What Does Baltimore’s New “Bold Moves” Brand Mean for Biotechnology and Life Sciences?

The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) launched a transformative economic branding initiative—“Bold Moves”—at its second annual Pulse Check this week at Towson University, where over 400 business and civic leaders gathered. 

The Bold Moves brand positions the Baltimore region as a premier destination for business investment, this branding effort, coupled with a $4.4 billion investment scorecard, signals a strategic push to attract capital, talent, and innovation. There is no reason that Baltimore should not be at the top of many lists for business investment given the many strategic assets the region holds, including world leading health systems and research universiteis, world leading logistics and transportation centers, DoD and Federal assets working on bleeding edge reserach and technology advancements, and a cross section of industries from Biotechnology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Cyber Secruity, Quantum Computing, Aerospace and Defense, Finance and Technology.

As we all fully embrace bold moves for the future of this region, what does this mean for the biotechnology and life sciences sector, one of Maryland’s most critical economic engines?

The biotechnology and life sciences industry has faced more than two years of sluggish investment and layoffs. Now in 2025, Federal budget cuts that have further slashed hundreds of millions of federal research dollars from the universities and startups that are so critical to fueling the innovation pipeline for the industry. 

While biotech thrives on innovation, it is also one of the most capital-intensive and risk-averse industries, requiring long development timelines, regulatory hurdles, and sustained funding. The question isn’t just whether Baltimore’s biotech sector can be bold, but rather, can this new economic positioning help biotech companies secure the capital, talent, and infrastructure needed to be innovation leaders and sustain for long-term success?

What Bold Moves Will Spur a Rising the Tide?

The life sciences industry has been in a state of contraction for two years. Venture capital funding, which hit record highs in 2020 and 2021, has dropped significantly, leading to waves of layoffs and struggles for startups, especially those in early stage pre-seed to Series B funding rounds. Many biotech firms have slowed hiring, shut down R&D programs, or pivoted to more conservative business models due to lack of capital and investor skepticism.

For Baltimore’s Bold Moves brand to create an impact within this sector, there are four key areas that we can focus on.

1. A Bold Culture Rooted in the Universities and Embraced by Investors

In Boston, it’s well documented that PhDs are encouraged to be bold and tackle big, challenging science that advances the field. The result is wave after wave of biotech entrepreneurs who start their careers swinging for the proverbial fence. These young entrepreneurs are also embraced by the investment community ready to take big bets, knowing that they will most likely fail. Both boldness and failure is celebrated and worn like a badge of honor in that ecosystem. 

In contrast, the culture in the Baltimore regional ecosystem has historically been more pragmatic and cautious. With some exceptions, the startups emerging from local universities often have a more pragmatic approach, and instead of the high risk-high reward deals we see in the top markets, investors and funders in the region seek smaller, derisked, and safer investments. In today’s investment landscape, it’s the bold bets and bigger deals that are getting funded. If Baltimore is going to be Bold, there is a holistic culture shift that has to happen across the ecosystem.

2. Bold Investment: Is Baltimore Positioned to Attract Biotech Capital?

Biotech investors are more risk-averse than ever, prioritizing later-stage companies. The early stage investing that is happening seems to be going to the most innovative startups and companies leveraging AI and deep tech to transform the field. Baltimore’s new branding needs to inspire commercialization leaders, industry and government movers to develop tangible incentives and programs, de-risking mechanisms, and ecosystem advantages to attract good investment.

Some steps that could reinforce Baltimore’s biotech investment appeal:

• Dedicated biotech venture funds: Similar to what other markets have done, can the city or state leverage public-private partnerships to create significant investment vehicles specifically for early-stage biotech?  TEDCO has clearly led the way with their support for early university commercialization grants and seed funding, but how can we build on this to enable bold science and bold ideas to get the larger founding rounds that are needed?  ETC Baltimore, which was re-launched under Arti Santhinam, PhD as a Venture Studio for MedTech/HealthTech is a great example of a vehicle that needs more support than the small city-sponsored fund they have today. These dedicated venture funds could be a game changer.

• More non-dilutive funding options: Grants, tax incentives, and incubator programs can help ease the burden on startups seeking capital.  The new Baltimore Innovation Innitiative (BII) being formed by TEDCO is a great example of this. UMB also has the Baltimore Fund.  How can these programs grow and expand?

• Support more private funds to lead: Investors need to see that other professional investors are betting on Baltimore. What incentives can we create that will help more LPs to get into the game and help to grow professional investment funds with a focus, but not limitation, on Baltimore? Look to what Blackbird Labtoratories is doing, or the work of Ecphora Capital under Deborah Hemingway, PhD for exampel.  How can we support these investors and attract more of them.

  

3. Leveraging Baltimore’s Medtech & Diagnostics Legacy

Baltimore is known for its rich history in medical technology and diagnostics, from Becton Dickinson’s (BD) legacy in diagnostics to Johns Hopkins’ groundbreaking oncology diagnostics spin-outs such as PGDx, Thrive Earlier Detection, Haystack Oncology.

Johns Hopkins has been a world leader in oncology diagnostics, consistently spinning out companies that revolutionize early cancer detection, personalized medicine, and liquid biopsy technologies. The city’s Bold Moves strategy should emphasize this historical strength while modernizing it for today’s market with AI-enabled precision health.  City Garage, home to the Launchport, has become a burgenoing hub for medtech companies that are ready to grow such as Coaptech, Novel Microdevices and Longeviti. How do we strategically build around these centers to create exponential impact?

Neurotech is another niche that Baltimore has the potential to be a world leader in, with some of the top neurosurgeons and researchers based at Johns Hopkins. This momentum can be built upon with programs like Neurotech Harbor, as well as the success of industry leaders like Longeviti. Specializing in cranial implants, neurosurgical reconstruction, and neurotechnology integration, Longeviti is known for its advanced implantable medical devices that enhance both functionality and aesthetics for patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures.

4. Build stuff that Matters: BioManufacturing as Baltimore’s Competitive Edge

While early-stage biotech has been struggling, biopharmaceutical and advanced manufacturing have been expanding—and this could be Baltimore’s strongest play.

Maryland already has a strong foundation in biotech manufacturing, with key players like:

• Syngene (vaccine manufacturing) that just announced the acquisiton of the former Emergent BioSolutions CDMO that will bring hundres ot jobs back to Baltimore.

• Catalent Gene Therapy (viral vector manufacturing)

• Bora Pharmaceuticals (fill-finish CDMO) that acquired the Camden facility in South Baltimore from Emergent BioSolutions in 2024.

With 1 in every 7 investment dollars in Baltimore now going toward manufacturing, this sector offers a more stable, scalable, and risk-adjusted growth path for the region’s biotech industry. By doubling down on manufacturing would leverage the region’s rich history while creating hundreds of great jobs.

Key opportunities in biotech manufacturing for Baltimore:

• Biomaterials production: A fast-growing area that requires specialized facilities and talent and leverages the region’s DoD and Textile assets.

• Biologics and advanced therapies manufacturing: Leveraging existing expertise in immunology and infectious disease.

• Medtech and diagnostics production: Expanding Baltimore’s historical strengths in this area.

Final Thoughts: Can Baltimore’s Boldness Translate into Biotech Growth?

For the life sciences industry, all of the stakeholders in Baltimore must commit to a shifting culture, real structural investments, embracing industry to take a lead position, long-term economic planning, and working together. At BioBuzz, we support Mark Anthony Thomas' leadership and incredible work that the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) is doing to support and invest in life sciences as one of the key industries for our region.

We believe that storytelling, community building and talent are important elements that need to be fostered in order to achieve a bold new path forward. It’s time to celebrate the bold entrepreneurs, bold investors, and the bold leaders who have come before that are now re-investing in the local startups with their money, time and lessons learned. 

The biggest opportunities lie in:
✅ Expanding biotech manufacturing and scaling capacity
✅ Positioning Baltimore as a leader in medtech and diagnostics innovation
✅ Developing targeted investment incentives for biotech startups
✅ Strengthening public-private partnerships to create a more resilient ecosystem

Baltimore has all the ingredients for biotech success—top-tier research institutions, a skilled workforce, and strategic location advantages. If the city can pair a strong bold vision with actionable, bold investment strategies, I fully believe that it has a chance to emerge as a formidable biotech and life sciences hub in the years ahead.

If you have thoughts on this that you want to share, let us know and we'd love to give your voice a platform.  We welcome editorials and guest posts to weigh in on all of these important topics.  Just contact us at media@biobuzz.io.

Chris Frew, Founder
BioBuzz Networks, Inc.