Baltimore Homecoming has announced its Activate 2023 program and speakers for their yearly event taking place Oct. 19-20.
Baltimore Homecoming is an organization mobilizing a network of accomplished Baltimoreans based around the world to spark new collaborations and drive new investments in Baltimore’s future.
Speakers for the two-day event include, among others:
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore
- Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott
- MAG Partners CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin
- Crab Tank judges: W Ventures Principal Managing Partner David Warschawski; Latimer Ventures Founding Managing Partner Luke Cooper; Procure Impact President Jen Collins; and Iora Health Co-founder Rushika Fernandopulle
- T. Rowe Price Foundation President John Brothers
- M&T Bank President, Greater Baltimore Region, Augie Chiasera
- M&T Bank, Vice President and Small Business Ambassador Jim Peterson
Highlights of this year’s Baltimore Homecoming include the return of its centerpiece community programs:
- 2023 Homecoming Hero Awards: Attendees will hear presentations from the five previously announced winners of theprogram presented by T. Rowe Price. This year’s presentations will be emceed by former Homecoming Heroes Baltimore Community Toolbank Executive Director Noah Smock and Creative Nomads Executive Director Kayenecha Daugherty
- Crab Tank Pitch Competition: Attendees will participate in the startup pitch competition sponsored by M&T Bankand emceed by 2019 Crab Tank winner and Femly Founder Arion Long.Five startup founders from Hiatus Cheesecake, Keppel and Kismet, NextStep Robotics, ReBokehand Treehouse Juicery will compete for a $25,000 grand prize, and $2,500 people’s choice award presented by 2022 Crab Tank winner and WhitePaws RunMitts Founder Susan Clayton.
Also, on Friday afternoon, attendees will join the Moore-Miller and Scott administrations for a bus tour of neighborhoods and institutions that are driving innovation, revitalization, and equity across Baltimore, including the Middle Branch Recreational Center, Penn Station, Harlem Park, the Highway to Nowhere and others.
“This year’s event is all about activating the Baltimore Homecoming network,” said Matthew Reeds, deputy director of Baltimore Homecoming. “We intentionally designed it with more opportunities to drive intellectual, financial, and relationship capital to Baltimore and for local leaders to work hand-in-hand with a global network of Baltimoreans to advance a more prosperous and just city.”
In February 2023, Baltimore Homecoming announced a new focus on year-round events and programming. Since then, they’ve held 11 alumni events in cities across the United States, “helping the organization scale and target mobilization of high-capacity alumni to drive investment and philanthropy,” read the press release announcing the programming and speaker list.
“Since being a Baltimore Homecoming co-chair in 2018, it has been a privilege to support the organization. I applaud the Baltimore Homecoming team for igniting a network of passionate alumni and facilitating the connections necessary to create transformative change in Baltimore City,” Moore said.
The invite-only 2023 Activate event will focus on high-impact ways for alumni to invest and help Baltimore’s organizations scale.
On Thursday, Oct. 19, Baltimore Homecoming will welcome dozens of alumni back to Baltimore with a happy hour aboard the U.S.S. Constellation in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and an opening reception at Crust by Mack in Pratt Street Pavilion, Harborplace.
Friday, Oct. 20 will have a full day of programming, taking place at Rye Street Market in Baltimore Peninsula with 1.1 million square feet of new office, retail, hotel and residential space along the waterfront in South Baltimore. The programming will focus on nonprofits, community organizations, economic development, technology and entrepreneurship with unique opportunities for dialogue with Governor Moore and cabinet secretaries.
“Baltimoreans make a difference wherever they go, and I am incredibly grateful to the Baltimore Homecoming team for spearheading this work by bringing together this network on behalf of our city. Together, we can continue building on Baltimore’s success, and I look forward to welcoming so many of these Baltimoreans back home for this year’s event,” said Mayor Scott.
