Cohort 3 Pilot Grants support acceleration of biomedical innovation, commercialization, and workforce development across the Baltimore region.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore Life Science Discovery (UM-BILD) Accelerator is now accepting letters of intent (LOIs) for Cohort 3 Pilot Grants to support acceleration of biomedical innovation, commercialization, and workforce development across the Baltimore region. UM-BILD is a collaborative initiative led by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and includes the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Morgan State University (MSU), the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), Blackbird Laboratories, and TEDCO’s Maryland Innovation Initiative.
Selected projects will receive up to $75,000 in seed funding for a 12-month period. (An invitation for second-year funding may also be available.) Since its inception in September 2023, the UM-BILD program has 23 technology development programs, from small molecule therapeutics to medical devices and digital health solutions. Our innovators are already achieving great success, with several technologies licensed to startup companies and advancing toward commercialization (Accelerator Awardees — University of Maryland — UM-BILD). We will continue to build Baltimore into a life science technology hub of the first rank.
Investigators working on technologies in the therapeutic, medical device, diagnostic, and digital health areas — particularly those that have the potential to address health care disparities or otherwise benefit residents of Baltimore — are encouraged to apply for funding. The program offers entrepreneurial training and mentorship to support project execution and further commercialization. Participants are also connected to UM Ventures and regional commercialization networks. To explore recent highlights and upcoming opportunities, please check the UM Ventures website, including the current Baltimore Newsletter.
To learn more, please visit the How to Apply page of UM-BILD’s website. The electronic submission portal for LOIs opened Aug. 1, 2025, and will close at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. All submissions will be reviewed by the UM-BILD administrative team. In early October 2025, the top-ranked project teams will be invited to submit full applications. Final applications will be due by Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, and award recipients will be announced in March 2026.
Selected projects will begin work in May 2026, with the funding period running through April 2027.
UM-BILD expects to fund eight Cohort 3 Pilot Grants, with principal investigators based at UMB, UMBC, and MSU.
Learn more about this opportunity and LOI requirements at umaryland.edu/um-bild.
For questions, please contact UM-BILD@umaryland.edu.