Maryland Students Awarded $50K in Pava LaPere Innovation Grants

The awards honor the legacy of a beloved Baltimore tech CEO killed in 2023.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 9:26pm

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Several Maryland students were awarded $50,000 in grants through the Pava LaPere Innovation Awards, a program named in memory of the late Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere. The awards were presented on Thursday night to the state's most promising young entrepreneurs, with the LaPere family also announcing the creation of a new nonprofit, the Pava LaPere Student Entrepreneurship Foundation, to continue supporting student entrepreneurs in Baltimore.

Why it matters

The Pava LaPere Innovation Awards aim to empower and support the next generation of Maryland's young entrepreneurs, carrying on the legacy of a beloved local tech leader who was passionate about nurturing up-and-coming business talent. The new nonprofit foundation will also help advance entrepreneurial careers for undergraduates in the Greater Baltimore area.

The details

The Pava LaPere Innovation Awards ceremony was held on Thursday night, where $50,000 in grants were distributed to Maryland's most promising young entrepreneurs. The program is named after Pava LaPere, a Baltimore tech CEO who was killed in 2023. LaPere's father, Frank LaPere, said the awards allow them to see 'the excitement and the vibrancy of these students' and their motivated ideas for viable businesses. In addition to the awards, the LaPere family announced the creation of the Pava LaPere Student Entrepreneurship Foundation, a new nonprofit focused on advancing the careers of undergraduates in the Greater Baltimore area.

  • The Pava LaPere Innovation Awards ceremony was held on Thursday, February 20, 2026.
  • Pava LaPere, the tech CEO the awards are named after, was killed in 2023.

The players

Pava LaPere

A beloved Baltimore tech CEO who was killed in 2023. The Pava LaPere Innovation Awards are named in her memory to honor her passion for empowering young entrepreneurs.

Frank LaPere

Pava LaPere's father, who spoke at the awards ceremony about his daughter's legacy and the creation of the new Pava LaPere Student Entrepreneurship Foundation.

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What they’re saying

“It's really, really enjoyable seeing her in every one of these kids … seeing the excitement and the vibrancy of these students. How they are so motivated about their ideas and the way they present. You can just feel their motivation and excitement to want to turn these things into viable businesses.”

— Frank LaPere, Pava LaPere's father

“That's something that was very important to Pava. We asked ourselves, 'What would Pava be doing?' And, we're excited to know that she'd probably be doing exactly this, continuing to support student entrepreneurs in Baltimore, her adopted hometown, and a place that she loved.”

— Frank LaPere, Pava LaPere's father

What’s next

The Pava LaPere Student Entrepreneurship Foundation will continue supporting undergraduate entrepreneurs in the Greater Baltimore area, carrying on Pava LaPere's legacy of empowering the next generation of business leaders.

The takeaway

The Pava LaPere Innovation Awards and new entrepreneurship foundation demonstrate how a community can come together to honor a beloved local leader's memory by investing in the dreams and aspirations of young people. This program aims to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in Maryland and ensure the next wave of innovators have the resources they need to succeed.