Business Incubation

Frederick County Innovative Technology Center, Inc

Start-up companies prosper in Frederick County thanks in part to resources like the County’s first business incubator, the Frederick County Innovative Technology Center, Inc (FITCI). FITCI’s mission is to encourage technological innovation and accelerate the development of commercially viable businesses in bioscience and technology, all within a nourishing, collaborative environment focused on coaching, connection, and equitable access to capital and resources. 

Business incubators drastically reduce the risk of small business failures by providing entrepreneurs with the tools necessary to create a solid business foundation. 

FITCI supports a broad range of early-stage Life Science and Technology companies, including start-ups in Biomedicine, Agricultural Technology and Renewable Energy, by offering office and wet lab space, business services, and strategic support to local entrepreneurs. 

FITCI has two locations – 4359 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704 to serve bioscience companies and a dedicated tech incubator at 118 N. Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701. 

Its new community innovation center, FITCI’s EDGE@321, launches in mid-2023. 

FITCI Graduate Success Stories

THERADAPTIVE specializes in innovative protein engineering. Their computational platform converts recombinant proteins into material-binding variants that can be used to coat implants, devices, and injectable carriers. This novel and unprecedented method enables delivery of therapeutics to any location in the body with precision. The technology can be used to re-grow bone and salvage limbs that would otherwise need to be amputated. A veteran-led company, Theradaptive graduated from FITCI in 2019 and has more than 20 employees. The company raised $32 million to date and expects to start clinical trials in 2023. 

SERVEFED came to FITCI with 4 employees in 2016 and graduated in 2021 with more than 400 associates. ServeFed provides occupational health services nationwide to federal employees and corporate employees for Fortune 500 companies. The company also offers hospital administrative support as well as information technology and management consulting. It is categorized as a small disadvantaged business by the SBA. 

ROOSTERBIO radically simplifies the use of adult human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) to propel the commercialization of therapeutic technologies. By making access to living cells easier, more affordable and with highest quality, RoosterBio is transforming the regenerative medicine industry. This technology, in turn, accelerates the number of products brought to market by their 300+ global customers. Since graduating in 2017, RoosterBio has grown swiftly and was named one of Frederick’s best places to work. 

BIOFACTURA is a developer of high-value biosimilar and biodefense drugs with over $75 million in grant and contracts awarded to date. For more than 15 years, BioFactura has advanced life-saving medicines from research to patient using its innovative drug and vaccine development and manufacturing technologies. Current and past programs include biodefense drugs against smallpox, Ebola, and Marburg virus, as well as novel medicines for cancer, and low-cost/high-quality biosimilars for autoimmune and infectious diseases. 

BIOELECTRONICS CORP. is a Frederick County “Top 50 Innovative Businesses” winner for its award-winning consumer medical devices designed to treat both acute and chronic pain. BioElectronics’ medical devices are a pioneering advancement of pulsed shortwave therapy. Their products are U.S. FDA cleared, non-invasive, drug free, and can be used for post-operative pain, musculoskeletal complaints, and wound care while reducing the need for other medications, including opioids. 

DATAKWIP is changing the way the world views energy.  The company works with building owners, property managers, asset managers, building engineers, and heads of sustainability to breakdown the complexities of day-to-day building operations, maximize efficiency, and reduce energy impact. With Datakwip's integration and analytical capabilities, building owners and engineers could find ways to detect, plan, implement, and track energy improvements in their facilities – saving money and reducing environmental impacts. 

WGS SYSTEMS, LLC provides services to United States intelligence, military, and homeland security organizations as a premier developer of integrated surveillance and reconnaissance systems on manned and unmanned airborne, ground, surface, and man-packable platforms. The company offers engineering and scientific support, program and project management, engineering management, contracting management, business development and training. WGS Systems achieved AS9100 Certification in 2022. With in-depth understanding of RF propagation, protocols and data, WGS is capable of architecting and implementing end-to-end assured data networks for mission critical applications. WGS started at FITCI in 2008 with 3 partners and has grown to over 26 employees. 

AKONNI BIOSYSTEMS is a private corporation that is developing and commercializing novel microarray-based systems that rapidly and economically analyze complex samples such as those used to diagnose diseases in near point-of-care and centralized medical settings and in immigrant screening or analysis of materials in industrial manufacturing processes.  One primary use of their products will be to provide low cost, rapid, and comprehensive testing for diseases at a doctor's office — often during the patient's visit. Presently, Akonni Biosystems has over 40 patents issued. 
 
Akonni Biosystems started with 3 employees at FITCI’s Hood College location and has now grown to over 36 employees. They are currently renting 20,000 square feet of office space in downtown Frederick and have received institutional investments totaling over $17 million.