Pandas Karate, located in Derwood, has launched a fantastic initiative offering free self-defense seminars for Girl Scout troops in Montgomery County. Owner Daniel Amaguana reports that the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants enthusiastic about the valuable skills they are learning. A video showcasing the experience is available below.
On Thursday, Governor Wes Moore announced a $1.8 million investment to enhance Maryland’s cybersecurity talent pipeline, providing hands-on cyber range training at all 16 community colleges, starting with Howard Community College, to prepare over 1,100 professionals, focusing on underrepresented groups and boosting workforce development in a high-demand industry. (more…)
Four Montgomery County companies in the financial services, AI, biopharma, and clean tech industries raised just over $460 million across public offerings and private investment activity in June and July, signifying continued investor confidence in Montgomery County’s business ecosystem.
In June, Forbright, a Chevy Chase-based bank holding company with 545 employees, successfully completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq. The D.C. region’s fastest-growing bank raised $142.2 million, valuing the company at approximately $950 million, marking not only a major milestone for the company but also for Montgomery County’s rapidly expanding financial services industry, which boasts companies spanning venture capital, private equity, financial technologies, and investment asset management.
Also in June, Bethesda-based Xometry announced a $225 million secondary public offering. Founded in Gaithersburg, the AI-powered manufacturing marketplace has become one of Montgomery County’s homegrown innovation economy success stories, connecting businesses with manufacturing capacity around the world through its intelligent digital platform. The additional capital will allow the company, which employs over 1,000 people, to continue expanding and investing in advanced manufacturing innovation.
Known as the anchor of the third-largest biopharma hub in the nation, it’s not surprising that life sciences companies in the County also continue to attract attention from investors. In July, RegenxBio, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of gene therapy treatments, raised $90.04 million in its second public offering on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. Located in Rockville with over 370 employees, RegenxBio is a leader in developing therapies for retinal, neuromuscular, and neurodegenerative diseases.
In clean tech, Arculus Solutions, a developer of hydrogen-barrier coatings designed to protect infrastructure from hydrogen embrittlement, raised $1.95 million of Seed-1 funding from undisclosed investors, putting the company’s pre-money valuation at $20.05 million. The company’s coatings can be used in various applications, such as hydrogen fuel cell pipelines, storage tanks and hydrogen-powered vehicles, enabling the energy industry to reduce the risk of accidents and improve safety. Based in Bethesda, Arculus is yet another example of Montgomery County’s growing position as a hub for clean tech, which is home to several leading clean tech companies, including X-energy and Liatris.
From innovative financial institutions and AI leaders to biopharma and clean tech companies that are developing technologies that are shaping to future, Montgomery County continues to remain a place where companies can start and scale quickly.
According to the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), a New York man has been arrested for allegedly participating in a $2.3 million gold bar scam targeting an 88-year-old woman and her daughter in Montgomery County, involving fraudulent claims of government investigations and asset transfers. (more…)
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a two-vehicle collision, including one overturned vehicle, on the southbound Georgia Avenue ramp to eastbound MD 200 on Thursday, November 21, around 6 p.m.
HouseMouse Books is excited to announce the debut of Escape the Bookshop IV, our brand new limited-run escape room experience.
Escape the Bookshop games are always based on a real crime with connections to the DC region. They are designed and built by HouseMouse Books to be played in our atmospheric bookshop. This latest game was inspired by a true local museum theft and the goal is simple – to find the stolen object before the suspect flees the country!
Barbour Sample Sale
Join us for our Georgetown Sample Sale
The National Weather Service (NWS) has stated that a Winter Storm Warning remains in effect along and west of the Alleghenies through Friday PM/Saturday AM. First flakes of the season are possible on Friday, as light snow could fall in the morning.
MCPS has sent a reminder of the upcoming Thanksgiving Week Schedule:
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has announced that a 45-year-old Gaithersburg man has been arrested and charged with Negligent Manslaughter by Vehicle for a fatal July 20 collision on North Frederick Avenue, where he was speeding at nearly 98 mph and driving with a blood alcohol level almost twice the legal limit, resulting in the death of 39-year-old Isaac Akomanyi of Germantown.
MCPS has shared a list of high school teams that have won 2024 Fall Sports County Championships:
Thanks to a tip from a citizen, the suspect wanted for the murder of 27-year-old Jessica Somerville is now in custody in North Carolina. With the assistance of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (NC) and the U.S. Marshals Service, 23-year-old Raheem Hawkins-Boseman of Silver Spring, was arrested late Wednesday night at a home in Leland, North Carolina.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has lifted the statewide ban on open-air burning, implemented to curb wildfire risks during dry conditions, following recent rainfall and improved weather patterns, while urging continued caution due to ongoing drought conditions. (more…)
Capsule Galaxy opens this Saturday, November 23, at Westfield Montgomery Mall (7101 Democracy Blvd) in Bethesda. The store is located on the mall’s lower level, next to the Lego Store.