Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII)

The Maryland Innovation Initiative is TEDCO's university technology transfer grant program for inventions licensed from five qualifying Maryland research universities: Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, the University of Maryland Baltimore, UMBC, and the University of Maryland College Park. It is designed to move faculty research toward commercialization and startup formation rather than to fund open-ended laboratory work. The program has two phases. Technology Assessment offers up to $130,000 for sole applications or $180,000 for joint applications over nine months, while Company Formation offers up to $300,000 over nine months for Maryland-based startups that licensed the technology within the previous 12 months. Deadlines are quarterly on January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15 at 5:00 PM ET, and applicants must register a TEDCO ID and engage a Site Miner at least 30 days before submission. MII is strongest when a university invention already has a clear commercial path and the team can move quickly on licensing, market validation, and startup formation. The first phase suits faculty who need to test the opportunity before company creation; the second suits startups that can show a recent license and a credible plan to build around it. Applicants that start early, line up institutional support, and treat the Site Miner step as part of the process rather than a formality are better positioned to keep momentum across both phases.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.