Milestone Sports and Vheda Health among Winners from the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship
Columbia, MD (June 8, 2015) – The Howard County Economic Development Authority is proud to announce that two Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship (MCE) companies are among the winners of the 15th annual Incubator Company of the Year Awards.
Milestone Sports was named Best Consumer Goods Company. Milestone Sports, Ltd. designs wearable technology to help retailers and brands drive loyalty. The running device accurately tracks mileage; stride length, cadence, whether the toes and heel are striking the ground properly and more.
Vheda Health won in the Best Health Technology category. Vheda Health has gained national recognition for developing clinically validated mobile interventions that increase the quality of life for patients and lower hospitalization costs.
Both businesses are residents at the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship in Columbia, Maryland, and among 8 firms with ties to the MCE that were finalists in the competition.
“Our team at the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship does a tremendous job of working with early stage companies and startups to prepare them to compete in the marketplace,” said Lawrence F. Twele, Chief Executive Officer of the Howard County Economic Development Authority. “Competitions like the ICOY awards are a tremendous gauge of how well we are performing, and we salute the winners for their innovation and the progress they’ve made in developing their businesses.”
“The 2015 Incubator Company of the Year winners represent the most outstanding group of startups in the State,” said Rob Rosenbaum, president and executive director of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), one of the sponsors of the annual completion.
Winning companies were selected based on their goals and success in achieving their objectives. Judges considered factors such as technology or product development, intellectual property, increase in employee numbers, growth in revenue or earnings, engagement of significant customers and strategic partners, receipt of awards or grants, attraction of outside investors, innovation, self-sufficiency, impact on the region and usage of the incubator’s services.
Other categories included, Best Life Sciences Company, Best New Incubator Company, Best Technology Company and Best Technology Services Company. The awards, chosen by a selection committee of regional industry leaders and early-stage investors, recognized the achievements of current and graduate companies within Maryland’s incubators.
