Montgomery County and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Launch HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD to Accelerate Dual-Use Medical Breakthroughs

Montgomery County, MD—The Montgomery County Government and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) today celebrated the official launch of HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD (HIL), a new co-branded innovation facility affiliated with the Montgomery County Business Center Innovation Network. The HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD is a regional biotech incubator tailored to the needs of startups and small companies developing dual-use (military and civilian) medical technologies, helping emerging companies overcome financial and operational barriers, navigate the unique challenges of military medical product development, and access the resources, partnerships, and expertise needed to accelerate their innovations to market.

“This new facility brings much‑needed small biotech lab space to North Bethesda and strengthens our growing life sciences ecosystem,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Our partnership with HJF is mutually beneficial—raising the County’s innovation capacity while expanding our profile as a center for new technologies. Any County entrepreneur working on dual‑use technologies can now collaborate with HJF, use their space here, and connect to global resources, including clinical trial sites around the world.”

The launch responds to the demand for smaller-scale lab space with shared equipment, wraparound services, and better access to meaningful innovation support and community resources.

“HJF is energized by the future advancements made possible within the HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD,” said Dr. Joseph Caravalho, President and CEO of HJF. “Together, HJF and Montgomery County are expanding commercialization pathways for startups developing cutting-edge, dual use medical technologies and accelerating innovations that advance health care for both the warfighter and the communities we serve.”

“HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD represents a powerful partnership that strengthens our region’s position as a global biohealth leader,” said Jared Smith, President and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. “The investment in centers like this demonstrate the County’s commitment to our start-up ecosystem, accelerating innovation and fostering a strong, diverse and inclusive economy.”

The HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD joins Montgomery County’s four other Business Innovation Centers located in Rockville, Silver Spring, and Germantown.

HJF Innovation Ecosystem will hold a HJF Innovation Labs Pitch Showcase and Networking event at their home offices in Bethesda on April 14, 2026, providing the founders of four biomedical startup companies an opportunity to present their research and resulting innovation for a possible residency in the HJF Innovation Labs @ MontgomeryCountyMD. To learn more about this event, please visit hjf.org/innovation-ecosystem.

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