Innov8MD conference ready for version 2.0
TU student-founded organization fosters youth entrepreneurship in Baltimore, D.C. area
By Megan Bradshaw on November 4, 2019
Towson University senior Matthew Lowinger cofounded Innov8MD in 2018 with an eye toward supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Baltimore metro region.
It seems those young innovators have taken note.
Students from 15 public and private Maryland higher education institutions, including representatives of about 50 student-led ventures, are expected to pour into the 2019 Innov8MD conference on November 8 at 1100 Wicomico, an entrepreneurship hub in Baltimore’s Pigtown neighborhood.
The 2019 conference—“Baltimore and Beyond”—will offer demonstrations and exhibitions by student-led companies, the potential to network with venture capital and angel investors as well as a new feature: a venture showcase. The winner receives a $500 cash prize and $5,000 in support services.
Event sponsors include Harbor Designs & Manufacturing, the Maryland Department of Commerce, Startup Portal, Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, Accuquote, Technical.ly Baltimore, Emerging Technology Centers and Ballard Spahr.
Born out of conversations between Lowinger and cofounder Pava LaPere, student director of JHU’s TCO Labs, Innov8MD is a unique, inter-institutional conference that draws its membership from TU; Johns Hopkins University; University of Maryland, College Park; MICA; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Baltimore; Morgan State University and UMBC.
TU's Jan Baum, director of the minor in entrepreneurship in the College of Business and Economics, was involved from the start and current serves on the executive team.
After the success of the inaugural gathering, Innov8MD has become a 501(c)(3) that holds networking and mentor dinners at member institutions and aims to create an accelerator for participants.
Lowinger has evolved as well. He is now a fulltime project manager at Bytelion—a custom software development firm in Hunt Valley, Maryland—and still plans to graduate in 2020.
This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.