The Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corp. (AAEDC) has announced Michael Tentnowski as the new executive director of the Chesapeake Innovation Center (CIC), the county’s technology business incubator. He brings more than 22 years of experience directing incubators/accelerators, initiating economic development in the high tech arena and teaching at the university level.
In his new role, Tentnowski will focus on tech recruitment, as well as providing counseling, mentoring and funding programs that assist early stage technology companies throughout the region. With a new location at the Fort Meade Corporate Center, the CIC is strategically positioned near federal agencies that focus on cyber, big data and information technology.
He will work on strengthening relationships with these agencies and enhancing the entrepreneurial community by collaborating with similar business assistance programs around Maryland.
“Michael’s unique experience leading a variety of incubator programs, such as the one at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y., and working in collaboration with federal laboratories such as Sandia and Los Alamos in New Mexico aligns nicely with our vision for the Chesapeake Innovation Center,” said Bob Hannon, AAEDC president and CEO. “As an entrepreneur who has started several businesses, he will also be able to share his experienced-based knowledge with the CIC member companies.”
Prior to arriving at the CIC, Tentnowski served as executive director of the Enterprise Center at Plymouth State University, where he managed its incubator program to full capacity. Also at Plymouth, he was the director of the Small Business Institute (SBI) MBA program and taught small business accounting/finance and the Small Business/Entrepreneurship Capstone course for the College of Business Administration.
His previous experience also includes four years as a technology/marketing consultant who assisted clients with the technology transfer of diverse products. Tentnowski has been on numerous boards including the New Hampshire Business Incubator Network, Clean Energy Alliance (National), High Tech Consortium (New Mexico), the National Business Incubation Association-Strategic Direction Committee, Workforce Development Board (Virginia) and several others.