For almost ten years, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, otherwise known as TEDCO, has been the state’s s leading source for business assistance and seed funding for the development of startup companies.
And during their nine years of existence, TEDCO’s track record has been impressive. Hundreds of entrepreneurs have been helped in taking their products to market through mentoring, funding and networking. That has led to over $110 million in investment dollars and over 350 and research programs funded since 1998.
But what does that mean for the Eastern Shore?
We asked that question to Bill Bernard, TEDCO’s new representative for the Eastern Shore, to get a better idea of how TEDCO works. Bill’s response was to give the example of a very young entrepreneur with a great business idea but who needed help getting his product to market.
Bill also cites his work with hotDesks, a program started by the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, to provide the tools (like 3D printers) and business consultation support through its Revolution Labs program.
It doesn’t hurt that Bill comes to this new position after a long history of entrepreneurship after a tour of duty in the Peace Corps and a career in marine biology with the Smithsonian Institution. His businesses have included an aquaculture company that operated in the Dominican Republic, and more recently, founding 3Di’s Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Division.
This video is approximately two minutes in length. For more information about TEDCO please go here.
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