TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo to Host “Inside the Family Office” Panel

Session will feature leaders from Ruppert International, xFoundry Alliance, Total Wine & More and KiwiTech, moderated by TEDCO's Katherine Hill Ritchie

COLUMBIA, Md., (September 28, 2026) - TEDCO, Maryland's economic engine for technology companies, announces the "Inside the Family Office" session at the upcoming 2026 Entrepreneur Expo taking place at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor on October 27, 2026.

The session will bring together Todd Ruppert, chief executive officer of Ruppert International, a holding company with global interests spanning financial services, disruptive technologies and private equity, and former chief executive officer and president of T. Rowe Price Global Investment Services; Amir Ansari, co-founder of xFoundry Alliance and inaugural executive director of xFoundry@UMD; Grace Webster, family office director at Total Wine & More, the Bethesda-based retailer where she advises the company's founding family on governance, investment strategy and charitable giving; and Anita Gupta, co-founder of KiwiTech, a Falls Church, Virginia-based startup investment and technology platform she built with her siblings - for a conversation moderated by Katherine Hill Ritchie, senior director of venture funds at TEDCO.

Family offices are an increasingly important source of capital for early-stage and growth-stage companies, but many founders still find them difficult to understand. Unlike traditional venture funds, they do not operate on fixed fund lifecycles, they often invest across a wide range of asset classes, and they frequently bring operating experience alongside the capital they deploy. This session explores how that capital is actually deployed and how founders can position their companies for it.

"Founders often approach a family office the same way they approach a venture fund, and that is usually where it goes wrong," said Hill Ritchie. "These are patient, relationship-driven investors with their own priorities and their own timelines. Understanding how they actually think is the difference between an introduction that goes nowhere and one that turns into a long-term partner."

Panelists will share how they evaluate opportunities, what makes outreach stand out, and where Maryland's technology and life science companies fit within their investment strategies.

The session reflects a meaningful shift in where private capital sits. Deloitte Private counts an estimated 8,030 single-family offices worldwide, up 31% since 2019, representing families with a combined $5.5 trillion in wealth, a figure it projects will reach $9.5 trillion by 2030. These investors are also moving steadily from passive fund positions into direct deals. Their stated priorities align closely with Maryland's strengths: in the 2026 Global Family Office Report, J.P. Morgan Private Bank found that 65% of the 333 single family offices it surveyed across 30 countries plan to prioritize artificial intelligence, ranking it the top investment theme ahead of healthcare innovation. For founders in a state built on life science and technology research, that is capital worth understanding.

TEDCO's award-winning Entrepreneur Expo shines a spotlight on regional entrepreneurship. Attracting more than 1,170 attendees, the event collects some of the region's top entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, venture capital investors, legislators and resources for a day of celebration. This year, the event will take place in Baltimore, one of the top 20 best cities for entrepreneurs, offering a full day of interactive workshops, insightful discussions and inspiring connections.

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the region's top experts, including keynote guests Anirban Basu, Tamla Olivier and TEDCO's very own Troy LeMaile-Stovall; secure your spot at this impactful event now at tedcomdexpo.com/event/2026/register.