What it is
UpSurge Baltimore is a private sector initiative launched in 2021 to grow the Baltimore region's tech and startup economy. It was funded by founding partners and was acquired by the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) in April 2025. It now operates within GBC, where its stated focus is improving founders' ability to launch and scale startups. Its stated goal is to make Baltimore a launching pad for founders of all backgrounds. UpSurge is not an accelerator or investor. It works at the ecosystem level: data, coordination, convening and promotion.
What it offers founders
- UpSurge Discover: a resource navigation service. Founders fill out a short online form about their venture and are connected with a Resource Navigator who points them to programs and resources that fit. See UpSurge Discover.
- Entrepreneur Support Network: a group of regional support organizations, investors and community partners, including Techstars, TEDCO, Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, bwtech@UMBC, Towson StarTUp, Morgan State University and the Maryland Tech Council. The network uses BMore Tech Connect, a digital platform for finding programs, events and opportunities by stage and sector. See the Entrepreneur Support Network page.
- Startup data: a database of private, for-profit companies in the Baltimore region, started in January 2025, with each data point tied to a cited source. UpSurge also publishes an annual Greater Baltimore Ecosystem Report. See Startup Data.
- Events: convenings such as the Advanced Manufacturing Exchange and the Inflection Point Healthcare Summit, both held in 2026.
Who it is for
Founders in the Baltimore region at any stage who need help finding the right program, investor or partner, plus investors, corporations, universities and public sector leaders who want a current view of regional startup activity. A founder new to the area can use Discover as a single starting point instead of contacting many organizations one by one.
How to engage
Start with the Get Started form on the Discover page. To follow news, events and reports, sign up through the site's Connect page. The office is at 111 S. Calvert St., Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202, phone 410.727.2820. The site does not list fees for its founder services.
Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem
Baltimore has many separate support organizations across universities, the state and private programs. UpSurge acts as a coordinating layer that connects them and measures results. Its data showed 536 active companies in the region as of May 2026 and $559.8M raised across 77 deals in 2025, with 55.2% of regional capital going to life sciences. Founders can use these reports to understand which sectors draw local capital before they pitch.
