Rockville, at the center of Montgomery County's I-270 Technology Corridor, is where the race to map the human genome was run—and won. It is home to some of the country's leading biotechnology companies. Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, Human Genome Sciences, Origene Technologies, Novavax and Supernus Pharmaceuticals are just a few examples of strong and growing businesses in Rockville's welcoming and thriving environment.

Montgomery County has over 200 biotech companies and industry leaders, making the state's biotech community the fourth largest in the nation. Over 370,000 workers are employed by the county's 30,400 high-tech businesses, in industries such as biotechnology, information technology, telecommunications, software development, and aerospace engineering. In fact, more than 11,000 employees—65 percent of Maryland's bioscience workforce—work along the I-270 Technology Corridor, often referred to as DNA Alley.

Technology at Your Fingertips

For companies whose business is driven by data, Rockville offers a state-of-the-art infrastructure for global connectivity. Technology professionals at companies along the I-270 Technology Corridor—Capital Technology Information Services, Lockheed Martin Information Systems, and Northrop Grumman Infotech, among others—depend on the high-speed access available throughout the area. Companies like Digicon, Orizon, Inc., and Westat serve the needs of companies seeking to outsource data support services and data management.

More than 1,800 private-sector IT and telecommunications companies can be found in Montgomery County. Rockville continues to gain worldwide attention as a prime location in the information technology industry, where some 35,000 workers are employed.

High Tech and Higher Education

Some of the finest institutions of higher learning and specialized knowledge centers can be found in and around Rockville, creating both a labor pool of highly skilled, talented people, and opportunities for ongoing professional development.

In fact, two of the most advanced centers of learning in the Mid-Atlantic, Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland, operate campuses in Rockville.  Montgomery College, headquartered in Rockville, works directly with biotech CEOs and offers an array of technical courses through its Biotechnology Resource and Training Center. In all, more than 50 educational institutions and technical centers can be found within a 50-mile radius, creating a strong foundation for both employees and companies in Rockville.

Furthermore, organizations such as MDBIO and the Technology Council of Maryland offer seminars and lecture programs that keep companies up to date on the latest innovations in technology.