: Microsoft spokesperson.
Writer: Walaika haskins.

Hunt Valley-based Oculis Labs, a cyber security firm, and Tom Loveland, CEO of Mind Over Machines, were the big winners named at the Greater Baltimore Tech Council's (GBTC) TechNite last Thursday. In truth, though, it was the region's tech community as a whole that won. The annual event serves as a fundraiser for the GBTC while also shining the spotlight on some of the area's most innovative technology companies.

Oculis Labs, which took home top honors for the "Hottest Tech in Town," was selected from among 15 finalists. The first-time award was based equally on votes from the public and a panel of judges. Oculis edged out Direct Dimensions, a 3D imaging company, and Gloto, developer of a social media marketing platform, both of which had more votes from the public.

"The judges probably looked at it from a slightly different perspective than the community. These are VC and private equity folks, people who deal with ventures on a regular basis. The judging panel was pretty strict. The community vote was great. We had over 5,000 votes which really blew my mind for a first year competition," says Jennifer Gunner, GBTC's interim executive director.

"I was pleasantly surprised that we won. There are a lot of really good companies in Baltimore doing some really interesting things. It was a really nice surprise to be picked," says Bill Anderson, CEO of Oculis Labs.

Tom Loveland's role as Baltimore's "Google Czar" and the work he's done to help win the Google Fiber competition were only part of the reason he received the GBTC's Beta 2.0 award. Inaugurated in 2009, the award is presented to a person who has done the most to help expand the area's technology and business sectors. Loveland was selected from a group of five finalists that included Newt Fowler, a partner at Rosenberg, Martin, Greenberg LLP,  Christian Johansson, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development, Mike Subelsky, founder of Ignite Baltimore, and David Troy, president of Roundhouse Technologies.

"[Loveland's role as Google Czar] is one part of it, but it's also the fact that he's really been pushing things forward. From something as simple as pulling together everyone for a great barbecue at his house, to his work with the National Academy Foundation School, where he's trying to make sure that students have access to the STEM curriculum," Gunner says.

Loveland emphasizes that the projects he's involved in are group efforts and that he shares the award with the other finalists. And, of course, that none of this would be possible if there weren't smart, innovative people starting companies and working on cool technologies in the Baltimore area.

"What we really want to say is that it's not just about us. There are emerging leaders and we want to get them some recognition. All kinds of people are doing things. It's exciting. There's a lot of energy, a lot of programs that are getting people engaged," says Loveland.

The attention the event attracts for tech companies is significant, says Gunner.

"CSA Medical, Social Toaster, Direct Dimensions, and Juxtopia -- all of the companies are impressive. It was a really hard process to narrow it down. The most important thing that we did is to get their names and their products out into the marketplace," Gunner says.

Sources: Jennifer Gunner, GBTC; Bill Anderson, Oculis Labs; Tom Loveland, Mind Over Machines
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Profectus BioSciences, Inc., a technology-based vaccine company devoted to the treatment and prevention of chronic viral diseases, has received $6.25 million in grants and contracts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), including three Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants from the Division of AIDS, National Institutes of Health totaling $2.9M. These grants are focused on optimizing the Company's portfolio of genetic adjuvants.

Profectus BioSciences seeks to harness the immune system to treat and prevent viral diseases and cancers through the delivery of proprietary prime/boost vaccines.

"Along with IL-12, our portfolio of genetic adjuvants provides us with a toolbox of options to optimize our heterologous prime/boost vaccines. These awards provide significant validation to our scientific approach and accelerate our efforts to develop therapeutic vaccines against HCV, HPV, HSV, and HIV that will have significant clinical impact," says John Eldridge, chief science officer at Profectus BioSciences.

Profectus BioSciences also received $2.75M in continued contract support from the Division of AIDS to develop its recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (rVSV) platform as an HIV vaccine. VSV is a negative-strand, non-segmented RNA virus from the order Mononegavirales that has been redesigned to enable delivery of vaccine immunogens. VSV is a particularly attractive candidate for this purpose because its genome can potentially host more than one foreign gene and it contains its own Profectus BioSciences is utilizing this technology along with its pDNA platforms to develop effective therapeutic vaccines against HCV, HPV, HSV, as well as HIV.

This funding is in addition to the $4.4M in grants announced earlier this week to support the Company's HIV prophylactic vaccine program.

Source: Profectus BioSciences
Writer: Walaika Haskins

General Motors announced last week that it will invest $23.5 million for additional production of vehicle electrification components on the site of the Baltimore Transmission Plant, site of the first electric motor manufacturing facility in the U.S. to be operated by a major automaker.

The new investment will create 11 job openings to be filled in accordance with the UAW-GM National Agreement.

"This will allow us to strengthen our core electrification components expertise," says GM Manufacturing Manager Arvin Jones. "We'll have more to say about specific products later."

The investments in the White Marsh facility will be made with the assistance from the Recovery Act funding announced in August 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The newly announced investment is in addition to the $246 million investment announced in January to build a high-volume electric drive production facility for GM's next-generation rear-wheel drive Two-mode Hybrid system. The addition of electric motor production, to begin in 2013, will take place in a separate facility to be built on the same site as the Baltimore plant. The January investment will create about 200 jobs in three states, including Maryland.

Designing and manufacturing electric motors at Baltimore Transmission allows GM to more efficiently control the design, materials and production processes as well as reduce costs and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability.

Source: General Motors
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Oculis Labs, a cyber security firm based in Hunt Valley, MD, won the American Security Challenge Award for its Private Eye 3.0 software last week. The prestigious national contest offers security technology companies with market-ready products an opportunity to showcase them for an audience of government and corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists.

"It's an invitation only event with sponsors like Northrup Grumman and other big defense-related players. They chose us from among 150 applicants," says Bill Anderson, Oculis Labs CEO.

The company received a trophy to commemorate the win, however, the true prize is the chance to lure potential investors, partners and customers. According to Anderson, Oculis has received inquiries from a number of firms interested in possibly partnering with the company on future projects.

"What's nice about this one is it's the largest form of recognition we've gotten so far and it gets a lot of attention from potential government customers," Anderson says. "The event is all about bringing together companies with technologies useful for solving government security problems. It's one of those events that get us attention and its nice to get the recognition."

"The products we have look relevant and real, according to feedback from judges," he continues. "They want something they can use right now, not something that works only in someone's basement. They were also looking for something really powerful. There are many companies who are making different versions of the same thing. The judges were looking for companies solving problems that have been around for awhile, and that's what we're doing."

Source: Bill Anderson, Oculis Labs
Writer: Walaika Haskins