Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) is a signature program of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. MWBC helps entrepreneurs and small business owners across Maryland’s Capital Region start, sustain, and grow their companies. Through workshops, one-on-one counseling, facilitated peer group support, and access to capital, MWBC annually helps over 1,500 entrepreneurs gain the skills, connections, and confidence necessary to navigate entrepreneurship. Learn more at marylandwbc.org.

The Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1998 to support the national network of Women’s Business Centers (WBC) with programming and advocacy. The AWBC works to secure economic and entrepreneurial opportunities for women by supporting and sustaining a national network of over 152 Women’s Business Centers (WBC) in every State in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. WBCs have more than 30-years of success in providing educational training, mentoring, free business counseling, business development, and financing opportunities to over 150,000 women entrepreneurs and small businesses each year. The WBC program is a public-private partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To learn more about AWBC visit www.awbc.org.

Montgomery County launched the Technology Innovation Fund and Founders Fund in late 2024, making funding available to support high-growth small businesses throughout the county.

The Technology Innovation Fund provides grants to early-stage businesses developing proprietary technology with high growth potential. The fund supports commercialization projects that help innovative products move closer to market and achieve significant business milestones.

The Founders Fund offers grants to early-stage entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities who face systemic barriers to accessing capital. Eligibility is assessed using Montgomery Planning’s Community Equity Index along with state and federal certification tools for minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses.

The programs were executed through a partnership among the Office of the County Executive, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), and the County’s Department of Finance. Applications were evaluated by FedTech, an independent third-party organization specializing in connecting innovative technologies to commercial markets.

Companies receive an initial disbursement of funds and will receive a second payment once their commercialization milestones have been completed.

AkriVita – Life Sciences. AkriVita develops 3D-printed microcapillary needles that deliver precision and reliability in microinjection to accelerate discoveries, prevent and treat disease, and help create life.

Cellepus Therapeutics – Life Sciences. Cellepus is developing off-the-shelf CAR T Cells by engineering cord blood–derived γδ T cells with a first-in-class NKG2D-based signaling architecture, targeting them to solid tumors with novel tumor-specific antigens.

EasyScaleCloud – Technology. EasyScaleCloud is an AI, data, and cloud solutions company building a diversified portfolio of specialized AI products.

EzVal Inc. – Technology. EzVal Inc. is developing a paperless validation platform with strengthened cloud infrastructure to deliver greater value to biotech and life-science organizations.

Gutz Analytics LLC – Life Sciences. Gutz Analytics is a multi-omics AI company integrating microbiome, metabolome, and other molecular datasets to build predictive models that support clinical trials and companion diagnostics.

Healable – Life Sciences. Healable empowers healthcare providers with secure, AI-driven tools that enhance peer consultations and improve patient outcomes.

LEGIT (LensGuided Imaging Technology) – Life Sciences. LEGIT is developing a nanophotonic imaging platform for in vivo imaging with minimal damage.

Liatris – Life Sciences. Liatris is an advanced materials company developing high-performance and resilient thermal insulation products for energy efficiency, including state-of-the-art pilot manufacturing capabilities in Rockville.

LoBio, Inc. – Life Sciences. LoBio is a medtech company commercializing a patented at-home plasma collection device that enables clinical-grade plasma collection and safer, more reliable decentralized blood testing.

Lumo Imaging – Life Sciences. Lumo Imaging is developing an AI-driven total body cancer screening system with the potential to expand dermatological access to underserved areas.

Magic Shell Software – Technology. Magic Shell Software builds military-grade security for embedded systems, providing anti-tamper and intellectual property protection for aerospace, IoT, and government customers.

Pediametrix Inc. – Life Sciences. Pediametrix is a medical device startup behind SoftSpot®, the only FDA-cleared mobile app that helps pediatric clinicians and parents measure and monitor infant head shape and growth.

Pirl Technology – Clean Energy. Pirl Technology is dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized businesses to profitably provide electric vehicle (EV) charging as a service to their customers.

Prophiotrics LLC – Life Sciences. Prophiotrics is developing a pioneering bacteriophage-based acne treatment that selectively eliminates Cutibacterium acnes while preserving and supporting the skin’s natural microbiome.

VascRisk LLC – Life Sciences. VascRisk combines smart technology with personalized care to provide early detection, precise prediction, and effective reversal strategies for vascular health.

Ant Technology – Technology. Ant Technology leverages AI to advance the real estate industry by streamlining processes, enhancing decision-making, and unlocking new opportunities for businesses and individuals in the property market.

Wintreatments Holdings, LLC – Technology. Wintreatments Holdings specializes in developing and commercializing smart window treatment solutions designed to enhance energy efficiency, privacy, and automation.

Rockville has scored 100 marks for the city’s commitment to the health, welfare, safety and equality of its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. 

This is the city’s eighth year of participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Municipal Equality Index (MEI) and the 14^th year for MEI’s annual report. 

Rockville scored 99 out of 100, plus an additional bonus point, for its nondiscrimination laws, law enforcement, employment and workplace inclusivity, leadership and services to the LGBTQ+ community. Final scores cannot exceed 100. 

The HRC framed this year’s results against a challenging national backdrop, underscoring the work of local governments supporting their LGBTQ+ residents.  

“Cities and towns around the country are stepping up each and every day, finding new and innovative ways to empower LGBTQ+ people in the face of a dire national state of emergency. Even when anti-LBGTQ+ extremists in state capitals are working to undermine their progress, mayors and city councilmembers keep fighting to make sure that LGBTQ+ people in their communities — especially trans people — are supported and lifted up to the fullest extent possible,” stated HRC president Kelley Robinson. 

The 2025 MEI showed local government leaders’ dedication while governing in an “increasingly hostile environment,” she continued. 

The 14th annual MEI scorecard, released in mid-November, analyzes and rates 506 municipalities across the country, measuring each for the inclusivity of laws, policies and services for their LGBTQ communities. The MEI is the only nationwide assessment of municipal laws, policies and services that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. 

Cities rated include the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the U.S., the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, cities home to the state’s two largest public universities, 75 cities and municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples, and 98 cities selected by HRC and Equality Federation state groups’ members and supporters. 

Cities are rated across numerous criteria, covering citywide nondiscrimination protections, policies for municipal employees, city services, law enforcement and the city’s leadership on LGBTQ+ equality. 

Learn more about the MEI at hrc.org/MEI. 

Press Release originally published by The City of Rockville: https://www.rockvillemd.gov/news/2025/11/19/rockville-scores-top-marks-again-for-commitment-to-lgbtq-community-2/

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 24, 2025 – X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC (“X-energy”), a leader in advanced nuclear reactor and fuel technology, today announced it has closed an oversubscribed Series D financing round of approximately $700 million led by Jane Street, from new investors including ARK Invest, Galvanize, Hood River Capital Management, Point72, Reaves Asset Management, XTX Ventures and various others, as well as existing investors including Ares Management funds, Corner Capital, Emerson Collective, NGP, Segra Capital Management and others.

“The response and commitment from the participants in this financing round is a strong affirmation of the role X-energy expects to play in shaping the future of energy,” said Kam Ghaffarian, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Chairman of X-energy. “When I founded X-energy, I envisioned a company that could redefine how to make advanced nuclear energy accessible, affordable, and essential to an energy abundant future. With the support of our investors, both new and existing, we are closer to realizing that vision.”

X-energy expects to utilize proceeds from the round to help continue the expansion of its supply chain and commercial pipeline, supporting an industry-leading orderbook of more than 11 GW, representing approximately 144 advanced small modular reactors.

“We are highly focused on building a world-class project and technology delivery platform to accelerate the commercialization of our Xe-100 reactor and TRISO-X fuel,” said X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. “The success of this financing round allows us to deepen partnerships with critical deployment partners and invest in a robust and reliable supply chain to successfully deliver projects with our customers.” 

X-energy is advancing its pioneering Xe-100 advanced small modular reactor and TRISO-X fuel in projects with Dow, Amazon, and Centrica. Its initial proposed four-unit Xe-100 plant is planned for Dow Inc.’s UCC Seadrift Operations manufacturing site on the Texas Gulf Coast, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, and currently under permit review with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Following the project with Dow, X-energy and Amazon announced Amazon’s options to deploy more than 5 GW of Xe-100 projects across United States by 2039, beginning with the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility in Washington state in partnership with Energy Northwest. Additionally, X-energy is partnered with British multinational energy and services company Centrica to deploy 6 GW in the United Kingdom.

X-energy is also constructing an advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility to manufacture its proprietary TRISO-X fuel, a first of its kind in the United States. Together, X-energy’s portfolio is designed to deliver scalable, safer, and more reliable power to meet growing global energy demand.

Advisors

Moelis & Company LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as placement agents for the transaction and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to X-energy on the transaction. 

About X-Energy

X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient advanced small modular nuclear reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy’s simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit X-energy.com.

Press Release originally published by X-Energy: https://x-energy.com/media/news-releases/x-energy-closes-oversubscribed-700-million-series-d-financing-round-to-continue-expansion-to-meet-global-energy-demand