The companies of techcenter@UMBC, the University's high-tech business incubator, were honored with the Innovation Award at the Oct. 9 Baltimore County Business Awards ceremony hosted by County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.

The Innovation Award for Excellence in Technology honors a technology company for innovation in product development, job creation and leadership in the County's technology community. In this case the award recognized all the start-up and emerging high-tech companies at techcenter@UMBC.

"These award winners showcase the wide range of quality businesses that keep Baltimore County a great place to live and work," Ruppersberger said.

"This award was especially meaningful as it recognized all of our entrepreneurial companies at UMBC," said Ellen Hemmerly, executive director of techcenter@UMBC and bwtech@UMBC, the University's on-campus research and technology park.

"It meant a lot to us to be chosen from among the other quality nominees," said Hemmerly. "It's also extra significant since this was Dutch Ruppersberger's last awards ceremony as he runs for Congress. He has done so much in the past eight years to build economic development in Baltimore County."

The annual awards recognize businesses and individuals whose leadership, innovation and community involvement have helped build Baltimore County's success. Other nominees in the Innovation Award category were Environmental Profiles, Inc., and the Grotech Capital Group. The ceremony was held at Martin's West.