Howard County’s first cyber accelerator for startup businesses was launched this week.

The 12-week Cyber Howard Accelerator program will provide small businesses with a product already developed with mentoring and skills to build market strategy. Companies will learn how to scale their business, refine their product and position themselves to become sustainable in the county.

“Despite the uncertainty around us, we are continuing to partner to innovate and to keep Howard County’s economy strong,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. “It’s because of our industry partners and our economic development authority that we are steadily advancing our global competitiveness.”

Strengthening the county’s position near the region’s cyber industry leaders, such as the National Security Agency, Fort Meade, and the U.S. Cyber Command, Ball said, the accelerator can attract companies that fuel economic growth and employment opportunities. He said the effort emphasizes a commitment to establishing Howard County as a leader in information technology, cybersecurity, quantum computing, operational technology and artificial intelligence.

The accelerator both contributes to and escalates the “robust ecosystem” of the cyber industry, bringing value to the county and the state, Stephen Rice, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, said at the event.

“So, the Cyber Howard accelerator is critical, because our future, whether you’re looking at economic growth or you’re looking at national security, depends upon it,” Rice said. “It depends upon what happens here, and it depends upon what we do.”

The program can also assist former federal workers impacted by mass layoffs stemming from efforts by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency to slash the federal workforce.

Howard County Economic Development Authority CEO Jennifer Jones said during the county’s recent career fair for federal workers that many individuals approached the organization’s table and expressed their ideas for starting their own business. If the individuals have a tangible product, the accelerator will allow them to make connections, receive expert advice and test their product to create a strong foundation for further growth, Jones said.

“So, when you have a product or service, you have a company, and you’re surrounded by industry experts that can give you real-time feedback on your idea, it makes you grow so much faster,” Jones said. “So that’s what this is meant to do.”

The program comes on the heels of a trade mission Ball and members of the Howard County Economic Development Authority took to Ireland, Germany and the United Kingdom in the fall to foster global partnerships to advance cybersecurity and technology innovation opportunities. During the trip, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the economic development authority’s Maryland Innovation Center and a German IT firm to bolster the cybersecurity sector. The Maryland Innovation Center Global program was also launched.

Applications are open for the 12-week program housed in the Technology Advancement Center, and the first cohort of up to eight companies will likely be announced in May, said Bob Zhang, head of business development at the Howard County Economic Development Authority.

Businesses are required to have tangible software or hardware that can be in the early stages but must be past the idea phase, Zhang said. Government technology, critical infrastructure, information technology and operation technology security, AI-driven or defense security applications are some of the industry focuses, he said. All businesses must be willing to participate in the full 12-week program. After reaching all the milestones throughout the 12 weeks, the businesses will be granted automatic membership in the Maryland Innovation Center, Zhang said, where the companies can continue to grow. Courtesy memberships to the Maryland Tech Council will also be awarded.

“This innovative accelerator is just the beginning, as Howard County and Maryland continue to invest in the future of cyber, AI and emerging technologies,” Ball said. “We are laying the foundation for sustained innovation and leadership in these fields.”

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