Frederick continues to strengthen its position as a hub for biotechnology, life sciences, and technology innovation. The industry accounts for 9.6% of employment in the City of Frederick per JobsEQ, and Frederick County is home to over 80 bioscience companies, and the region has attracted more than $1 billion in investment in recent years.
Through industry showcases, conferences, business forums, and networking events, the Department of Economic Development helps highlight the people, organizations, and partnerships driving the region’s growth. Here’s a look at past recent events that brought opportunities to connect with the people, organizations, and ideas shaping Frederick County’s biotechnology and technology sectors.
BioHealth Capital REgion Forum
The City of Frederick and Frederick County economic development teams joined regional industry leaders at the BioHealth Capital Region Forum to represent Frederick’s growing biotechnology and life sciences sector. The annual event highlighted the research, investment, talent and federal partnerships strengthening the region’s position as a leading biohealth cluster. Frederick’s industry was also represented by speakers from AstraZeneca, Theradaptive and Phycin, showcasing the innovation and expertise emerging from the local biotech community. The forum provided an opportunity to build connections and highlight Frederick’s role in advancing the region’s life sciences economy. You can learn more about Frederick’s Life Sciences and Biotech industry here.
TechFrederick Expo
The inaugural techfrederick EXPO brought together more than 400 attendees, 40 exhibitors, sponsors, technology leaders, educators, students, entrepreneurs, and community partners for a day focused on connection, collaboration, and innovation. The event highlighted the depth and diversity of Frederick's growing technology ecosystem through vendor exhibits, presentations, networking opportunities, and demonstrations, including the Frederick Police Department's Drone Unit showcasing real-world applications of advanced technology in public safety. Organized through the vision and leadership of the techfrederick Board of Directors, with significant support from industry leaders, volunteers, and sponsors, the Expo demonstrated why Frederick continues to attract and grow technology companies. As a proud supporter of techfrederick, the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development recognizes the organization's important role in strengthening the local innovation economy, fostering partnerships, and creating opportunities for technology businesses to start, scale, and succeed. Following the overwhelming success of its inaugural year, the EXPO reinforced a simple but powerful message: technology brings people together, and the connections built today help drive Frederick's future growth and innovation.
NCI / FREDERICK NATIONAL LABORATORY Showcase
The annual Technology Showcase, hosted by the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is a signature event that connects researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and biotechnology companies with cutting-edge technologies available for licensing, commercialization, and collaboration. The 2026 event highlighted breakthrough cancer research and innovative biomedical technologies while providing opportunities for one-on-one partnering, networking, and discussions on technology transfer, funding, and commercialization pathways. As the only National Institutes of Health event primarily focused on industry partners, the Technology Showcase plays a vital role in advancing promising discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.
For Frederick, the Showcase reinforces the community's position as a nationally recognized hub for biotechnology and life sciences innovation. By bringing together federal laboratories, startups, investors, economic development organizations, and industry leaders, the event strengthens the region's innovation ecosystem and fosters partnerships that can lead to new companies, technology licensing agreements, research collaborations, and future investment. Previous connections made through the event have led to licensing opportunities and collaborative research agreements, further demonstrating its impact on growing the local and regional biohealth economy.
Maryland Tech Council BIO INNOVATION Conference
The Maryland Tech Council's Bio Innovation Conference is one of the state's premier life sciences events, bringing together biotechnology companies, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, healthcare innovators, and policymakers to discuss the trends and challenges shaping the future of the industry. The conference provides a valuable forum for collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing on topics ranging from biomedical research and regulatory policy to commercialization, investment, and workforce development.
For Frederick and the broader I-270 Life Sciences Corridor, the conference highlights the region's critical role in Maryland's innovation economy. Home to a growing concentration of biotechnology companies, federal laboratories, contract research organizations, and advanced manufacturing facilities, Frederick continues to be a hub for scientific discovery and life sciences growth. Local industry leaders including AstraZeneca, Kite, a Gilead Company, Scheer Partners, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and VaLogic Bio were among the event sponsors, underscoring Frederick's significant contribution to one of Maryland's most important economic sectors.
Coming Soon:
FITCI / Fort Detrick Alliance Tech Showcase
The Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI) and Fort Detrick Alliance will host the 17th Annual Tech Showcase on November 5, bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders to highlight the research and emerging technologies shaping Frederick’s future. This year’s theme, “The Innovation Imperative: The Cost of Doing Nothing in a World That Won’t Wait,” will explore the importance of turning bold ideas into action. Attendees can tour laboratories, meet local innovators, hear from invited keynote speaker Dr. Jim Dillman, Chief Science Officer of the Defense Health Agency, and connect with the region’s technology and life sciences community. The event continues a 17-year partnership focused on showcasing Frederick’s innovation ecosystem. You can buy one ticket and get another for free!
From industry forums and research showcases to networking events and regional expos, DED continued to engage with the local innovation community, strengthen partnerships, and highlight the region’s economic potential. For a closer look at the industry’s scale, workforce, and economic contributions, explore the county’s biotechnology industry publication.
Learn more about the City of Frederick’s business attraction, retention and expansion initiatives at BusinessinFrederick.com.