BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The technology industry is already a significant contributor to Maryland’s economy, but the state has the means to support even more technology-based businesses, a recent economic survey says.

Maryland’s technology incubators employ more than 14,000 people in the state and result in annual total gross state product contributions of $1.2 billion, according to a report recently commissioned by the Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO).

TEDCO is a source of funding in Maryland for seed capital and entrepreneurial business assistance for the development, transfer and commercialization of technology.

The Columbia organization connects emerging technology companies with any of Maryland’s 18 business incubators, including the Emerging Technology Center in Baltimore, the UMBC Technology Center in Catonsville and the Maryland Technology Center in Rockville.

Renee Winsky, president and executive director of TEDCO, said four more incubator projects are in the works in Maryland.

“We’re going to appeal to the General Assembly for additional funding for these incubators,” Winsky said. “This study shows these incubators have a real economic impact in Maryland.”

According to the economic impact survey, technology jobs contributed to $845 million in salary and benefits to Maryland residents last year. The average annual salary for a technology job is $75,000.

Some of the companies that have benefited from Maryland’s technology incubator system are Lentigen Corp., which develops advanced treatments for HIV and influenza; BioFortis, which provides Web-based software programs that enable real-time research collaborations among labs; and LiveHealthier, which provides employee wellness programs for large, global corporations.

“Starting my own company is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done, but it’s absolutely terrifying at times,” said Mary Moslander, president and CEO of Rockville-based LiveHealthier. “The incubator process helps you build an infrastructure while you focus on developing the business.”

The process helps companies with office space, staffing and entrepreneurial encouragement, Moslander said.

“The networking and infrastructure from the incubator process is so important to startup businesses,” she said.

acannarsa@baltimoreexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

11:04 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 14, 2008 re: "Brisbane to gauge baylands wind flow"

Examiner Reader said:
Wind turbines certainly generate clean energy (preferrable), but I wish leaders would allocate some of their design engineers to study how to protect the wildlife (birds) fatalities. It seems easy enough to place a cage around the turbines, just like the smaller, domestic models that protect children from getting their fingers clipped by the fan blades. I'm sure there's a way to make this look attractive in a super-size turbine.

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11:46 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 10, 2008 re: "Defense, technology firms� needs make Baltimore the place to be for IT positions"

Examiner Reader said:
The Dice Report. �Baltimore-Washington has the third-highest average salary for IT professionals at $81,750 a year, ahead of the national average of $74,570.� WOW and yet the jobs which I applied for are paying way below the average. Usually a company asked what salary range I'm looking for, and usually that's a sign of we can't afford you. I answered negotiable, they pursuit for a number. When I give them a number I don't hear from them. Most of the positions I come across are bombarded with responsibilities and has a failure of matching the pay.

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11:07 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 24, 2008 re: "U.Md. study shows MBAs lead to higher salaries in IT sector"

Terence said:
What the article failed to address is that if you have an a non-business major and have an engineering or computer science degree, it is advisable to pursue an MBA degree and as such you would tend to pursue something like an IT degree and in that case, the jump in salary is significant. If you have a business undergrad in IT and pursue an MBA, that jump is significantly less. I still do not understand why students would do both an undergrad and grad in business. Really the textbooks are almost the same, the delivery is the difference. In some cases, classes are cross-taught at both the undergrad and grad. Pursuing a masters of science in marketing, operations and IT is the appropriate route not an MBA for undegrad in business. Just IMHO

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7:34 AM MST on Thu., Mar. 13, 2008 re: "Businesses, educators agree they must unite to address tech job shortage"

Iconic Xer. said:
I find this story missing a critical and informative element. Sure, tech companies and institutions such as NASA may be losing *employees* to retirement. But that doesn't mean there aren't *lots* of tech professionals around. Quite the opposite. There's an abundance of them. Companies have got to change their cultures, compensation and engagement of workers to be in alignment with the preference of many tech professionals to work outside of organizations, to work for multiple companies, to be flexible, nimble and not dependent on one industry or company for survival. It's a generational thing, really, with your GenXers (27-47 in 2008) heavily leaning in this direction. Re: the lack of kids entering STEM. It has nothing to do with them not wanting to be cool. They are achievement, affluence and team-oriented. Sing their song and they'll come in droves. Sing *your* song & they won't hear you ... or even bother trying. And, mistakenly, you'll conclude they're not interested. What

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10:17 AM MST on Fri., May. 11, 2007 re: "Schools to lease land for phone towers"

Examiner Reader said:
Possible health risk of cancer too! See international studies.

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9:26 AM MST on Fri., May. 11, 2007 re: "Schools to lease land for phone towers"

Examiner Reader said:
You can't stop it now and usually there is a reason its done that way

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