Wexford Science & Technology Launches Venture Fund

Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, the leading developer of university-centric Knowledge Communities, today formally announced the launch of its new venture capital fund focused on investing in early and late-stage seed opportunities.  The company also unveiled its first two funded investments. The Wexford SciTech Venture Fund aims to partner with university and regional funds to provide startups with the financial support, connections, and resources they need to grow and thrive.  The fund will initially concentrate its efforts primarily in life sciences and technology companies in markets where Wexford has one of its seventeen Knowledge Community developments.

“Wexford is excited to launch our SciTech Venture Fund to support our university partners and local entrepreneurs in assisting promising startups and providing funding, advice, and connections critical to growing and becoming investment ready,” said Thomas Osha, Wexford’s Executive Vice President and president of the fund.

BioPark developer Wexford Science & Technology taps new CEO

The firm behind one of Baltimore’s biggest technology developments now has a new CEO.

Baltimore’s Wexford Science & Technology Inc., which is developing the University of Maryland BioPark, promoted Ted Russell to the president and CEO on Feb. 1.

Russell previously served as both the chief financial officer and chief operating officer of the over 50-person company and will continue to serve in the CFO role. Before joining Wexford in 2009, Russell was vice president of RBS Greenwich Capital’s real estate finance group.

Founder and president Jim Berens will continue to serve as chairman of Wexford and will remain involved in significant decisions, according to a company release. Wexford works primarily with universities and other research institutes and has developed 49 properties across the U.S. Other notable Wexford projects outside of the three-building BioPark include The Assembly in Pittsburgh, a former Model T plant that’s now an eight-story research hub of labs and offices, and the uCity Square in Philadelphia that houses around 200 companies.

Innovation Quarter debuts startup launchpad and coworking space in Bailey Power

Innovation Quarter has finally got its “front door.” After several months in a soft-launch phase, Sparq – a collaborative, 7,000-square-foot space dedicated to assisting startups and entrepreneurs – has officially opened in the Bailey Power Plant building.

A startup and small business launchpad, Sparq’s mission is to connect entrepreneurs with the resources of Winston-Salem’s innovation ecosystem – particularly in Innovation Quarter.