🚀 lunch. learn. lavender. Come celebrate Delmarva agriculture at producers unveiled 2024! 🌱

Author: Chesapeake Ag Innovation Center

by Muphen R. Whitney   Growing up on her family farm in Southern Maryland ignited Shelby Watson-Hampton’s lifelong love of – and involvement in – all things agricultural. She brings this wealth of farming and agricultural experience to the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) where she...

by Muphen R. Whitney   Shore Gourmet’s Roxanne Wolf readily signed on when she was conscripted by her sister Beth Brewster to leave her pharmaceutical position and take a position providing services to value-added food producers. “I want to work to create healthy and economically stable families of...

by Muphen R. Whitney _____________________________ When Founded – 2014 Founder – Kevin Atticks Additional Investors – None Headquarters – Cockeysville, MD Number of Employees – 5 _____________________________ It was a light bulb moment for Grow and Fortify founder Kevin Atticks: his experience with wineries and breweries in Maryland pointed to the need for...

_____________________________ When Founded – September, 2014 Founder – Kim Bryden Additional Investors – None Headquarters – Washington, DC Number of Employees – 4 _____________________________ Kim Bryden is a problem-solver. One of the first problems she faced when she founded Cureate was how to trademark the word “curate” – the name she wanted...

Mike Thielke, Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) Executive Director, today announced the members of the Advisory Board that will work with the newly-established Chesapeake Agriculture Innovation Center (CAIC), a new program of ESEC's F3 Tech initiative.  “We are proud that CAIC has attracted the attention and interest...

MINI-GRANTs

Mini-Grants up to $5,000 are available for:
– Market Research and Validation of Target Market
– Customer Acquisition
– Product Development Initiatives
– Food Safety Classes
Eligibility
Value-added producers and companies with traction ($20,000 or more in yearly revenue) in Maryland and Delaware are eligible to apply for Mini-Grants. Participants may apply once for each of the categories. Applicants must demonstrate that they have a unique and differentiated product or service that incorporates an aspect of innovation or technology in its production, processing, distribution, or other element of the food supply system.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Award decisions will be made and funds will be available no later than three weeks following the receipt of a completed application.
Application Process
Applicants must submit Mini-Grant proposals by filling out the form at this link. Copy(ies) of quote(s), proposal(s), estimate(s), or any other supporting documents.

ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SMES)

CAIC offers access to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can offer authoritative advice based on their deep knowledge and experience in a specific area. See the ADVISORS page of this Web site to learn more about the SMEs who are available to CAIC participants.