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The 2010 State Bioscience Initiatives Report confirms signs that the U.S Bioscience Industry will continue to grow in the upcoming years. Click the below link to read the full report and/or individual state reports.
CSO Breakfast Club (csobreakfastclub.com) is pleased to announce a partnership with the Greater Baltimore Technology Council (gbtechcouncil.org) and the UMBC Center for Cyber Security Training (umbctrainingcenters.com) to hold a lunchtime Cyber-Threat Security Briefing beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday April 13, 2010 at the UMBC Training Centers in Baltimore, Maryland.
The event will feature an hour-long briefing by US Federal Officials on the current state of cyber-threats to US businesses and critical infrastructure, followed by a luncheon. Reports from the Federal Government and data security industry experts have shown that foreign government-sponsored attacks against US computer systems have increased significantly.
The briefing will be presented to CSO Breakfast Club members, who are information security executives from prominent Fortune® 1000 companies, large universities, large healthcare systems and other organizations in the north eastern US, and to GBTC member companies and other interested information security professionals. It will be simulcast over the web so that it is available to anyone interested in the topic.
CSO Breakfast Club Founder and CEO Bill Sieglein is excited to be leading this important event. “With Maryland’s focus on cyber security and our club’s members’ active interest in this topic, the briefing is a timely and important step in helping commercial organizations understand the implications of current and potential threats to their critical information.” The CSO Breakfast Club members are responsible for protecting their organizations’ vital information assets as well as the Nation’s critical infrastructure against these cyber threats. The CSO Breakfast Club represents an important link between Maryland’s cyber initiative and the private sector.
Greater Baltimore Technology Council Executive Director Steve Kozak sees direct relevance to his members. “The threat briefing will provide our members a valuable perspective on this critical topic as they continue to develop and use products and services to counter the many threats to our governmental and private assets.” GBTC represents more than 300 companies focused on technology development in the greater Baltimore area.
Vice President of UMBC Training Centers Kent Malwitz is pleased to host the event. “Partnering with CSO Breakfast Club and GBTC on this important briefing fits perfectly into our focus on leading cyber security education in the mid-Atlantic area.” Building on UMBC’s designation as a National Center of Excellence in Information Security and Assurance, UMBC Training Centers delivers high quality non-credit Information Security training programs to develop new skills and prepare for valuable industry and professional certifications.
For more information, contact Tim Satterfield, CSO Breakfast Club (tim@csobreakfastclub.com), Jennifer Gunner at Greater Baltimore Technology Council (jenniferg@gbtechcouncil.org), Christina Wiegand, Cyber Security, UMBC Training Centers (cwiegand@umbctrainingcenters.com).
To register to attend, click here.
As Maryland’s unemployment rate hovers just above 7 percent, the state’s leading tech trade associations are joining forces again to show legislators in Maryland’s General Assembly that technology is vital to the economy because it is at the epicenter of Maryland’s future job growth and prosperity. Hosted by the Tech Council of Maryland (TCM), Greater Baltimore Technology Council (GBTC), Chesapeake Regional Tech Council (CRTC), and the Maryland Computer Services Association (MCSA), the second annual MD IT Day Showcase will bring together key legislators and tech executives from around the state on February 24, 2010, at the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis.
More than 30 Maryland IT companies will participate in the 2010 MD IT Showcase, which is an intimate trade show that enables these businesses to educate legislators about their products and services. Legislators also will have the opportunity to meet with senior IT executives to gain a better understanding about what laws and issue are impacting them.
WHO: Leading Maryland IT Executives & Maryland’s Legislators
WHAT: MD IT SHOWCASE 2010
WHERE: Governor Calvert House, 58 State Circle, Annapolis, MD
WHEN: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
To learn more about reserving an exhibit table or to obtain a list of exhibiting companies, please call Steve Kozak at 410-327-9148 or e-mail him at stevek@gbtechcouncil.org, or visit here.
As reported by Bmore Media:
Maryland beat the odds when it came to technology-related jobs in 2009. The state saw growth in the computer systems design and related services adding 5,3000 jobs in 2009 as well as the management, scientific and technical consulting, where 4,500 jobs were added, subsectors and in fact, led the nation in both.
The 8.7 percent growth in computer systems design and related services and a 13.8% increase in management, scientific and technical consulting meant Maryland accounted for almost half of the jobs added nationally in those areas.
To read the full story, click here.
By Steve Kozak
When I think of 2010, the phrase “Ready to pounce” comes to mind. Or, as one tech executive recently told me, “Our pipeline feels more like a plum tree these days, laden with multiple fruits that keep swelling and swelling.”
Yes, Maryland’s tech industry is alive and well. Looking back, 2009 was a challenging year, with layoffs, restructurings and expense watching at every company. That said, as I meet with leaders from the tech industry, I continue to hear 2009 “was a relatively ‘even’ year for us, it wasn’t ‘that’ bad” - “that” being a relative word.
Many industry execs mentioned seeing an uptick in business activity this past spring. Others are even mentioning the “H” word: HIRING. In fact, I’d say that many of our region’s tech companies have quietly been in “hire” mode for months now.
How? Well, in general terms, the ongoing need for new technology is not only not going away, it’s getting greater. Plus, given our proximity to Washington, government contracting will continue to play a major role in revving our region’s economic engine. Yes, technology (in broad terms) is driving the growth of our country.
Regionally, our unemployment rate is already significantly lower than the national average. Now, throw in a few new ingredients to the mix, like BRAC, cyber security and bio parks, and the short-term future is bright.
This explains why the Milken Institute’s 2008 State Technology & Science index (which ranks states in the best position to succeed in the tech-led information age) ranked Maryland No. 2 in the country.
Recent activity suggests that the tech industry is ready to flourish in Maryland in 2010. We ended the year with TeleCommunications Systems acquiring three (THREE) companies within 45 days and Millennial Media, in a historically tough venture market, taking in $16 million in new funding. And we’re only 21 days into the new year and already, more great news. Last week the Governor released the CyberSecurity report which will position Maryland to be the hub for federal, academic and private-sector cybersecurity efforts and Judy Britz was named Executive Director of the Maryland Biotechnology Center - which is great news for our state’s bioscience community. Throw in today’s announcement that Martek Biosciences purchased Amerifit Brands for $200…IN CASH…and yes, I’d say our region’s tech industry is alive and well!!
Stay tuned…more good news is coming.
By Steve Kozak:
Good news keeps rolling in for the tech sector…
Today, we learn that G.1440 was acquired by a division of Constellation Software. This is, as Larry Fiorino, G.1440’s President and Founder, mentioned in their release, truly great news for Baltimore. Not only will this bring more jobs to Baltimore, it further demonstrates that technology is alive and well in our region.
In fact, The Daily Record reported (Dec 22) that “while the largest economic downtown since the Great Depression has devastated many in Maryland, the IT industry…is growing…adding 4,000 jobs since October 2008, an increase of 6.5%.” We added more jobs in this sector than every other state except Virginia and, as of today, Maryland has the fifth most tech jobs in the nation.
And today, the Baltimore Business Journal reported that venture-backed companies generated $17.1 billion in liquidity in 2009, with 44% of that being generated in the 4th quarter…setting the stage for an active year in M&A in 2010.
Today’s acquisition of G.1440 is just the start. Stay tuned…there’s more on the way – both acquisitions and great news from our technology sector. 2010 is looking bright indeed!
In December, our friend Dave Sherman came out and gave a short session to GBTC members on how to improve their 30 second pitch. It was such a success we asked him to capture it on video - you can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6d6X9qVxlY
By Steve Kozak –
How’s this for holiday cheer? TeleCommunication Systems has acquired 3 companies in the last 45 days. Nov 3 - Solvern Innovations (a $18M company), Nov 16 – Sidereal Solutions (~ $20-$24M company) and Dec 1 - Networks in Motion (for $170M). Then we hear that Millennial Media receives $16M in new funding. There’s the news that early clinical trials by PharmAthene, testing a potential treatment for exposure to chemical nerve agents, have generated positive results. TESSCO posted a 16% spike in profit and was ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the Best 200 companies for a third year in a row. And the word, according to Robert Half Management Resources, that when the economy reboots, CFO’s are planning to improve their information technology systems…which is great news I’m sure everyone would agree.
Yes, tech will bring us back and while we may not be feeling the economic surge yet…I can almost taste it…and I can’t wait.
By Steve Kozak -
A couple weeks ago we had the fortune of having Barbara Dreyer join us for our Face2Face dinner program. I hear members talk about wanting to take their company to the “next level” and how to get there. Well, Barbara certainly fits the bill by taking Connections Academy from start-up to a $100M plus organization…and still growing. She shared many stories, and from that, many more take-aways about business & success. To me, two stand out – 1) when you find good people, do everything you can to keep them with you (your people are the key to your success) and 2) it’s all about connections and building relationships. So many of the relationships she established & nurtured years ago have led her to who and where she is today. I think that’s a good lesson for all of us – get out of your businesses and network, build meaningful relationships. They transcend business “purposes”. They fulfill life, they give it meaning.