The Maryland Business Innovation Challenge (MDBIC), a unique program that will bring together the state’s corporate community with local innovators to solve real-time business challenges, launched today. The Maryland Department of Commerce is partnering with the Maryland Business Innovation Association (MBIA) on the program.

Through this initiative, larger corporations will submit “challenge statements” that will be distributed throughout the state’s innovation network. In response, Maryland’s innovation community – including startups, academia, and other small businesses – will pitch potential solutions. Participating corporations will benefit from access to talent, technology, and new ideas that may not be realized within their internal R&D efforts. Innovators will benefit from new professional relationships, customer feedback, market exposure, and ultimately unique and significant business opportunities.

Currently, IBM and Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, have committed to be MDBIC’s premier “Corporate Challengers.”

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE