Highlights & Activities

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

The 19th International Conference on Business Incubation will be one of the largest and best NBIA conferences yet. Don’t miss out on any of these conference highlights.

Sunday, May 15

Baltimore City Tour
1 — 5 p.m.
Get a head start on enjoying all this beautiful city has to offer. First, take a leisurely ride through Baltimore’s neighborhoods to learn about the city’s history and the story behind the revitalized Inner Harbor area. Next, tour the recently renovated Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. Finally, visit the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, which celebrates one of baseball’s most legendary players.
Fee: $60 (includes bus transportation, guides and admission fees)
NOTE: The Baltimore City Tour is currently full. Registration for this event has been closed.

Networking Dinner
6 — 8 p.m.
Connect with colleagues from around the globe! Welcome old friends and make new ones by sharing a meal before the opening reception. Mixing business with pleasure is allowed at this event—be sure to bring business cards and your appetite.
Fee: $65

Opening Reception—NBIA Turns 20!
8 — 10 p.m.
The opening reception is always a fun way to kick off the conference, but this year we have something special to celebrate: NBIA’s 20th anniversary. Keep your eyes open for special displays showcasing the history and achievements of NBIA and the incubation industry. Enjoy this opportunity to chat informally with colleagues while helping NBIA celebrate a major milestone.

Monday, May 16

Keynote Address: Aris Melissaratos
8 — 8:45 a.m.
As secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), Aris Melissaratos knows about stimulating and strengthening economies. He has successfully promoted Maryland as a prime business location by instituting economic development priorities such as technology, manufacturing and minority business development. Melissaratos also founded Armel Private Equity Investments to provide funding and strategic direction to high technology start-ups in fields including information technology, bioscience, sensor systems and environmental infrastructure technologies. With nearly 40 years of experience in business leadership, Melissaratos is a well-respected business visionary.
This keynote is sponsored by Maryland Technology Development Corp..

NBIA Awards Luncheon
Noon — 2 p.m.
Join us at this luncheon for the annual NBIA Incubation Awards ceremony. NBIA will announce the winners of this year's hard-won honors: Incubator of the Year, Outstanding Incubator Client, Outstanding Incubator Graduate, the Incubator Innovation Award and the Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year. Sponsors of this year's NBIA Incubation Awards are the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Friends of University City Science Center and Turnstone, a Steelcase company.

Emerging Technologies Center Incubator Tour
4 — 6 p.m.
Visit the American Can Company, a longtime industrial fixture of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Now completely renovated into an attractive complex of restaurants and shops, the former industrial site is home to one of three Emerging Technology Center locations. Tour the nearly 50,000-square-foot incubator facility, home to more than 15 companies, several of which work with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) technologies through the NASA Incubator Program. The tour also will showcase member programs of the Maryland Business Incubation Association, so participants can learn about the exciting incubation activities occurring throughout the state.

Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards Ceremony
7-9 p.m.
All NBIA conference attendees are invited back to the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel after the incubator tour to attend the annual Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards Ceremony. These awards recognize the achievements of current and graduate Maryland incubator companies. For details on these awards visit www.mdincubatoraward.com.

Tuesday, May 17

Keynote Address: Barry Moltz
8 — 8:45 a.m.
As a veteran of the often-volatile small business world, Barry Moltz has gained valuable expertise on what it takes to start a company. With three of his own business ventures behind him, he now dedicates himself to assisting others in the start-up process. Four years ago, he co-founded the Prairie Angels Capital Fund and he is active in several angel networks. He also shares lessons learned and gives advice through his Web site, a weekly column at ePrairie.com, speaking engagements and his recently published book, You Need to Be A Little Crazy: The Truth About Starting and Growing Your Business.

Venture Capital Showcase and Luncheon
Noon — 2 p.m.
Find out what venture capitalists are really looking for in emerging companies by watching incubator clients pitch their firms to a panel of VC professionals. The panelists’ comments are sure to give you insight on how to prepare your clients to secure the funding they need.
This luncheon is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.

International Reception: Maryland Science Center
7 — 9 p.m.
Take a short stroll along the harbor to the Maryland Science Center and join colleagues for drinks and dessert. Go back 70 million years in time with the “Dinosaur Mysteries” exhibit or simply take in the beautiful harbor view. Relax and enjoy this unique experience with your fellow attendees.
This event is sponsored by ANGLE Technology Group and several Maryland jurisdictional economic development agencies.

Wednesday, May 18

Keynote Address: Freeman Hrabowski
8 — 8:45 a.m.
Freeman Hrabowski promotes economic development in the Baltimore region through university research, technology commercialization, workforce development, and strong partnerships with the corporate community. As president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) since 1992, Hrabowski has been an effective liaison between the university and the community. He serves as a consultant to the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Education. He also is a strong supporter of business incubation in the region, especially through the techcenter@UMBC, which serves more than 30 client companies.

Annapolis and Chesapeake Innovation Center Incubator Tour
1 — 9 p.m.
Follow up your conference learning experience with a relaxing trip to Annapolis, Md., where you will have time to enjoy the area at your leisure. We’ll stop at the Chesapeake Innovation Center (CIC), an innovative incubator focusing on homeland security, defense, communications and information technology. After touring the CIC, you will have the opportunity to tour the United States Naval Academy and free time to wander around Annapolis, the capital of Maryland and a well-known maritime community.
Fee: $60 (includes bus transportation, incubator tour and Naval Academy tour)

Thursday, May 19

Washington, D.C., and Technology Advancement Program Incubator Tour
9 a.m. — 6:30 p.m.
Don’t miss this trip to the capital of the United States and the opportunity to visit a leading incubator. The experience will begin at the University of Maryland, home of Maryland’s first business incubator, the Technology Advancement Program (TAP), for a facility tour. Enjoy light refreshments as you learn about TAP’s long history of success from staff and clients. Next, the bus will continue on to Washington, D.C., for a brief tour before letting you off at the National Mall to explore on your own. The White House, the U.S. Capitol building, various memorials and Smithsonian Institution museums are all within walking distance.
Fee: $70 (includes bus transportation and incubator tour)