The new Harford Business Innovation Center (HBIC), a technology business incubator designed to accelerate the development of small defense contractors and early-stage technology ventures, opens this spring in the Riverside Business Park in Belcamp, MD, near Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). Companies at HBIC will be pursuing business opportunities at APG and in emerging technology markets.

“The attraction of growth-oriented, innovative companies to HBIC today positions Harford County to expand its business base as these companies grow in the County tomorrow,” said Jill McClune, HBIC President. HBIC will provide business support services and fully-wired office and conference facilities for 12-15 client companies at a 12,000 square foot facility in Belcamp, MD. Tailored business services available on flexible terms include training and mentoring in business planning, business networking, strategic teaming, marketing and sales, technical development, product development, legal and compliance issues, and federal contract accounting. These services will be available to resident and non-resident or affiliate participants in the HBIC program.

The HBIC targets early-stage technology companies and defense contractors in engineering, computer systems and software development, management and technical consulting, scientific research and development, as well as wired and wireless telecommunications and telecommunications services.

HBIC builds on the success of the County’s original technology incubator program whichoperated for a decade at the Higher Education and Applied Technology (HEAT) Centerin Aberdeen, assisting 14 companies and creating nearly 100 jobs.A Maryland non-profit organization, HBIC is managed by its own staff and board ofdirectors. The HBIC board president is Jill McClune of Smiths Detection, the vicepresident is Mike Parker of SAIC, the treasurer is Content McLaughlin of Whiteford,Taylor and Preston LLP and the secretary is Randy Rippin of RTR Technologies, Inc.

HBIC was established with the support of the Harford County Executive, the Harford County Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB), the Harford County Office of Economic Development (OED), and a number of state and local partners, including the Northeastern Maryland Technology Council (NMTC) and SURVICE Engineering Company.