bwtech@UMBC Invests in an Elite Team of Entrepreneurs to Enhance Entrepreneurial Support and Economic Growth in Maryland
Industry Experts Join Forces to Accelerate the Commercialization of Startups
Catonsville, MD (June 2024) – bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park (bwtech) is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiR) program, aimed at bolstering support for the commercialization of technology solutions from UMBC faculty, staff, and students, as well as entrepreneurs throughout Maryland. This substantial investment in top-tier business expertise underscores bwtech’s commitment to providing founders with the necessary support to increase the likelihood of their success and further advance tech innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth in Maryland.
With this expansion, bwtech now boasts a team of eight world-class EiRs who bring a wealth of experience and expertise across a diverse range of disciplines, including bio-life-sciences, technology adoption, operations, general business strategy, cybersecurity, AI, health tech, digital strategy, and sales and marketing. Marjorie Cota, bwtech’s Director of Entrepreneurial Services, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are delighted to welcome this impressive group of Entrepreneurs in Residence to bwtech. They bring extraordinary experience, knowledge, and insights that entrepreneurs in our Research and Technology Park can leverage to gain a distinct competitive advantage in the market and place themselves on a path toward sustainable growth and long-term success.”
Leveraging their mastery of business best practices and cross-disciplinary mix of knowledge and skills, bwtech’s EiRs provide customized, one-on-one mentorship to help founders make informed decisions faster and more efficiently as they navigate the many challenges that come with starting and scaling a business. They work with companies at all stages of maturity, offering advice on a wide range of business development issues, including strategic planning, filling business model gaps, identifying growth opportunities, refining product development, conducting market research, securing investment funds, and developing connections within the ecosystem.
Aaron Miscenich, bwtech’s Executive Director, emphasized, “Our expanded EiR program exemplifies bwtech’s dedication to transforming innovative ideas into successful businesses. This team will help us further develop our community of collaborators and drive economic growth in Maryland. We are thrilled to have this caliber of top-tier talent to strengthen our support for the groundbreaking tech solutions emerging from UMBC research and Maryland’s tech entrepreneurs.”
Meet bwtech’s Entrepreneurs in Residence
*New to bwtech. Learn more about the new team of EiRs and how they can supercharge commercialization efforts HERE.
David Fink (Bio-Life-Sciences) has experience in biotechnology and biomedical product development for over 40 years, serving as either the founder or top officer of seven startups, mentoring hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs, authoring 41 scientific papers and book chapters, and securing 25 US patent awards. David also serves as a TEDCO UMBC MII Site Miner and I-Corps Mentor.
Hillel Glazer (Operations)works with growing companies to enhance their operational efficiency and meet their performance targets. Hillel also serves as a TEDCO UMBC MII Site Miner where he identifies groundbreaking technologies in the labs of university faculty members and helps translate their ideas into viable businesses.
Richard Chipkin (Bio-Life-Sciences) is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in executive management, business development, and preclinical and clinical research at big pharma and biotech companies.
*Chris Haug (General Business Strategy) is an entrepreneurship evangelist, with over 40 years of conceiving, starting, and growing successful companies, with three of his own ventures, a founding team member for an additional six, and mentoring and advising hundreds of startups and early-stage growth companies.
*Chris White, UMBC ’97 (Health Tech) is an experienced health tech leader and startup founder with over 20 years of experience driving digital innovation and business growth in a variety of sectors, including health IT, Medicaid, state health agencies, academia, and entrepreneurship.
*Chris Ewing (Sales and Marketing) has cultivated a career in sales and marketing marked by a diverse range of experiences across several dynamic industry sectors, including aerospace, healthcare, product development, app development, drug design, aquaculture, and associations.
*Christina Holt (Digital Strategy) brings over 25 years of experience as an executive-level growth advisor, specializing in digital product strategy for companies whose growth relies on broad, diverse, and growing adoption of their technology.
*Fehmida Kapadia (Bio-Life-Sciences) has over 20 years of experience in biomedical entrepreneurship, consulting, teaching, and research, and has helped nearly 100 entrepreneurial projects successfully progress in their startup journey.
About bwtech
A thriving hub fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, bwtech supports startups and technology companies through incubation, research collaboration, educational programs, expert mentorship, and strategic connections in Maryland and beyond.
About bwtech Entrepreneurial Services
bwtech offers a variety of programs, services, and events designed to foster the transformation of innovative ideas into successful, sustainable businesses, and local economic growth.
