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Baltimore Homecoming announces Activate 2023 headline speakers
Listen to this articleGov. Wes Moore, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott and MAG Partners CEO MaryAnne Gilmartin were named headline speakers for Activate 2023, part of the two-day Baltimore Homecoming program Oct. 19 and 20, which mobilizes a network of accomplished Baltimoreans who live all over the world to spark new collaborations and drive new investments in the city’s future.
Since announcing its new focus on year-round events and programming in February, Baltimore Homecoming has held 11 alumni events in major U.S. cities, creating more space for its partners and Baltimore’s leaders to inspire while helping the organization scale and target mobilization of high-capacity alumni to drive investment and philanthropy.
The Oct. 19 program will focus on welcoming 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.
The full day of programming on Oct. 20 will take 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 Moore and cabinet secretaries.
The event marks the return of the popular Crab Tank startup pitch competition, emceed by 2019 Crab Tank winner and Femly Founder Arion Long. Five startup founders from Hiatus Cheesecake, Keppel and Kismet, NextStep Robotics, ReBokeh and 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.
Crab Tank judges this year include 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 and M&T Bank, Vice President and Small Business Ambassador Jim Peterson.
This year also features the return of Baltimore Homecoming’s centerpiece community program, the Homecoming Hero Awards. Attendees will hear presentations from the five previously announced winners of the program 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.
Also on Oct. 20, attendees will join the Moore 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.
