Maryland Leaders Visit Cloudforce to Spotlight Regional Innovation and Growth

On Monday, July 7, Cloudforce kicked off the week with a special visit from key state and county leaders committed to advancing Maryland’s innovation economy. The visit spotlighted Cloudforce’s rapid growth as one of the state’s fastest-growing tech companies and served as a valuable forum for dialogue around the future of technology, workforce development, and regional collaboration.

Led by Harry Coker, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, the delegation included Stephen Rice, Deputy Secretary, and Mayank Kapur, Assistant Secretary—both with the Maryland Department of Commerce—alongside Ebony Stocks, Interim President & CEO of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (PGCEDC); Delterese George, Senior Business Development Representative at PGCEDC; and Dawn R. Medley, President & CEO of FSC First.

These leaders play a critical role in advancing Maryland’s innovation economy—connecting state and local resources with growing companies to support sustainable growth across industries. Their visit reflected a broader commitment to fostering tech talent, building capital pathways, and strengthening the business ecosystem in Prince George’s County and beyond.

The visit spotlighted Cloudforce’s momentum as one of Maryland’s fastest-growing tech companies, recently named to the Washington Post Top Workplaces list and Inc. Best Workplaces for its people-first culture and consistent growth. Today, one in four Cloudforce team members lives in Maryland, a number that continues to rise as the company scales toward its 100th hire—a meaningful milestone for a growing small business.

During the tour, state and county leaders met several members of the Cloudforce team, including four standout summer interns who were recruited after participating in the Bitcamp Hackathon, hosted annually by the University of Maryland. Cloudforce and Microsoft co-sponsored Bitcamp for the second year in a row, leading a dedicated GenAI track where these students made a lasting impression with their solution. Their internship placements reflect both the strength of Maryland’s tech talent and Cloudforce’s commitment to building local pathways into the workforce.

Following the tour, leaders joined Cloudforce CEO, Husein Sharaf, and COO, Jesse Kellner, for a roundtable discussion focused on strengthening Maryland’s innovation infrastructure—including workforce development, public-private partnerships, and the conditions needed for high-growth companies to scale quickly and responsibly.

Cloudforce also provided an overview of nebulaONE®, the company’s secure Generative AI gateway built on Microsoft Azure. The platform, already in use at institutions like the University of Maryland and London Business School, is SOC 2 compliant, supporting secure and responsible AI adoption across education, healthcare, and other regulated industries.

Cloudforce is proud to call Prince George’s County home and looks forward to deepening partnerships that support shared goals for innovation, workforce development, and long-term success in the state. Maryland continues to position itself as a leader in tech and business innovation, thanks to the commitment of state and county leaders who actively champion forward-thinking companies and create the conditions for them to thrive.

📸 Photos from the visit are included below. Additional photos can be viewed here

 

   

Arija Rahman
Author

Arija Rahman is the Associate Director of Marketing at Cloudforce, where she leads brand strategy and event experiences that bring the company’s mission to life. Since joining in 2021, she’s helped shape Cloudforce’s voice through content, partnerships, and community engagement. With a background in startups and mission-driven organizations, Arija is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and impact through thoughtful marketing.

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