Pava LaPere’s Legacy

A founder’s vision comes alive at a showcase for Baltimore’s student entrepreneurs

Honoring Pava LaPere’s legacy, ventures created by students from regional colleges earned $50,000 grants and a stage to showcase their bold ideas.

By: Anand Macherla & Sameer Rao

Margaret Roth (seated at right) speaks to students during the Maryland Student Venture Showcase. (Courtesy UpSurge Baltimore)

The celebration of student entrepreneurship inside the recently opened 4MLK building carried an emotional weight.

Family members of Pava LaPere appeared to honor the late founder of prominent local startup EcoMap Technologies, whose name graces the grants awarded to regional university-based founders as part of last Tuesday’s showcase. Pava’s parents Frank and Caroline LaPere briefly reflected on her vision and motivation for making entrepreneurship more accessible in their daughter’s adopted hometown.

Pava, Frank said, “wanted to build new entrepreneurs, because an entrepreneur creates several megacompanies in their pocket.”

Reading from Pava’s journals, he continued, “I love Baltimore because, despite all of our challenges, our entrepreneurs have risen to meet them, and will continue to do so as long as our great city stands.”

The Maryland Student Venture Showcase, hosted at the University of Maryland BioPark’s newest facility, seemed to celebrate just that.

Hosted by ecosystem nonprofit UpSurge Baltimore, the event blended networking with formal programming, highlighting the city’s next generations of student entrepreneurs and inviting ecosystem movers and shakers.

(L to R) Nico, Caroline and Frank LaPere. (Courtesy UpSurge)

39 ventures from across metro FINISH READING HERE

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