Innovation
Office of Innovation
The University of Maryland has established a vibrant campus ecosystem that nurtures and supports innovation and entrepreneurship, which has been nationally ranked in the Top 5 for its excellence. The Chief Innovation Officer and Associate Vice President for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in the Division of Research oversees the Office of Innovation, which 1) helps students and faculty develop their entrepreneurial mindsets to pursue their innovative ideas and inventions, and 2) helps launch and scale startups and social ventures that spur inclusive economic development and impact.
Through the efforts of a remarkable and diverse set of campus partners, the University of Maryland offers faculty, staff, students, alum, and regional partners a broad variety of resources to help them learn about and actively engage in all aspects of innovation & entrepreneurship and economic development. Whatever your needs are, we can help you find collaborators, develop solutions, validate business models, disclose and protect your research and inventions, find and apply for grants, meet investors, launch new commercial and social ventures, find office and lab space, get advice from experienced innovators and entrepreneurs, team with external and community partners, and maximize the overall impact of your innovation.
- For faculty interested in bringing their ideas or research to market or launching a new commercial or social venture, there are a multitude of resources: intellectual property protection, market and technology validation funding, startup mentors, industry experts, business fundamentals workshops, market research databases, the NSF I-Corps program, and many more.
- For students, resources can be found campus-wide to learn, engage, practice, and apply creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship skills, including classes, programs, clubs, consulting groups, maker spaces, hackathons, accelerators, internships, mentors, pitch competitions, funding, and more.
- For startups and small businesses, the University of Maryland offers resources and programs throughout the entire state that span everything from workshops to business counseling services, networking to recruiting events, and access to funding through grants, loans, and private and institutional capital.
Office of Innovation: Select Programs
Innovation Gateway
The University of Maryland Innovation Gateway is an all-in-one guide to help you plug in to the University of Maryland innovation network. It’s a one-stop shop that connects faculty, students, alumni, industry, and investors with the resources they need to develop fearless ideas and transform them into new ventures. Access everything from online classes to workshops, startup mentors to industry experts, business fundamentals to market research, competitions to investment funds, and much more.
UM Ventures
UM Ventures is responsible for knowledge and technology translation and commercialization including creation of patents, IP, and startup companies and social ventures that solve problems in the market and in the community.
UM Ventures is a joint initiative of the MPowering the State Program, bringing the University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland, College Park together to commercialize discoveries, and create economic and social impact.
Investment Funds, QSF, Discovery District
The Discovery Fund and Terrapin Fund are both University of Maryland venture investment funds. These funds and the Quantum Startup Foundry are critical parts of the strategy to accelerate the startup innovation ecosystem and to achieve the vision of making Maryland the Capital of Quantum.
The Discovery District is the University of Maryland's dynamic research park, which brings together a vibrant and inclusive community of university stakeholders, corporate partners, government researchers, entrepreneurs, and local residents.
Maryland Small Business Development Center
The University of Maryland directs several federally funded programs that provide business consulting and access to funds to entrepreneurs and small business owners statewide:
- The Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), part of a national SBDC network that helps over 500,000 U.S. businesses annually.
- The Mid-Atlantic Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) assists service members, veterans, and military spouses.
- The Maryland Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) assists minority, women, and other underserved business owners.
- The Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center/APEX Accelerator (PTAC/APEX) assists small businesses apply for and win federal contracts.
UMD, Mid-Atlantic, & NSF I-Corps
The University of Maryland has been selected by the National Science Foundation to co-lead the NSF National Innovation Network and was awarded the $15 million NSF Mid-Atlantic Innovation Hub (or I-Corps Hub).
I-Corps Hubs spur diverse and inclusive innovation across the country through national and regional training programs that transform promising ideas from the lab into impactful solutions.
Economic Impact Committee
Organized by the Office of Innovation, the Economic Impact Committee (EIC) is a remarkable and diverse set of over 50 campus partners focused on strengthening and supporting UMD's innovation & entrepreneurship, economic development, and inclusive growth ecosystem. Members meet monthly to learn from each other, share updates on ongoing and upcoming activities, and hear from colleagues and community partners.
For more information or to explore more programs, visit the University of Maryland Innovation Gateway or reach out directly to an EIC member.
Innovation Highlights: