Like most state governments Maryland is taking startups seriously. The state’s economic development arm is doing whatever it can to support local startups in the state and attract new startups to come to the state to develop. One of the biggest initiatives to come out of Annapolis is the Invest Maryland Challenge, startup competition.

The challenge opened up to applicants last month and the application process continues through December 13, 2012.

The basic requirements is that your startup has less than 25 employees and less than $1 million dollars in annual revenue. The startups also have to be in the tech or life sciences industry.

Applicants are competing for $300,000 in grant money and business services. Startups must either already be based in Maryland or plan to relocate to Maryland to grow. Also, all startups must be legal entities and in good standing in the states where they are based.

While the Baltimore Sun seems to be concerned with the fine print, it’s pretty standard for economic development contests where grant money and relocation is involved. So far all of the 37 startups that have applied are either based in Maryland or the immediate surrounding areas (Northern Virginia and DC). Take a look at the list of the startups that have applied so far:

1.            Direct Dimensions Inc, Owings Mills, MD

2.            MyoTherapeutics , Silver Spring, MD

3.            Handteq, LLC, Baltimore

4.            Parking Panda , Baltimore, MD

5.            ClickMedix, LLC , Rockville, MD

6.            Tots2Tweens, Frederick, MD

7.            SIALUU, Baltimore MD

8.            KneeBouncers.com , Sykesville, MD

9.            Omic Biosystems, Inc., Rockville, MD

10.          Closing the Gap, Lanham, MD

11.          Brain Biosciences, Inc., Bethesda, MD

12.          StudyHall, Washington DC

13.          Firejack, Inc. , Columbia, MD

14.          WeLearn Educational Software, Baltimore, MD

15.          B’more Organic, Baltimore, MD

16.          Family Business, Rockville, MD

17.          Clear Guide Medical, Baltimore, MD

18.          Shreis Scalene Sciences, Gaithersburg, MD

19.          Stupil, Laytonsville, MD

20.          Rafagen, Inc., Rockville, MD

21.          FiberCell Systems Inc., Frederick, MD

22.          ConverGene, LLC,  Gaithersburg, MD

23.          Printless Plans, Baltimore, MD

24.          Juxtopia, Baltimore, MD

25.          Solar System Express, Baltimore, MD

26.          Internet Security Advisors Group, Severna Park, MD

27.          TDP Biotherapeutics, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD

28.          Green Gap Solutions, Rockville, MD

29.          Athena Energy Corp, Bowie, MD

30.          Subject7, Potomac, MD

31.          Paniagua’s Enterprises Inc. , Baltimore, MD

32.          NuSomnea, LLC, Severna Park, MD

33.          DioGenix , Rockville, MD

34.          zeroK NanoTech, Montgomery Village, MD

35.          Car Fare Compare Inc. , Crownsville, MD

36.          Fiteeza, Fairfax, VA

37.          Differential Dynamics Corporation, Owings Mills, MD

The contest is also open to startups outside of Maryland who are willing to relocate.

Linkage:

Apply here today

Source: Baltimore Sun

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