Minnowtech
Series A in 2024
Minnowtech, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in aquaculture technology. The company offers a software imaging platform that enables shrimp farmers worldwide to estimate shrimp abundance non-invasively with precision. By utilizing artificial intelligence and image analysis, Minnowtech's solution optimizes feeding regimes, harvest times, and overall farm management, enhancing market-size shrimp production while minimizing risks to juvenile shrimp. This innovative approach addresses a critical challenge in the aquaculture industry, improving farmers' livelihoods and contributing to global food security and marine environment sustainability.
Marinalife
Series A in 2023
Marinalife, LLC, established in 2000 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in providing marina information and cruising concierge services for boaters. As a subsidiary of Snag A Slip, LLC, Marinalife offers a comprehensive suite of travel services, including boat slip reservations and detailed marina information. The Marinalife Cruising Club membership grants boaters access to valuable travel resources, such as trip itineraries and destination guides, aimed at enhancing their boating experiences. Additionally, the company publishes Marinalife magazine, a quarterly travel and lifestyle publication that features engaging articles about marinas, cruising stories, and helpful tips for boaters. Through these offerings, Marinalife aims to support and enrich the boating community.
North American Wave Engine Corporation
Venture Round in 2022
North American Wave Engine Corporation, founded in 2015 and headquartered in College Park, Maryland, specializes in the design and development of innovative wave engines for jet propulsion applications. The company focuses on leveraging recent scientific advancements to create technology that achieves exceptional Thrust-to-Weight and Thrust-Specific Fuel Consumption ratios, all while eliminating the need for moving parts. This approach positions North American Wave Engine at the forefront of propulsion technology, aiming to enhance efficiency and performance in the aerospace sector.
ReGelTec develops injectable hydrogel technology for treating chronic lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease. Its proprietary gel transitions from liquid to solid within the intervertebral disc, mimicking natural disc biomechanics and maintaining spinal motion.
Spine Align
Seed Round in 2020
Spine Align, LLC is a medical device company based in Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 2017. The company specializes in developing innovative imaging technology that provides real-time, three-dimensional measurements of spinal alignment during corrective surgeries. Its flagship product offers on-demand, full-length assessments of a patient's spine, significantly reducing the time required for measurements by 95% and minimizing radiation exposure by 80% compared to traditional methods. By enabling intraoperative alignment measurements, Spine Align aims to assist medical professionals in standardizing outcomes for primary spine surgeries and addressing the high revision rates associated with these procedures.
NextStep Robotics
Convertible Note in 2020
NextStep Robotics Inc. develops a portable ankle rehabilitation device that treats foot drop by providing real‑time, graded assistance during gait training. The system combines advanced robotics with adaptive software that tailors assistance to each patient’s needs and, as more data accumulate, transitions to an AI‑driven platform that optimizes training protocols. Designed for use in outpatient clinics, the device can be operated by lower‑skilled staff, freeing therapists to focus on other modalities. It is classified as a Class 1 exercise device, allowing immediate market entry without FDA approval. The company generates revenue through direct sales or leasing of the hardware, subscription fees for the software, and service contracts, while enabling clinics to bill for gait training under existing CPT codes.
BurnAlong
Venture Round in 2020
BurnAlong, Inc. is a technology company that has developed an online fitness and wellness video application designed to enhance personal well-being through social motivation and tailored fitness experiences. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Pikesville, Maryland, BurnAlong allows users to participate in health and fitness classes via video feed, connecting them with friends, fitness instructors, and a broader community. The platform employs machine learning to provide personalized recommendations, catering to a diverse audience that includes corporate employers, municipalities, insurers, individuals, and senior citizens. By facilitating engaging wellness classes, BurnAlong aims to help individuals achieve their health and wellness goals while promoting a positive culture within organizations.
NextStep Robotics
Seed Round in 2019
NextStep Robotics Inc. develops a portable ankle rehabilitation device that treats foot drop by providing real‑time, graded assistance during gait training. The system combines advanced robotics with adaptive software that tailors assistance to each patient’s needs and, as more data accumulate, transitions to an AI‑driven platform that optimizes training protocols. Designed for use in outpatient clinics, the device can be operated by lower‑skilled staff, freeing therapists to focus on other modalities. It is classified as a Class 1 exercise device, allowing immediate market entry without FDA approval. The company generates revenue through direct sales or leasing of the hardware, subscription fees for the software, and service contracts, while enabling clinics to bill for gait training under existing CPT codes.
Vixiar Medical, established in 2013 and headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, specializes in developing non-invasive, cost-effective devices and systems for monitoring cardiopulmonary diseases. Its flagship product, Indicor, is a handheld point-of-care device and digital platform designed to monitor and manage worsening heart failure. Vixiar's devices aim to enhance clinical workflow and deliver economic value to the healthcare system by enabling monitoring in various settings, including homes, offices, nursing homes, and hospitals.
ReGelTec
Venture Round in 2018
ReGelTec develops injectable hydrogel technology for treating chronic lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease. Its proprietary gel transitions from liquid to solid within the intervertebral disc, mimicking natural disc biomechanics and maintaining spinal motion.
North American Wave Engine Corporation
Venture Round in 2018
North American Wave Engine Corporation, founded in 2015 and headquartered in College Park, Maryland, specializes in the design and development of innovative wave engines for jet propulsion applications. The company focuses on leveraging recent scientific advancements to create technology that achieves exceptional Thrust-to-Weight and Thrust-Specific Fuel Consumption ratios, all while eliminating the need for moving parts. This approach positions North American Wave Engine at the forefront of propulsion technology, aiming to enhance efficiency and performance in the aerospace sector.
University of Maryland
Grant in 2018
Founded in 1856, University of Maryland is a renowned public research university located in College Park, Maryland. It is dedicated to research, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Vixiar Medical, established in 2013 and headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, specializes in developing non-invasive, cost-effective devices and systems for monitoring cardiopulmonary diseases. Its flagship product, Indicor, is a handheld point-of-care device and digital platform designed to monitor and manage worsening heart failure. Vixiar's devices aim to enhance clinical workflow and deliver economic value to the healthcare system by enabling monitoring in various settings, including homes, offices, nursing homes, and hospitals.
Sonavex develops imaging technologies for vascular and surgical care, employing ultrasound to detect postoperative blood clots at the point of care and to measure intravascular flow metrics for timely decision making. It also develops bioresorbable, echogenic devices to mark at-risk vessels and to collect data on arteriovenous fistula flow, diameter, and depth at dialysis clinics to assess maturation and anticipate future complications. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Sonavex focuses on delivering data-driven visualization of vessel health to improve surgical and dialysis patient outcomes.
Loople Mobile
Seed Round in 2016
Loople Mobile is a company that specializes in providing a business intelligence and marketing solution tailored for the alcohol industry. Founded in February 2014 by David Phelan and Philip DiMuro, and based in Baltimore, Maryland, the company has developed a GPS-enabled smartphone application. This application allows users to discover local bars and restaurants, showcasing drink specials, seating arrangements, and other offers. By leveraging digital mapping and personalized food preferences, Loople Mobile enhances the experience of finding suitable dining and drinking establishments, making it easier for individuals to locate venues that match their tastes.
Sonavex
Seed Round in 2015
Sonavex develops imaging technologies for vascular and surgical care, employing ultrasound to detect postoperative blood clots at the point of care and to measure intravascular flow metrics for timely decision making. It also develops bioresorbable, echogenic devices to mark at-risk vessels and to collect data on arteriovenous fistula flow, diameter, and depth at dialysis clinics to assess maturation and anticipate future complications. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Sonavex focuses on delivering data-driven visualization of vessel health to improve surgical and dialysis patient outcomes.
Perceptive Navigation
Seed Round in 2015
Perceptive Navigation LLC is a pre-clinical stage medical device company based in Baltimore, Maryland, focused on developing innovative interventional medical devices for the image-guided surgery market. The company is known for its flagship product, Vu-Path, an intracorporeal ultrasound device that integrates front-viewing ultrasound imaging with a working portal. This unique combination allows for the precise introduction of needles, biopsy instruments, guide wires, and therapeutic agents into the body. Vu-Path aims to enhance the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive procedures across multiple medical disciplines, including radiology, cardiology, interventional oncology, and urology. Traditional imaging techniques often pose challenges such as high costs, complexity, and risks associated with patient safety. Vu-Path addresses these issues by facilitating quicker and safer access to internal organs while reducing the need for extensive training and equipment. With its patented technology, Perceptive Navigation seeks to transform the landscape of interventional medicine, improving outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.
Vasoptic Medical
Seed Round in 2015
Vasoptic Medical Inc. is a medical device company based in Baltimore, Maryland, focused on the non-invasive assessment of blood flow and vascular status through advanced imaging technology. The company's flagship product, the XyCAM Retinal Imager, enables healthcare professionals to visualize retinal blood flow dynamics without the need for contrast agents or pupil dilation. This innovative device offers a low-cost and portable solution for capturing physiological information from the retinal microvasculature, allowing for a quantitative assessment of various ophthalmic and systemic diseases. Vasoptic Medical aims to enhance access to essential eye care by positioning its devices in primary care centers, healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and community clinics worldwide, particularly benefiting at-risk and underserved populations. Since its incorporation in 2012, the company has been dedicated to improving the quality and accessibility of eye examinations.
CoolTech Medical
Grant in 2015
CoolTech Medical is a Baltimore-based company that specializes in transnasal cooling technology aimed at non-invasive fever control and neuroprotection. Founded in 2011, the company has developed the CoolStat device, which is compact, lightweight, and portable, allowing it to be easily transported throughout a hospital with the patient. This innovative device works by delivering filtered, room-temperature air through single-use tubing into the patient's nasal passages, creating an evaporative cooling effect that helps manage body temperature. The technology is particularly beneficial for patients experiencing cardiac arrest or head injuries, as it facilitates rapid cooling to improve outcomes.