FREDERICK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Maryland Tech Council (MTC), Maryland’s largest technology and life sciences trade association, announced the winners of its 32nd Annual Industry Awards. Due to COVID-19, the association pivoted to a virtual live broadcast to announce winners for the first time in the organization’s history.
“We are proud to highlight and honor these companies and individuals in the life sciences and technology industries who are doing vital work to improve lives,” said MTC CEO Marty Rosendale. “With the current situation, the work of these finalists and winners is needed for now and in the future and they should be proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Winners of the 2020 Industry Awards
Venture Mentoring Services' Venture of the Year Award
TecVeris
Legislator of the Year Award
Delegate Lily Qi, District 15, Member of the House Economic Matters Committee
President's Award
Governor Larry Hogan
STEM Scholarship Award
Amali Ayache, University of Maryland, College Park
Jenny Dang, University of Maryland, College Park
Maryam Di Jafari, University of Maryland, College Park
Linnea Hertslet, University of Maryland, College Park
Shiqiong Lu, University of Maryland, College Park
Exquise Lucrece Chiogo, University of Maryland, College Park
Anulichi Okorie, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Keita Takeda, University of Baltimore
STEM Educator of the Year Award
Anthony Botros, Classroom Teacher, Science, Academic Content Lead, The SEED School of Maryland
Stephanie Doodigian, Science Teacher, Oakland Mills High School
Government Contracting Company of the Year (below $50 million)
Fearless
“Software with a Soul” is the feel good, do good mission of Fearless—a full-stack digital services firm in Baltimore. In 2019, the 10-year-old firm was honored with several awards. With an eye toward community, founder Delali Dzirasa testified in front of the Senate Committee for Small Business and Entrepreneurship about the importance of HUBZone and the company partnered with three Baltimore non-profits and donated more than $15,000 to the Maryland Food Bank.
Government Contracting Company of the Year (above $50 million)
CyberCore Technologies
CyberCore provides full lifecycle IT and mission engineering services including WindRose, a cyber risk assessment service using machine learning/artificial intelligence. Supporting the government, CyberCore achieved 23-percent growth over two years, creating over 150 jobs in Maryland to bring the total to 375 in 2019. CyberCore Technologies is the only company in the world with two, third-party certified ISO Supply Chain certifications.
Technology Company of the Year
Cyber Reliant Corporation
Based in Annapolis with a staff of 25, Cyber Reliant has been working for over 10 years creating enterprise data protection solutions. Serving organizations from Special Forces to healthcare companies and financial institutions, Cyber Reliant represents a paradigm shift in that the data undergoes a transformation process that changes its properties.
Life Sciences Company of the Year
REGENXBIO
REGENXBIO is a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to improve the lives of patients through the curative potential of gene therapy. Their proprietary adeno-associated virus gene delivery platform consists of exclusive rights to more than 100 novel AAV vectors. REGENXBIO and its third-party NAV Technology Platform Licensees are applying the NAV Technology Platform in the development of a broad pipeline of candidates in multiple therapeutic areas. Last year, the company’s technology was validated with the first FDA approval of a gene therapy that leverages the company’s NAV Technology Platform, Novartis AG’s ZOLGENSMA®.
Emerging Life Sciences Company of the Year
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics
Founded by father and son team Carl Merril and Greg Merril, Adaptive Phage Therapeutics is the culmination of 50 years of NIH research in advancing a cure for bacterial superbug infections. Their PhageBank® personalized therapy has been used to rescue numerous critically ill patients for which standard-of-care antibiotics had failed. The organization experienced a banner year las year as it was selected by market research firm CB Insights as one of the “2019 World-leading Startups” and the “#1 Biotech Startup in the World”.
Emerging Technology Company of the Year
Attila Security
Attila Security was founded two years ago around a product developed by CTO Vesh Bhatt when he was just 16 years old. The product of his research, the GoSilent Client, is Attila's flagship product and the world's smallest portable VPN and firewall. Since that time, Attila has built a suite of secure communications solutions that help in securing the defense industrial base. In 2019, the company reached a notable milestone when two of its products were awarded NIAP certifications, Common Criteria Recognition, and Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) validation.
Chief Executive Officer of the Year
Margot Connor, Chief Executive Officer, RoosterBio
Being open to new opportunities and taking educated risks has served RoosterBio’s CEO Margot Connor well. Connor is a member of the RoosterBio founding team and has grown revenues nearly 20-fold since 2014. She has led all fundraising activities and has coordinated two successful venture capital rounds including a $21.5 Series B raise in 2019 and a strategic-led mid-round investment, fueling RoosterBios's global rise in regenerative medicine. Connor’s approachable style coupled with her relationship-driven focus is responsible for increasing the company’s staff from 6 to over 60 FTEs and landing RoosterBio on the Frederick County Best Places to Work list in 2019.
Event sponsors included:
Award Sponsors: AstraZeneca, BAIRD, BDO, Iron Bow Technologies, J.P. Morgan, Learning Undefeated, Pillsbury and VWR
STEM Scholarship Sponsor: Alexandria Real Estate Equities
Community Sponsor: Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Broadcast Sponsor: Ruppert Properties
Gold Sponsors: Aronson, DLH, Facility Logix, Gallagher, Marsh and McLennan Agency, Maryland Department of Commerce, Montgomery College, The Universities at Shady Grove and Vision Technologies
Silver Sponsors: Children’s National Hospital, GRSi, Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation, RoosterBio
About Maryland Tech Council
The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is a collaborative community that is actively engaged in building strong technology and life science industries by supporting the efforts of our individual members. We are the largest technology and life sciences trade association in the state of Maryland, and we provide value by giving members a forum to learn, share, and connect. MTC brings the region’s community together into a single, united organization that empowers our members to achieve their business goals through advocacy, networking and education. The vision for the Maryland Tech Council is to propel Maryland to become the number one innovation economy for life sciences and technology in the country. For more information: mdtechcouncil.com.
