TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, announced on October 5, 2026 that it has accepted a Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The funding will expand TEDCO’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Proposal Lab, which helps first-time and early-stage applicants prepare competitive federal funding proposals and strengthen their commercialization strategies.
“The expanded Proposal Lab is designed to support companies beyond the proposal-writing process,” said Julia Deng, TEDCO’s director of SBIR/STTR Programs. “Participants will receive proposal reviews, coaching and commercialization guidance to help them prepare competitive applications and build sustainable business strategies.”
Two Tracks of Support
The Proposal Lab will provide workshops, proposal reviews, and one-on-one guidance to help approximately 20 Maryland companies prepare proposals, prioritizing first-time applicants, early-stage companies, and businesses in communities with historically lower participation in federal research and development programs.
A new Commercialization Assistance track, added with the FAST funding, will provide workshops and mentoring to 10 to 15 Phase I and Phase II awardees. Participants will receive guidance on customer discovery, market validation, partnerships, follow-on funding, and investor presentations.
TEDCO will deliver the initiative with the Maryland Small Business Development Center, the University of Maryland I-Corps Program, and OST Global Solutions, which bring expertise in business advising, commercialization, and federal proposal development.
A Track Record of Federal Wins
From 2018 through 2025, TEDCO’s FAST-supported Proposal Lab assisted more than 190 Maryland small businesses, helping participants secure more than $33 million through 56 Phase I and Phase II awards, with Phase I success rates approximately twice the national average.
“This grant strengthens TEDCO’s ability to connect Maryland entrepreneurs with the resources, expertise and partnership they need to compete for federal research funding,” said TEDCO CEO Troy LeMaile-Stovall. “TEDCO’s efforts have generated an estimated $9.9 billion in economic activity and supported more than 38,000 jobs in Maryland, underscoring the value of helping promising technologies move from research to commercialization.”
About TEDCO
TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, fosters an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem in Maryland, identifying, investing in, and helping grow technology and life science-based companies.
