Join us! TechPort UAS Incubator and Community Innovation Hub
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From the Director's Desk:
This month we celebrate Women’s History Month and in a special way, International Women’s Day (March 8). We used the opportunity at TechPort UAS Business Incubator and Community Innovation Hub, to celebrate women by hosting a virtual event, Women In Innovation: Breaking the Glass Ceiling. It featured some amazing, powerhouse women in Science, Technology Engineering, the Arts and Math (STEAM) fields. See our related article in this month’s newsletter for details about this fantastic session.
I think what especially strikes me as women continue to make up more and more of our workforce, yet continue to struggle with inequality in pay and leadership positions is where men need to be in all of this. You’ve heard of the global solidarity movement for gender equality: #HeForShe. Men need to get onboard now and start learning how to work with women, talk with women, support women and be advocates for women.
I think over the next 20 years, there will be a major shift and women will finally attain more leadership positions in the workplace. During her keynote address, Dr. Laurie Locascio, vice president for research, division of research, University of Maryland, mentioned that only 17 percent of patents are issued to women. One reason, she explained, is that less women apply for patents. But as we see more women-owned businesses and women innovators emerge, surely we’ll see those numbers rise, as well.
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Be sure to join Rick Tarr, Director of the NAWCAD Tech Transfer Office and the Southern Maryland Tech Bridge next week for the sixth installment of Tech Bridge @ TechPort!
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T2 is a new 8-month initiative sponsored by TechPort and NAWCAD Tech Bridge of Southern Maryland to raise awareness of the Tech Bridge mission and increase access for small business innovators to the Southern Maryland Tech Bridge and Tech Transfer teams. |
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TechPort's Honors Women Making a Difference
Barbara Ives: Client of the Month
March 2021
(Featured in a photo on March 17, 2021, TechPort Intern Gabi VonFosson, Barbara Ives, President of the Board of Directors for Southern Maryland Loves You, and Rachel Labatt, SoMDLY engineer and 2021 Ms. Maryland Pageant contestant.)
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Barbara Ives has a way of keeping a low profile, working hard, getting results and being part of great achievements. Despite her inconspicuous approach, Ives has found a way to work behind the scenes and make things happen in the most positive ways. She got an early start at this as one of 81 female plebes in the first class of women admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy. Only 55 graduated, and Ives says she survived by “avoiding the spotlight.”
Once in the Navy, she was in the initial group of women to spend a year on a ship as part of the Women at Sea pilot program. She was one of two women on her ship with 200 men, many of whom opted to serve on the ship instead of taking a jail sentence.
The trend continued as Ives was among the first community members to embrace TechPort UAS Business Incubator and Community Innovation Hub when it was merely an idea and then a plan. She helped TechPort launch and has been assisting behind the scenes ever since. She encouraged Tommy Luginbill to apply for his current job as director of TechPort and advocated for him to join the board of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance.
When the pandemic hit and TechPort clients joined forces to create personal protective equipment and then a heat sanitization “Hot Box” to make the PPE reusable up to 20 times, it was TechPort client Matt Hayes who called for her support.
“I knew Matt’s parents first, but I’ve gotten to know Matt as he is such a gifted and talented individual,” Ives says, adding that Matt invited her to attend a demonstration of the Hot Box in the hangar the last weekend in March 2020, with medical personnel he was sure Ives knew. After seeing the incredible work, she was all in.
Today, she is president of the board of directors for Southern Maryland Loves You, the nonprofit that spun out of TechPort’s community collaboration efforts to design, build, and produce the Hot Box. Not surprisingly, once again, Ives stands out.
“I’m in my 60’s and I look around and everyone else on our board is in their 30’s,” Ives says with a laugh. “It’s perfect, they provide the energy, and I can provide the sage counsel and guidance when needed, which isn’t too often.”
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Women In Innovation:Breaking the Glass Ceiling |
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Dr. Laurie E. Locascio, vice president for research, division of research, University of Maryland, challenged innovators from industry, government and academia to work collaboratively, lead by influence, support each other and “stand up for yourself,” during a recent virtual event highlighting Women in Innovation: Breaking the Glass Ceiling. The virtual two-hour program, hosted by TechPort UAS Business Incubator and Community Innovation Hub, focused on the unique challenges facing women in innovation, with subject matter experts sharing their insights into how they succeed.
A biomedical researcher, Dr. Locascio has published more than 100 scientific papers and holds 12 patents, including one that is being used to help manufacture the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. She spoke candidly about spending 30 years working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as the only female in her work group. She confronted sexism without anger and instead with grace.
“My first thought was always, ‘They didn’t realize what they were saying,’ and 95 percent of the time it ended there,” Locascio said, recalling how she would speak privately to those who spoke to her in condescending ways. “So I think just a gentle and kind approach, for me was always the first one and that way you don’t start off in a defensive argument.”
She recalled a time when she was the highest ranking candidate for a promotion, yet the job was offered to her on a trial basis. When asked if the job would have been offered to a man on a trial basis, the employer immediately recognized his error and she was offered the job permanently.
““There are subtle little things that happen along the way that you need to watch out for because honestly I don’t think the person that offered me that even realized what they were doing,” Locascio said. “That was hard for me to ask. For a lot of us that is very difficult. Remember, that you are good and you got there because you are good, so stand up for yourself.”
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Community Partnerships Benefit Startups: Women in Leadership Making a Difference |
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Integral to the success of TechPort UAS Business Incubator and Community Innovation Hub are its partner organizations in Southern Maryland. The Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Southern Region is dedicated to helping anyone who wants to start or grow a business get the assistance they need, free of charge. They provide vital resources to TechPort entrepreneurs.
The SBDC is the premier resource partner of the United States Small Business Association (SBA) for success for small businesses in the Southern Maryland region, providing no cost training and professional confidential business consulting for new entrepreneurs and existing businesses, says Wynne Briscoe, regional director for SBDC Southern Region.
“We educate empower and sustain your business for its duration,” says Briscoe, who is being honored March 18 by St. Mary’s County Commission for Women as a Woman of the Year nominee. “We know how to start, manage and grow successful businesses, as many of our staff members are current or former entrepreneurs. We bring real life expertise to every business owner we assist.” (To read this complete article, click here.)
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What was/is your favorite event during the month of March?
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Bi-Weekly Live Broadcast Crabs and Coffee
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Bourbon Top Drop Charity Event
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LunchBox Talk Series for Tech Startups: Get Your Financial House in Order
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#StPatricksDay
#TobaccoBarnDistillery
#TechPort
#IrishWhiskeyReview
#SouthernMarylandLovesYou
Want to stay up to date with TechPort?
Check out our social medias!
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Don't Miss These Upcoming Events! |
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TechPort UAS Business Incubator and Community Innovation Hub is hosting a virtual LunchBox Talk Series for Tech Startups: Get Your Financial House in Order on March 26, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
We offer this virtual monthly workshop for our clients and we are opening it to other startups to share lessons learned. The panel discussion features subject matter experts discussing best practices for tax prep; how to build strong and effective banking relationships with the government contracting industry and state funds for startups.
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Join us for an exciting discussion with the TEDCO CEO who will visit TechPort for his first in-person Fire Side Chat in Southern Maryland. He will be joining TechPort Director Tommy Luginbill to discuss the role of TechPort in growing the startup community of the St. Mary's Innovation District. Register today!
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University of Maryland Celebrates IonQ’s Plans for Remarkable Growth and Scalable Roadmap for Quantum Computing
The University of Maryland (UMD) congratulates IonQ on its announcement today to enter into a merger agreement with dMY Technology Group, Inc. III, and trade on the NYSE as the first publicly traded pure-play hardware and software company in the quantum computing space.
IonQ is headquartered in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District, a thriving research park located in College Park. Its location on the university’s campus fosters close collaboration with UMD researchers and students, providing a reliable pipeline of talent to the growing company.
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Interactive Innovation
Progress Culture Tuesdays
Sonic Spirits - and - SoMD Loves You
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Last Week's Episode: Episode 46 - Fireside Music Chat #2
Focusing on the A in S-T-E-A-M!
Music is a language of Innovation. How do you start forming your own ideas in music? How do you begin to play your own music? Is it information? Is it tradition? Is it note-to-self? Is it heart??
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March 22, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Coffee and Crabs - Join Brian Jordan, co-founder Jordan Research, and Tommy Luginbill as they discuss the latest in innovation on the national, regional and local level. Their featured guest will be Tiffany Daniels, a Project Opportunity graduate of the 2020 Southern Maryland Program hosted by TechPort.
March 25, 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. - Tech Bridge @ TechPort - Episode #6 Learn more about the Tech Bridge program sponsored by NAVALX.
March 26, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - LunchBox Talk Series for Tech Startups: Get Your Financial House in Order
If you are a small business, it is easy to fall behind on the latest information about tax credits, income tax best practices and how to build a productive relationship with your community banker, what funding programs are available in the state of Maryland. Bring your questions and learn from professionals!
April 1 - 2:00p.m. Fireside Chat w/ TEDCO CEO Troy Lemaile-Stovall
Plan to attend this virtual event to learn more about the innovation and venture-creation challenges in our area with TEDCO CEO.
April 8, 1 - 1:30 p.m. - TechBridge @ TechPort - Seventh Installment
A virtual live-broadcast program featuring the Director of TechBridge of Southern Maryland, Rick Tarr. Join the discussion!
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UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS
March 20 - Spring Begins
The Spring Equinox officially marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a brilliant time for new beginnings, no matter how you celebrate on March 20.
April 1, 6 p.m. - Minority Government Contracting Forum
This virtual event will feature representatives from Federal, MD State and Regional Agencies/Organizations. Hear Success Stories from existing minority government contractors.
April 15 - Tax Day - Not
Still rifling through a pile of 2021 receipts? Good news! The deadline for America’s annual financial federal and state income tax exercise has been extended. The new deadline is May 17!
September - ExportMD Program
The ExportMD Program helps to offset some of the costs of marketing internationally for Maryland's small and mid-sized companies. Maryland companies that receive an ExportMD Award are eligible for up to $5,000 in reimbursement for expenses associated with an international marketing project. The program is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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TechPort's mission is to serve as a center of innovation for the community. Incubating ideas and accelerating diversification of the innovation ecosystem of Southern Maryland. Operated under contract by the University of Maryland,TechPort targets startup and early stage companies that specialize in autonomous systems and commercialization of Navy technology while serving as a community resource for innovators of all kinds.
Sign up here for a private virtual tour of our Incubator space available to new clients.
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What does the TechPort Innovation Hub mean to you?
Or on our social medias!
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TechPort is now seeking for sponsorships for 2021 Programming
Interested? Please contact TechPort Director Tommy Luginbill here!
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TechPort is a public-private sector initiative supported by: |
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