Entrepreneurs to Gather at Towson U. for Think Big Baltimore

The Baltimore area is a growing hub for entrepreneurs, but some would say the region needs to think bigger.

Think Big Baltimore, a conference of area entrepreneurs, investors and startups, will meet at on July 13. Scheduled keynote speakers include Baltimore mayoral candidate Otis Rolley and Internet marketing expert Yanik Silver.

"Baltimore is maturing. Before, Baltimore was very segmented and you could sort of identify Baltimore with a paragraph, but I think we are maturing. We have a lot of different types of people moving into the area," said Danny BenDebba, a conference coordinator and co-founder of the Timonium Internet marketing firm DAASN.

"We were really interested in bringing that vibe from downtown up to Towson and Baltimore County," BenDebba said.

Baltimore's proximity to Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, colleges and military installations, along with its port status, help draw some entrepreneurs.

Some of these new businesses have set up shop at Towson University's incubator, TowsonGlobal. The incubator, opened in 2007, provides low-cost office space and advisory services to 15 start-up businesses, ranging from video game developers to coffee importers.

"Towson University, through the incubator and other activities, is trying to be a great resource for entrepreneurs throughout the region," said Clay Hickson, the incubator's director.

BenDebba said the conference provides a place for the area's start-ups to meet potential new investors while learning more about the business climate with a series of breakout sessions throughout the day.

"We're trying to build something here and it's something that I think is good for Maryland and good for Baltimore County," he said.

The conference will host a happy hour reception at Cafe Troia from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Conference activities begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The full schedule is found here. General admission tickets are $247 and can be purchased here.