By: Maria Zilberman

Thursday night at the Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards, keynote speaker and hall of fame inductee Chris Bradenburg from the mobile ad company Millennial Media talked about how he and co-founder Paul Palmieri met at a Starbucks to kick around their business idea.

“Starbucks probably is the most prolific incubator … But if you stay there too long, you burn through your capital,” he said.

On my way to the American Express small business event in Washington, D.C.,  this morning,  I stopped by such an incubator for some inspiration.

More to come from the event.

By: Maria Zilberman

A picture might be worth 1,000 words, but it’s also worth a MacBook Air and an iPad.

Gov. O’Malley’s office announced Thursday the winners of the state’s first Pinterest business pitch contest. Using Pinterest, a social media website where users post photos and videos on themed virtual pin boards, businesses had to present themselves using 10 images.

The state’s chief innovation officer, Bryan Sivak, led a panel of business leaders and entrepreneurs to pick the winners.

The first place winner in the student entrepreneurs category was GB Wallets (seen at right), a duct tape wallet company started by 13-year-old Annapolis resident Grady Booth.

Second place went to Discreet Secrete Solutions and its patent-pending “Freedom Pump,” a hands-free, concealable breast pump.

The “bootstrapper” category winner was BeerGivr, a website that allows users to buy a drink for someone. The recipient receives a text message with the dollar amount and the name of the bar.

The second place bootstrapper was Mission Launch Inc., a nonprofit that helps men and women re-enter society post-incarceration.

The first-place winners received the computers and second place winners received an iPad courtesy of the Baltimore Angels. The contest  was a partnership with the University of Maryland College Park, the Future of Information Alliance, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and the Baltimore Angels.

By: Maria Zilberman

The U.S. Small Business Administration is holding a video contest leading up to National Small Business Week 2012 (May 20 – 26). If you’ve benefited from an SBA program or service, tell your story in a 2-minutes or less video.

Check out the contest rules and details here. Videos must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 11.

By: Maria Zilberman

It seems like the Old Line State could take a small business lesson from our neighbor to the north.

Maryland did not receive any awards in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s regional awards for the Mid-Atlantic.

Pennsylvania raked in five awards, Delaware took three and West Virginia had one, leaving the other members of Region 3 – Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. – empty-handed.

“It’s almost like rolling the dice, in a lot of respects,” said Robert Goza, spokesman for the SBA’s Mid-Atlantic region. “The packages are often so strong that it comes down to a point or two in one direction or another.”

The regional winners are selected from the district winners, he said. Of the five states and D.C., Pennsylvania is the only member that has two districts – one representing Philadelphia and one representing Pittsburgh. That double representation may have something to do with Pennsylvania’s number of awards, he said.

But this reporter is curious: Have our readers started or worked with small businesses in our neighbor states, or the District? Have you found the experience to be different? Leave a comment or e-mail me about it.

This year’s regional winners are:

2012 REGION 3 ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS AWARD

Martin W. Miller, President, Miller Metal Fabrication Inc., Bridgeville, Del.

2012  REGION 3 SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

Dr. Richard I. Somieri, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Integrated Technology Solutions International LLC, Johnstown, Pa.

2012 REGION 3 YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Robert “R.J.” Williams, Owner, Reclaim Company LLC, Fairmont, W.Va.

2012 REGION 3 JEFFREY RUTLAND FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Patrick Kahle, President; Christina Kahle-Rhoades, Secretary/Treasurer; Stephen Kahle, Vice President Zacherl Motor Trucking Sales Inc., Clarion, Pa.

2012 REGION 3 FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

M. Jane Schwartz, President, Small Business Funding Group Inc., Langhorne, Pa.

2012 REGION 3 HOME-BASED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Rita J. Lacey, Close The Loop LLC, Kunkletown, Pa.

2012 REGION 3 MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

Lillie L. Crawford, Director, Delaware Center For Enterprise Development, Dover, Del.

2012 REGION 3 VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

Louis J. “Nick” Collazzo, Founder and Owner, Resource Specialists, Townsend , Del.

2012 REGION 3 WOMEN IN BUSINESS CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

Rebecca U. Harris, Director, Center For Women’s Entrepreneurship, Pittsburgh