InvestorEmpowering businesses in Frederick County, Maryland.
The startup scene in United States
Frederick’s city website identifies life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and technology as industries and provides a business-meeting route. Frederick County OED directs founders to ROOT, SBDC, MWBC, SCORE Frederick, and FITCI; it publishes the phone number 301-600-1058. (The County resources are county-level, not city-specific.)
About
Frederick’s city website identifies life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and technology as industries and provides a business-meeting route. Frederick County OED directs founders to ROOT, SBDC, MWBC, SCORE Frederick, and FITCI; it publishes the phone number 301-600-1058. (The County resources are county-level, not city-specific.)
FITCI is a Frederick nonprofit incubator and accelerator focused on technology innovation and commercially viable businesses. It provides capital-readiness support and advisor introductions; its Strategic Growth Advisor Board includes more than 40 CEO advisors who meet quarterly. A County profile describes FITCI’s early-stage life-science and technology focus, including biomedicine, agtech, and renewables.
The Edge is a 12-week program for entrepreneurs, but its page directs readers to await next-cohort news rather than indicating that intake is open. Its mentor list includes Fort Detrick Alliance and Frederick National Laboratory Partnership Development.
FITCI reported Theradaptive as a graduate with more than 30 employees and a Frederick address as of September 19, 2024; the report describes the company as originating from a DoD-funded MIT spinout. On August 24, 2026, Theradaptive’s newsroom reported FDA approval to advance its OASIS trial of OsteoAdapt SP to a pivotal study.
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Frederick ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | #455 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
4 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Frederick
Investors 2
Investor
InvestorInvesting in technology with a social impact.
Accelerators 1
AcceleratorAccelerating growth for tree service businesses.
Incubators 1
IncubatorFostering entrepreneurship and innovation in Frederick, MD.
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Your way in
Raising in Frederick
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Frederick
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Frederick
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Frederick
The City names life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and technology and offers a business-meeting route.
Source: cityCounty OED directs founders to ROOT, SBDC, MWBC, SCORE Frederick, FITCI and publishes 301-600-1058.
Source: startThe 2026 EmPOWER cohort is closed; it ran Jan. 30-Mar. 6 and required a Frederick County business with 51% underrepresented ownership.
Source: empFITCI reports Theradaptive as a graduate, with 30+ employees and a Frederick address in September 2024; its origin was an MIT/DoD technology-transfer spinout.
Source: theraStartupBlink's April 2026 page lists 43 startups and ranks Frederick #455 globally and #124 in the U.S. by its own method.
Source: blinkThe County says only 3% of commercial-zoned land is site-ready.
Source: fy
Questions about Frederick
How does Frederick rank as a startup ecosystem?
Its best position is #455 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025).
How many startup investors are based in Frederick?
2 investors based in Frederick have a profile here, including Frederick County Office of Economic Development and SoFin Ventures. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Frederick?
Yes. Frederick has 1 accelerator and 1 incubator on record, including TreeLead Accelerator and Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Frederick
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