Montgomery County’s recent business development mission to India, led by officials from the Department of Economic Development (DED), was a success in bringing new business, partnerships and investments to the County. The 10-day trip included meetings and roundtable discussions with nearly 200 Indian life sciences and advanced technology companies.

As a result of the trip, Icreon Communications (www.icreon.com), a software development company headquartered in the National Capital Region of India, canceled plans to launch its U.S. operations in Austin, Texas and traveled to Montgomery County recently to meet with DED staff and visit the County’s Silver Spring and Rockville Innovation Centers. Icreon is planning a return visit in April 2008 to complete the incubator application process and company officials have entered into discussions with Rockville-based Indigo Arc (www.indioarc.com) about forming a business partnership.

E-Ready Solutions, which will be moving into the County’s Rockville Innovation Center in Spring2008, joined in a consortium with sister companies Triton E-Ready Solutions (P) Ltd. and E-Ready Technologies (P) Ltd., has entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of India to provide supply, installation and/or support of educational software, biometric hardware and software and office automation software to India’s Community Service Center Project. The project provides connectivity at 110,000 community centers throughout India and serves 1.1 billion residents. Truehart Systems International, located in the County’s Silver Spring Innovation Center and also part of the India delegation, will be providing homeland security services under the E-Ready Solutions MOU.

India-based Electronics Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) will bring five member companies to visit Montgomery County in late January. Through a grant from the Government of India, ESC plans to lease space in the Rockville Innovation Center to serve as the U.S. hub for the five advanced technology companies to launch their North American operations.

HarVest Bank of Maryland, also a delegation member, has been in contact with several companies contacted during the mission about possible financing opportunities.

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