Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory

This EDA investment will support the Grow Rural Opportunity in Maryland (GRO MD) project, which will research and develop the case for a tri-county partnership that will unite these three, rural Northern Maryland counties -- all of which share significant similarities in business, government and population attributes -- for the purpose of building a stronger, more efficient and inclusive economic future within the counties and in the region. The Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory (MAGIC) is working in partnership with subrecipients Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI) and the Harford County Office of Economic Development (HCOED).

The project will illustrate the need for a tri-county, regionally driven partnership by identifying critical impact intersections in each county's Strategic Economic Development Plans and proposing effective ways to leverage resources and activities for greater, more efficient, and effective outcomes. These outcomes will better enable each county, and effectively, the state of Maryland, to meet goals pertaining to environment, health, food security, business and job development/retention, resulting in a more resilient and inclusive economic ecosystem prepared to grow and flourish in a rapidly changing world. 

While the three counties uniting in this project share a focus on agriculture, high technology, tech transfer, health, and education, each have unique population, governmental, and business nuances. Sharing and leveraging resources through a partnership will accelerate and strengthen positive outcomes for a broader population across the region.