The University System of Maryland (USM) Launch Fund connects early stage entrepreneurs — builders, creators, and innovators — to existing resources, mentorship, and capital. It creates a new capital source designed to fill gaps and connect to other capital and resources. The program is administered by the USM Office of Research and Economic Development.

See the first round of awardees here!

Who?

The Maryland Launch Fund is a program committed to support USM-affiliated (for-profit or non-profit) ventures.

USM institutions include Bowie State University; Coppin State University; Frostburg State University; Salisbury University; Towson University; University of Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; University of Maryland Global Campus; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. USM also includes 3 Regional Higher Education Institutions: Universities at Shady Grove, University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, and University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland.

All recipients must have a substantial portion of its manufacturing, service, research and development, or office space located in Maryland.

There are several ways to qualify for USM affiliation:

• Ventures founded by USM students, faculty, other employees, or alumni or former students (just one is enough!)
• Ventures based on USM intellectual property-based ventures; or
• Ventures **physically located** in a USM research park, incubator, or RISE Zone.

What?

This capital is flexible and early, in the form of grants (non-dilutive) and investments (dilutive) ranging from less than $2,000 microgrants to grants and investments of generally up to $50,000. This small, early capital is currently a key gap experienced by many individuals getting started and on their way with a venture. This critical foundational capital (including pre-venture funding, first money in, and pre-seed funding) bridges to next-step capital (including revenue/sustainability, bank financing, and seed funding). An info session was held on May 2 via Zoom. See the Info Session materials here. Note: Dilutive investments have yet to be deployed, and the strategy and parameters around are being further refined for the next round.

How and When?

The spring applications window for funding for ventures has passed.

The following groups are welcome to continue to register in order to be notified of future funding opportunities:

• Students and employees who do not have a venture yet and are looking for less than $2,000
• Employees who are looking for funding that would go through the university and not a venture ($2-50k)
• Ventures that meet the qualifications in the “Who?” section and would like to be notified when the next deadline is set.

The frequency and next deadlines have not yet been established, but will likely be late in calendar year 2023 or early in calendar year 2024. The vision is for funding to be available more frequently than twice a year (at least!) in 2024.