The Current State of Innovation in New Jersey

As I said in my article, “A Brief History of Innovation in New Jersey”, our state has had a great history of progress and forward-thinking. Today, there are many organizations and councils devoted to focusing on continuing that legacy: InnovationNJ, the NJ Office of Innovation, and the New Jersey Tech Council, among other. A common thread between all of these companies is that they all promote research and discovery through networking, training, investing, and other support systems. InnovationNJ, founded in 2010, is a membership-based organization that provides state, federal, educational, and industrial support for their members, with newsletters and events that allow for further networking and learning. So far, they have done much to uphold and accomplish their mission to “strengthen and enhance the culture of innovation in New Jersey”, and have been able to extend their reach into many fields and across many businesses. However, a culture of innovation in the state cannot be developed and maintained by one coalition; therefore, InnovationNJ works in conjunction with the New Jersey Office of Innovation, formed by the state and governor Phil Murphy to establish a more innovative environment and potentially attract innovators in the future. Created in 2018, the office’s official mission is general and simple: to improve the lives of New Jersey residents. Like InnovationNJ, the office works with governmental, educational, non-profit, and private sector figures to help improve the designing and development aspect of innovation, to train and advise in new projects and policies, and to increase public engagement. And while the state is more focused on governmental innovation and not specifically technological innovation, it still works to foster increased progress and development in New Jersey, which would bring economic benefits to the state. One group that does focus specifically on the technological development in New Jersey is the New Jersey Tech Council (NJTC). The NJTC is similar to InnovationNJ in that it is a membership-based organization, offering resources such as funding, research, advocacy, along with networking events and newsletters. The comparisons are clear, but the NJTC really hones in on STEM innovation, and with its famous conferences and support systems, it is a nationally recognized organization. As evidenced by the numerous organizations for the promotion of innovation, there is a culture of development that is rapidly growing in the state, and they will continue to innovate and bring New Jersey back to a center of progress.

Source:

https://www.njtc.org/

https://www.innovationnj.net/

https://innovation.nj.gov/