Silver Spring-based debit card provider, Future, the movement to accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy through financial rewards, has raised $5.3M in seed funding. Led by Accomplice, with participation from Active Impact Investments, Techstars Ventures, Urban Impact Ventures, Climate Capital, and the author, activist, and host Baratunde Thurston. Per the press release: Future is empowering consumers to reduce their carbon emissions and earn extra cash. While most cards give the highest rewards for activities with a high carbon footprint, like flying or filling up your tank, FutureCard Visa Card gives its highest rewards in the fast-growing low-carbon economy. Future offers up to 6% cashback on greener alternatives to everyday spending across transportation, food, fashion, devices, beauty, and furniture. There’s no interest, and Future doesn’t use members’ points to plant trees or buy other carbon offsets. Instead, the focus is on making low-carbon products and services more readily accessible for families and individuals across America. “We are thrilled to lead this investment in Future,” said Ryan Moore, Co-founder of Accomplice. “More and more consumers across the country are looking for simple and rewarding ways to do right by our planet. Future is building a new category of financial product that helps them do just that.” Future was founded in the fall of 2021 by Jean-Louis Warnholz and Kamal Bhattacharya and has since grown to over 20 team members across product and engineering, growth, partnerships, and operations. “There’s a common misconception that reducing carbon emissions in our day-to-day life is hard and expensive,” said Jean-Louis Warnholz, Future’s CEO. “Future is on a mission to change that by connecting our members with brands, products, and services that are good for your wallet and good for the planet.” With this seed round of funding, Future will launch even more rewarding ways to tackle climate change and will add more game-changing brands to the rewards ecosystem. Current FuturePartners, with elevated 6x rewards and weekly raffles, include Back Market, Rad Power Bikes, Just Salad, Ministry of Supply, For Days, Earth Hero, Fulton, Everlasting Wardrobe, and Hilos. To learn more about Future and to reserve a FutureCard, click here“There has been so much innovation in expanding low-carbon choices for consumers, from plant-based protein and circular fashion to electric mobility,” said Mike Winterfield, Founder of climate VC Active Impact Investments. “Future is leveraging AI to maximize the benefits of the emerging low-carbon economy for consumers and the planet.”


Gaithersburg-based miRecule, Inc., an innovator of next-generation RNA therapeutics, earlier this week announced a strategic collaboration and exclusive license agreement with Sanofi to develop and commercialize a best-in-class antibody-RNA conjugate (ARC) for the treatment of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The collaboration marks miRecule’s first licensing transaction leveraging its proprietary DREAmiR platform. It was first reported by BizJournals.

Per miRecule’s press release: FSHD is the second most common type of muscular dystrophy – affecting more than one million individuals worldwide with no approved treatments. Patients with causative genetic mutations experience lifelong deterioration of muscle function and progressive disability. The collaboration will combine miRecule’s anti-DUX4 RNA therapy (discovered through its proprietary DREAmiR platform) with Sanofi’s proprietary muscle-targeted NANOBODY technology to join the two molecules into an ARC utilizing miRecule’s NAVIgGatorTM conjugation and formulation chemistry. The potential resulting best- in-class therapy may become a disease-modifying treatment that selectively targets and suppresses the underlying cause of FSHD in muscle tissue. This groundbreaking approach would enable FSHD patients to resume their normal course of aging free from the debilitating effects of this progressive disease.


Gaithersburg-based Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine was approved a few months back, but is not receiving the demand the company expected, according to a report from FiercePharma. Due to the low demand for the vaccine, which has been approved for first and second doses, but not as a booster, Novavax is terminating its supply agreement with manufacturing partner Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. Novavax may have to pay early termination fees up to $185 million. According to BizJournals, “The Gaithersburg company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Thursday that the contract, which dates to June 2020, was terminated on Sept. 30. Under an agreement struck in August 2021, Fujifilm was to continue manufacturing the antigen component of Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine through 2025, according to SEC filings.”

The security filing can be seen here: “On September 30, 2022, Novavax, Inc. (the “Company”), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies UK Limited (“FDBK”), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, LLC (“FDBT”) and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies USA, Inc. (“FDBU” and together with FDBK and FDBT, “Fujifilm”) entered into a Confidential Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Settlement Agreement”) regarding amounts due to Fujifilm in connection with the termination of manufacturing activity at FDBT under the Commercial Supply Agreement (the “CSA”) dated August 20, 2021 and Master Services Agreement dated June 30, 2020 and associated statements of work (the “MSA”) by and between the Company and Fujifilm.


In August we let you know of a joint-venture between Minkoff Development and South Duvall signing a lease with Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) to build a 140,000 square foot build-to-suit project on Montgomery College’s Germantown Campus. The Hughes Network Systems Sattelite Production Facility broke ground on Monday and will be bringing approximately 300 jobs to Germantown, according to Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce CEO, Marilyn Balcombe.

The campus currently is home to the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC) with Holy Cross Germantown Hospital as its anchor tenant. Located at 19710 Observation Drive in Germantown, Maryland, adjacent to the Hughes headquarters complex (11717 Exploration Lane), the new high-tech manufacturing building will house production of Hughes satellite broadband and networking equipment.


We spoke with a representative from a Montgomery County Sport & Health location on Friday who confirmed that all Sport & Health locations will be rebranding to Onelife Fitness gyms. Currently, Montgomery County is home to two Sport & Health locations- Bethesda and North Bethesda. We were told that notice will go out to existing members on October 1st announcing the change and providing additional information to members.

Back in 2014 US Fitness added Sport & Health to its portfolio of clubs, creating one of the largest health club companies in the country.  US Fitness, a partnership between industry veterans Kirk and John Galiani and New Evolution Ventures, operates Onelife Fitness and Crunch Fitness clubs throughout Virginia and Washington, DC under the leadership of the Galianis. Sport & Health operates health and fitness clubs in and around the Washington, DC.


Earlier this month Johns Hopkins announced that it may be leaving the CareFirst network as soon as December 5th, citing lower pay from the insurance company through the following statement, “What CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) pays Johns Hopkins’ doctors, nurses and other caregivers has not kept up with inflation. In fact, what CareFirst insurance pays for Johns Hopkins’ care is lower than what most other area insurance companies pay. It is very hard for Johns Hopkins — or any health care system — to provide care at the rates we are currently paid by CareFirst.

On Friday, September 23, Johns Hopkins provided the following update, “Until December 5, 2022, Johns Hopkins caregivers will remain in-network for patients who have CareFirst health insurance. We continue to regularly meet with CareFirst and are doing everything we can to come to a fair agreement before December, so that there is no change in coverage.


Potomac residents Sina and Nina Farzin brought their popular product, Oogie Bear, onto Season 14 of Shark Tank with the hopes of raising $400,000 dollars. Oogie Bear is “the only infant booger picker on the market that effectively and safely removes sticky and dried boogers from babies’ nostrils.” Their research and product development facility can be found in Rockville/North Potomac.

The Farzins were interested in parting with 5% of their company for $400,000. It costs approximately $3 dollars to make and sells at a price point up to $24.99. The product is specifically designed for children under the age of two and uses a “patented, award-winning design features a loop end that’s a magnet for sticky boogers and a scoop end that takes care of those dry, crusty ones, plus our trademark bear head, which is way more than just cute: it prevents the tool from going too far into baby’s nose.”


Per MCPS: The Montgomery County Students Information Technology Foundation, Inc. (ITF) will award a refurbished computer lab to a Montgomery County (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The lab will consist of six reconditioned desktop computers with operating systems, flat panel LCD monitors, keyboards, mice and one printer.

Applications can be found on the ITF webpage. Interested parties can also email Kelly Johnson or call 240-740-2051 with questions. Completed applications must be received by Wednesday, Oct. 5. The gifting ceremony will be Thursday, Nov. 17, at Clarksburg High School. 2022 Computer Gifting Application


Rise Counseling has announced the opening of its new virtual counseling practice in Bethesda. Founder Mikela Hallmark commented “We built a great office in Atlanta, GA and realized that many working professionals want quality counselors who are available for virtual appointments. With their busy lives, they enjoy being able to avoid the traffic, and fit sessions in when it’s convenient for them.’ We’ve launched the website, and now we’re recruiting talented counselors to join our team.

Per the press release: The addition of the new virtual location will allow Rise Counseling Bethesda to bring their therapeutic services to more people in need of support. They offer individual counseling, couples counseling, as well as anxiety therapy.  ‘We’re pretty passionate about helping high achievers get the support they need to reduce anxiety and increase sense of connectedness, and this virtual office allows us to expand our reach’, said Hallmark. The Rise Counseling Bethesda virtual therapy practice is now hiring therapists and will soon be accepting new clients.


Today, Concept3D, the leader in location-driven virtual experiences, announced the acquisition of Silver Spring’s Localist (8484 Georgia Ave #675), the leading event calendar platform for higher education communities. With the platform integration, universities will have the ability to create an elevated, university-branded experience for student events, interactive mapping, virtual tours, and more within one, centralized platform.

Per the press release: “Localist and Concept3D have a shared belief that events and in-person connections are key to building community, ultimately making a student experience better the first day they step onto campus,” said Gordon Boyes, CEO of Concept3D. “By bringing our solutions together, combining people, community, and location, users can easily connect, driving engagement and fostering togetherness.”


Per MCEDC: The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) has officially begun accepting applications for commercial loans from the new Accelerating Community Excellence (ACE) Loan Fund, a state of Maryland-funded program that provides loans to small, minority and women-owned companies. MCEDC is the ninth fund manager in the Maryland Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Program, also known as the Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) Program.

“Small, minority and women-owned businesses are the backbone of Montgomery County,” said Bill Tompkins, MCEDC President & CEO. “Our new ACE Loan Fund gives us the power to provide financial support to these businesses to help them grow and flourish in our area and across the state of Maryland. We couldn’t be happier to have been appointed and approved as a fund manager and look forward to seeing Montgomery County businesses continue to thrive.”


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