Maryland Student Ventures
The MD Student Venture Showcase & Pava LaPere Innovation Awards is an event/program funded by the Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act of 2024 to provide grants to technology-based start-up companies founded by students from institutions located in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson MSA.
The 2025-2026 MD Student Venture Showcase is scheduled for February 19, 2026 at 4MLK. Registration opens soon.
Submit Your Venture for Consideration
Nominations are now closed for the 2025-2026 cycle.
Read more about eligibility requirements, selection timeline, and check out the FAQ’s for more information.
A Look Back
February 18, 2025
Location: 4MLK, 4 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21202
Speakers:
- Abi Kulshreshtha, Executive Director, Maryland Innovation Initiative, TEDCO
- Francesca Ioffreda, Chief Innovation Officer, State of Maryland, Office of Governor Wes Moore
- Frank LaPere
- Markus Proctor, Executive Director, Innovators of Progress
2025 Pava LaPere Innovation Awardees
DegreeMap
Institution: Towson University
Founders: Andres Londono & Matthew Dibbern
Drio, LLC
Institution: Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
Founder: Rachel McFadden & Hazel Geary
Elastic Energy
Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Founders: Samuel Bendek & Juliana Bendek
Fetal Therapy Technologies
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Founder: Selena Shirkin
Luminova Beauty
Institution: Loyola University
Founder: Charles Engler
SneakerSync Labs
Institution: Towson University
Founder: Hermes Bunch
Somnair
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Founder: Anders Sideris & Mitch Turley
Sustainabli
Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
Founder: Kevin Tu
Eligible Institutions and Steering Committee Representatives
- Anne Arundel Community College, Stephanie Goldenberg, slgoldenberg@aacc.edu
- Baltimore City Community College, Quintin Davis, qdavis@bccc.edu
- Carroll Community College, Amy Yingling, ayingling@carrollcc.edu
- Community College of Baltimore County, Dennis Sullivan, dsullivan2@ccbcmd.edu
- Coppin State University, Ron Williams, coppinallbusiness@coppin.edu
- Goucher College, Maureen Malomba, maureen.malomba@goucher.edu
- Harford Community College, Marc Minnick, mminnick@harford.edu
- Howard Community College, Helen Rose, hrose@howardcc.ed
- Johns Hopkins University, Josh Ambrose, JoshAmbrose@jhu.edu
- Loyola University Maryland, Wendy Bolger, webolger@loyola.edu
- Maryland Institute College of Art
- McDaniel College, Kathleen Pratt, kpratt@mcdaniel.edu
- Morgan State University, Danae Stewart, danae.stewart@morgan.edu
- Notre Dame of Maryland University
- St. John’s College, Jaime Dunn, Jaime.Dunn@sjc.edu
- Stevenson University, Dr. Zamira Simkins, zsimkins@stevenson.edu
- Towson University, Lauren Jan, ljan@towson.edu
- University of Baltimore, Henry Mortimer, hmortimer@ubalt.edu
- University of Maryland, Baltimore, Taylor DeBoer, taylor.deboer@umaryland.edu
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Kevin Fulmer, kevinf@umbc.edu
- If your institution does not have a representative, please contact robbinl@gbc.org.
Core Advisory Board
- Josh Ambrose – Director, The Pava Center, Johns Hopkins University
- Markus Proctor – Executive Director, Innovators of Progress
- Lindsay Ryan – Executive Director of Economic Development, University System of Maryland
- Wendy Bolger – Founding Director, Simon Center for Entrepreneurship, Loyola University
- Graham Dodge – Vice President of Venture Development, TEDCO
- Margaret Roth Falzon – Principal, Squadra Ventures
- Robbin Lee – Director of Partnerships & Mobilization, UpSurge Baltimore
- Dr. Tammira Lucas – Venture Growth Advisor, TEDCO / Professor, Coppin State University
- Onyema Osuagwu – Associate Professor, Morgan State University