Community Connect #12 | Chasing Gold: Where the Capital Is in 2027
Join us for the Community Connect, Montgomery College’s signature biotech networking event hosted by the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science + Technology (PIC MC).
OVERVIEW
Nobody raises capital on luck. But timing, preparation, and knowing who to call can look a lot like it.
Capital is still out there, but it has gotten more selective, more specific, and harder to find. Founders across life sciences, healthcare, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing and aerospace are navigating a funding landscape that looks nothing like it did three years ago. The ones who raise aren't waiting for a lucky break. They know which money fits their stage, what investors need to see, and where the non-dilutive dollars are hiding.
This morning is a practical map of every funding source available to the region's companies right now, from grants and state programs to angels, venture capital, and strategic partners, and how to line them up.
Join us for
A funding landscape briefing on where capital is flowing in the region right now, and where it isn't.
A funder panel with investors and program leaders on what they're actually funding, and what makes them say yes.
Founder pitches from emerging companies ready to meet the people who can back them.
Wear green. Bring your pitch.
AGENDA
Stay for the whole program or drop in at your convenience. Networking will be ongoing throughout the morning.
8:00 AM — Networking + Founder Showcase
Grab a coffee and network while meeting emerging companies in life sciences, healthcare, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing and aerospace at their showcase tables.
9:00 AM — Welcome + Open Remarks
9:05 AM — Following the Money: The 2027 Funding Landscape
Where capital is flowing across the region in 2027, and where it's drying up: venture activity, state and federal programs, and the funding gaps founders need to plan around.
9:20 AM — What It Takes to Get Funded [Panel]
Investors and funding program leaders get candid about what they're funding now, what they're passing on, and what founders get wrong. The panel covers the full stack: grants and non-dilutive funding, state programs, angels, venture capital, and strategic partners.
10:00 AM — Networking + Founder Showcase
11:00 AM — Site Tours
SPEAKERS
ANNOUNCEMENTS FORTHCOMING
...
THE VENUE
BIOSCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER
Montgomery College’s Germantown Campus is home to 6,000+ students and offers leading programs in biotechnology and cybersecurity. The BioScience Education Center features laboratories, classrooms, meeting spaces, and a conference center tailored for biotech education and research.
To learn more, visit montgomerycollege.edu.
PARTNERS
HOLY CROSS GERMANTOWN HOSPITAL
Montgomery College is the only community college in the U.S. with a full-scale hospital on campus, providing unparalleled real-world learning opportunities.
To learn more, visit holycrosshealth.org or follow them on LinkedIn.
HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS
An EchoStar company delivering broadband and network services to millions globally.
To learn more, visit hughes.com.
GERMANTOWN INNOVATION CENTER
Montgomery County's incubator in partnership with Montgomery College featuring premier office and laboratory space for life science companies.
To learn more, visit montgomerycountymd.gov.
BIOTRAIN
A workforce partnership shaping the region’s biotech talent pipeline.
To learn more, visit montgomerycollege.edu.
BIO-TRAC
Over 17,000 Scientists Trained • 300 Scientist Instructors
Open to the scientific community, each Bio-Trac® workshop is designed by active researchers for bench and research scientists with focus on the latest relevant techniques necessary for laboratory research. Bio-Trac clients represent every major sector of the biotechnology industry and include attendees from across the globe.
Our 30+ year wealth of relationship capital and program management expertise enable us to develop, implement and deliver training on up-to-the-minute relevant innovations in biotechnology.
To learn more, visit biotrac.com.