From: Isaiah Pittman, Market Research Intern at UpSurge Baltimore
It’s no secret that Baltimore has gained a reputation as a healthcare force-of-nature. This city is a champion for innovative tech advancements in the medical field, and recent events highlight just how dynamic and promising our local ecosystem truly is. Baltimore is making waves on the global stage and we’re here to celebrate some of the most exciting developments!
Baltimore’s MedTech community received a major boost from Johns Hopkins University’s recent grant from the Bidenadministration’s Cancer Moonshot program. JHU received a remarkable $20.9 million as part of a larger $150 million commitment to cancer research and development from the White House. This funding, allocated through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, supports groundbreaking efforts to enhance cancer detection and treatment. As Emad Boctor, Director of the Medical UltraSound Imaging and Intervention Collaboration Research Laboratory at JHU, noted, successful first surgeries with negative margins can significantly increase survival rates and quality of life for patients. Funding and initiatives like this show the world that Baltimore is a leader in transformative health technologies.
After a successful 3 cohort run of Techstars Equitech, Baltimore now welcomes the launch of theTechstars AI Health Baltimore accelerator! In partnership with Johns Hopkins University and CareFirst, Techstars is focusing on the possibilities of AI in HealthTech. This 13-week program designed for early-stage startups offers up to $120,000 in funding and mentorship. An accelerator like this can truly drive significant advancements to healthcare: leveraging AI to unlock new insights from unstructured data; promising substantial benefits for providers, payers, and patients alike; improving quality of life for everyone. It’s all happening here!
Another standout story was Emergent BioSolutions’ Camden site handoff to Taiwan-based Bora Pharmaceuticals, pushing Baltimore into the global scene. With industry leaders Joseph Papa and Bobby Sheng steering this transition, Baltimore is set to benefit from significant investments and job creation. This doesn’t just strengthen our city’s MedTech infrastructure. It affirms our region’s appeal as a prime destination for biotech development. Adding to the celebrations, David Fidler of Aphena Pharma Solutions and his Camden site team achieved a perfect FDA audit—an extraordinary accomplishment that showcases our commitment to excellence and positions Baltimore as a major tech hub and big player in biotechnology.
Come celebrate these recent wins in the MedTech world at Equitech Tuesday: MedTech Connect, from 6-8 PM at Guilford Hall Brewery tomorrow! Connect with the Baltimore tech community while meeting the best and the brightest in MedTech, including Fehmida Kapadia of Kapamed Consulting! Learn more about the MedTech Hub that she is building to develop a collaborative, inclusive and sustainable MedTech ecosystem in the DMV that accelerates innovation and fosters economic development. Whether you work in MedTech or just want to meet some amazing founders, come out for a night of networking and community building!
Also, join us August 28th at 5:30pm at the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s Industry Social Club! Help us welcome the EDA Tech Hubs team on their visit to Baltimore and learn more about our consortium’s plan for Phase 3.
See you there,
Market Research Intern