We've go mojo, Baltimore!

2021 was a breakout year for Baltimore. At year-end, there were 261 funded startups, up 36% since last year, and they raised an eye-popping $825 million, up 161% over 2020′s total. That puts us ahead of cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh, against whom we're often measured. And Baltimore saw seven deals greater than $100 million in the past twelve months, compared to only one in the prior five years from 2016-2020.

UpSurge also passed its one year mark! How have we done? We've shared stats on our progress and on all of Baltimore tech in a new report: A Perspective on Baltimore’s Startup Ecosystem in 2022. 

As a city, we have momentum, but we are still in the early going of a long journey toward the Equitech vision.  We don't expect it to be a straight line...so it's time to put our shoulders down, and lean into the momentum. With the talent, determination and brainpower across our city, we can do this. 

New UpSurge/Techstars Brown Bag Lunches

• During May, UpSurge and Techstars will host 4 workshops in the UpSurge Offices at Railway Express. Space is limited so sign up early! Join us for:
  • Negotiating Contracts on May 2
  • Creating Stories for Reporters on May 9
  • Working with Big Corporates on May 12
  • How to Hire on May 24.

 What's UP: Founders

• “We’re proud to be a Baltimore company that exports globally, and that’s not going to change,” according to Carolyn Yarina, CEO of Sisu Global Health, which has raised nearly $1mm since last April. And we're proud of the work you are doing to keep blood supplies available around the world, Sisu!
• Congrats to Iman Carr and Shakeel Alexander, cofounders of Blvck Door, who won the top prize of $40,000 for their online platform in MICA's 2022 UP/Start Venture Competition.
• 🎉 Five startups — BUKU, G-Haven eSports, impathi, 6DGRS and Opal HTM —marked their recent graduation from the AccelerateBaltimore program with a demo night.
• Shoutout to Yair Flicker, President and founder of SmartLogic, for helping World Central Kitchen feed refugees in Ukraine and Poland.
• Stanley Access Technologies, an automatic entrance solutions business from Stanley Black & Decker, was acquired by Allegion for $900M! 🤑

Want an intro to any of these companies? Send us a note!

What's UP: Funders

• 💸 NEA led a $4.5M Seed round for Glacier, a startup working on AI-powered robotic waste technology, and led a $12M Series A for long-range 3D vision tech provider, NODAR. The VC firm also joined a $150M Series C for web3 avatar ecosystem company, Genies. 
• T. Rowe Price joined a $300M Series C raise for Tessera Therapeutics.
• Catalio Capital Management led an $80M Series B funding round for data-driven therapeutics company, Octant.
• NextGen Venture Partners participated in a $47M Series C round for Trace, which provides personalized video game experiences. 🎮
• With a recent raise of a $157M fund, Savano Capital Partners is gearing up to invest in founders and early investors of tech companies.

What's UP: Friends

• Thanks to $2.5M in new capital for BioHub Maryland, the Maryland Tech Council has more than doubled its funding so far this year. 💰💰
• The University of Maryland Medical System is partnering with WeSolar Inc.. to build a solar energy farm that will generate power for UMMS's Baltimore area hospital system.
• Baltimore Design School launched the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab, a new center for students to experience tech including AR/VR equipment, 3D printers, and robotics kits.
• 🚝🚍 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg paid a visit to Morgan State University's National Transportation Center to see the government-funded environmental and infrastructure studies students are working on.

Heads UP: Opportunities

• UpSurge is hiring for four key roles. Check out descriptions of all the positions and apply to join the team!
• The new AWS Impact Accelerator is committing $30M+ over the next three years to early stage startups led by founders from underrepresented communities.
• Visible Hands' startup accelerator for founders whose gender and/or racial identity is underrepresented in tech is looking for candidates to join the upcoming cohort. Apply or nominate a founder before May 13.
• 🎤 Pitch Night is back! If you're looking for feedback on your pitch, complete this form by May 17, then join ETC and Squadra Ventures for an Open Mic Pitch Night on May 18.
• Applications are open for Techstars powered by J.P. Morgan accelerator programs in Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and Miami. 🌎

Heads UP: Events

• Hear pitches and meet with founders of Loyola University's Baltipreneurs Accelerator at their demo day tomorrow, April 27.
• Black Tech Policy Week, a free and live virtual gathering that places Black Lives at the epicenter of tech policy, is taking place April 25 - 29. 
• Join the Baltimore Regional Tech Council, a chapter of Maryland Tech Council, for its Kick-off Event on May 3 to learn about opportunities your company, challenges in the region, future events, and more. Use discount code “UPSURGE" for $15 off the ticket price. 🎫
• 🐡🐙🐳 The Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) is holding an open house on May 7, with hands-on science activities for all ages.

Rise UP: Learn

• The need for blood in medical treatments, especially during the pandemic and multiple ongoing crises worldwide, cannot be met with the available supply. While there are scientific complexities, research on synthetic blood substitutes is advancing rapidly. 

Catch UP: Media

• The Maryland Makerspace Initiative passed during this year's legislative session will provide $5M to help expand makerspaces across the state.
• 🏫🎒 A sixth-grade science teacher at Hamilton Elementary/Middle School won $30,000 from the CIA's Mission Possible Makerspace Nation competition that will help equip the school with the latest in edtech. 

The UpShot is Baltimore’s Equitech ecosystem news, curated for startups, founders, funders and friends, all working together to build the country’s first Equitech City. ↗️↗️↗️