The Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) announced the completion of the first phase of the Howard County Innovation Center (HCIC) project with the conclusion of third floor renovations and the relocation of the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship (MCE) and the Howard Tech Council to the facility.

The third floor of 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive was fully renovated and converted into a 16,000-square-foot business incubator space, featuring private offices, co-working space, conference rooms and two multi-use classrooms. It is now home to the MCE’s 19 resident companies, multiple business support organizations and four HCEDA staff members, enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem being created in the building.

As part of the relocation of the MCE, the HCEDA’s Catalyst Loan Fund also moved to the HCIC. The Catalyst Loan Fund is part of Maryland’s Video Lottery Terminal Small, Minority and Woman-Owned Business Account initiative. The fund is a locally managed source of capital used to finance start-ups and expanding businesses statewide whose projects will create permanent jobs and leverage private sector investment.