Howard County to Open a Center for Entrepreneurship

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced Wednesday the launch of a county entrepreneuriship center that will be dedicated to economic development throughout the state. 

The Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship will be dedicated to strengthening economic development opportunities by fostering innovation at the local level, "bringing together the entrepreneurial ecosystem to create a pervasive culture of entrepreneurship across the county and the state," according to a press release.

The center will comprise the business incubator (formerly the NeoTech Incubator), the Business Resource Center, the Howard Technology Council and the Catalyst Loan Fund.

"Howard County has earned the reputation of being an important, strategic region to cultivate, support, and bolster innovative ideas and companies across the entire State," Ulman stated in the release. 

Julie Lenzer Kirk will serve as executive director of the organization.

According to the release, Kirk has taught at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and is the co-founder of the Path Forward Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit that develops and delivers innovative programs to expand economic opportunity for women through entrepreneurship.

"As an entrepreneur myself, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to bring together the resources I wish I had when launching my first business 16 years ago," Kirk stated. "The raw materials are here in Howard County, and I’m looking forward to working on the [Economic Development Authority] team to help businesses thrive."