The School of Graduate Studies will lead efforts to support early-stage companies and advance climate health innovation statewide.
The University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies (UMSGS) will establish the Center for Climate Health and Entrepreneurship (CCHE) following a grant from TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies. The award, part of the Baltimore Innovation Initiative pilot program, will create the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) first hub dedicated to advancing climate and health entrepreneurship in Maryland.
The launch of CCHE builds on UMB’s strength in entrepreneurship and interprofessional education, while expanding the University's connection to Baltimore’s growing innovation community. By focusing on climate and health, the center will address an urgent need for ventures that improve resilience and community well-being.
Through TEDCO’s support, CCHE will help identify and grow early-stage companies across the state. Participating entrepreneurs will gain mentorship, professional development, and access to critical data. They will also benefit from UMB’s expertise in health sciences, clinical research, and community partnerships — resources that are often out of reach for startups. Because little is known about the needs of climate-focused entrepreneurs, CCHE will also serve as a learning hub, working with participants to identify their most significant challenges and help build the tools to address them.
“The School of Graduate Studies brings together scholars and innovators from every discipline at UMB,” said Kenneth H. Wong, PhD, UMSGS dean and UMB's vice provost for graduate education. “That interprofessional reach makes it the right home for CCHE, ensuring that climate and health ventures can draw on expertise across fields to strengthen their work and expand their impact.”
UMB Provost Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, said the new center aims to position the University as a leader in supporting ventures at the intersection of climate technology and integrative health.
“TEDCO’s investment allows UMB to take what we do best, turning research into impact, and extend it to one of the most urgent challenges of our time,” said Ward. “CCHE will give Maryland entrepreneurs the support they need to grow, while also creating a model for how universities can help climate and health innovations take root far beyond our state.”
CCHE will begin hosting workshops and discussions in the coming months to help entrepreneurs shape and scale their ideas. Entrepreneurs and community members are invited to sign up for the CCHE newsletter to learn more about upcoming programs and opportunities. Those developing climate and health solutions are encouraged to connect directly with the center to explore potential collaborations.