Founders

Welcome to Baltimore

We’re mobilizing Baltimore to help you succeed. Ready to grow?!

We’re here for you.

> Capital
> Customers
> Connections
> Coaching
> Completely free
Capital

We help startups identify potential sources of capital from pitch competitions to targeted investor list.

Customers

Baltimore is rich with institutions that purchase products from startups, from consumer goods to SAAS to hard tech.

Connections

UpSurge’s local and national networks pick up the phone for our founders.

Coaching

We’ve got a roster of local experts and entrepreneurs who are ready to provide advice and a sounding board.

Completely free

The commitment to providing free services to every founder is part of our Equitech mission.

We know what it takes to launch and scale.

And Baltimore has it.

UpSurge is propelling Baltimore into the top tier of innovation cities by building an engine to start, support, scale and celebrate high-impact startups.

Founders sit at the heart of our work.

Whether mobilizing assets to foster startup advancement at scale or motivating corporate partners to pilot local companies’ innovative tech, UpSurge rallies Baltimore to meet founders’ needs and interests.

Introducing UpRise

UpRise, our startup advancement strategy, connects startup leaders, investors, corporates, experienced founders, and ecosystem partners.

Let's Go
Build with Us

Resources for Founders

Our Build in Baltimore Guide

highlights resources and incentives available to Charm City’s startup founders.

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BMore Tech Connect

provides an online channel for key stakeholders to tap into the local tech ecosystem.

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Startup Strategy Sessions

provide founders direct feedback from investors about fundraising, customer acquisition and market dynamics.

UpRise Masterclass

sessions open to all current and aspiring founders to learn from and meet experienced founders and industry leaders

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Equitech Tuesdays

is a welcoming weekly gathering to meet the people lighting up Baltimore’s innovation economy.

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Our UpShot newsletter

delivers every-other-week insights on what’s happening in and around Baltimore tech. Sign up to stay in the know.

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Founder Testimonials

Until UpSurge, I was forced to go outside Baltimore for … funding, customers and talent. … UpSurge is a long overdue movement that will finally bring the support founders need to start, grow and stay in Baltimore.

Kristen Valdes
CEO

Our vision is really to create a world where good software powers things that matter … Baltimore is very much part of our story. Fearless wouldn’t be Fearless had we not been located here.

Delali
Delali Dzirasa
CEO

When investors and entrepreneurs see a critical mass of companies in Maryland and in Baltimore raising significant dollar amounts, they realize this is an ecosystem where they can build, hire great talent and raise the money they want.

Christy Wyskiel
Exec. Director

Why Baltimore, Maryland? We want to be in the best place to grow, hire, and drive our vision as a company founded to solve the boring data problems that enable data teams to drive world-class operations.

Gregory Johnson
Gregory Johnson
Co-Founder

UpSurge in our community has truly been this missing key in bridging brilliant entrepreneurs with the beautiful and robust resources that the city of Baltimore has always had to offer.

Ellington West
Co-Founder (Sonavi Labs)

UpSurge has been our vital bridge to Baltimore’s tech ecosystem. …Every new relationship formed through UpSurge has impact and purpose, which have caused the growth of our business.

Alexander Miles
Founder & CEO at Breakthru

UpSurge has been an incredible network partner and has made my company and I feel welcomed and supported in Baltimore as we navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship!

Rebecca Rosenberg
CEO & Founder @ ReBokeh

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ETC's Pioneer Baltimore is accepting application