What You Should Know
- The Investment: The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has approved a $12.55M commitment to launch two new Strategic Innovation Centers (SICs) focused on medical technology and maternal health.
- The Hubs: The initiative creates NJ AIM in Camden/Mullica Hill for general medtech and New Baby New Jersey in Trenton for maternal and infant health solutions.
- The Engine: Both programs will be managed by global accelerator giant Plug and Play, aiming to graduate two cohorts of 20+ startups annually, with a mandate that at least 20% of participants be New Jersey-based.
New Jersey Partners with Plug and Play to Launch Two New Strategic Innovation Centers
New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) doubled down on that strategy, approving a $12.55M commitment to launch two new Strategic Innovation Centers (SICs). Managed by Silicon Valley heavyweight Plug and Play, these centers—NJ AIM and New Baby New Jersey—represent a coordinated effort to build a startup ecosystem from the ground up. The goal is not just to fund research, but to create a “launchpad” that translates academic science into scalable, venture-backed companies.
“New Jersey is making a clear statement about its commitment to building the next generation of medical technology companies,” said Jaap Haemers, Director at NLC Ventures USA, a partner in the initiative.
The “Twin Engine” Strategy
The investment is split between two distinct but complementary verticals, leveraging the state’s existing academic and clinical assets.
1. The Medtech Engine: NJ AIM Located in Camden and Mullica Hill, the New Jersey Accelerator for Innovation in Medtech (NJ AIM) is designed to be a hardware-heavy hub. It will encompass 8,500 square feet of lab and testing space within the Joint Health Sciences Center and Rowan University.
- The Anchor: Cooper University Health Care will serve as the commercial affiliate, providing startups with the clinical validation they often lack.
- The Goal: To support the R&D of novel medical devices, leveraging the proximity to the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine for One Health synergies.
2. The Impact Engine: New Baby New Jersey Located in Trenton, this center addresses a critical public health crisis. The New Baby New Jersey SIC will focus exclusively on maternal and infant health—an area where the U.S. famously lags behind other developed nations.
- The Mission: Housed within the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC), this hub will drive solutions in care equity, doula support, and perinatal mental health.
- The Stakeholders: It brings together public agencies and community voices, acknowledging that fixing maternal mortality requires social innovation as much as technological breakthrough.
Importing Innovation: The “Plug and Play” Factor
The involvement of Plug and Play—which runs over 100 accelerator programs globally—signals that New Jersey is looking to import talent. The program structure is aggressive: two cohorts per year, with a minimum of 20 independent companies per cohort. While 20% of participants must be from New Jersey, the remaining 80% can be recruited from out of state or overseas, with incentives to relocate. This is a classic economic development play: use state capital to bait the hook, and use the ecosystem (universities, hospitals) to keep the catch.
The Capital Stack
The NJEDA’s financial commitment is structured to fuel every stage of the startup lifecycle:
- $5.5M: Direct investment into companies graduating from the accelerators.
- $2.25M: Operational support for the accelerator programs (matched by Rowan University).
- $1.5M: Investment in a new venture studio operated by NLC Ventures, a global “venture builder” that constructs companies around uncommercialized IP.
- $3M: Reserved specifically for early-phase maternal health initiatives.
