The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board has approved a $12.55 million investment in two Strategic Innovation Centers (SICs) aimed at supporting medical technology and maternal health startups. The New Jersey Accelerator for Innovation in Medtech (NJ AIM), located in Camden and Mullica Hill, will facilitate the research, development, and commercialization of advanced medical devices and technologies. Meanwhile, the New Baby New Jersey SIC, based at Trenton’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC), will help early-stage companies develop innovative solutions in maternal and infant health. These initiatives are designed to foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, and strengthen New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem.
NJEDA Acting CEO Mary Maples highlighted that the state’s investments in NJ AIM and the New Baby New Jersey SIC build on New Jersey’s longstanding commitment to supporting entrepreneurs, leveraging academic institutions, private sector partners, and collaboration to drive scientific breakthroughs and economic growth. The programs, managed by Plug and Play, provide startups with workshops, mentorship, business development services, education opportunities, access to specialized equipment, industry partnerships, and investment pathways. Each SIC will run two accelerator cohorts per year with at least 20 companies per cohort, prioritizing both local and out-of-state startups that may relocate to New Jersey.
The NJEDA will allocate up to $5.5 million to invest directly in startups participating in the SICs, $2.25 million (matched by Rowan University) to support the accelerator programs, and $1.5 million for a new venture studio operated by NLC Ventures to develop medtech and maternal health companies. An additional $3 million will support early-phase maternal and infant health initiatives in Trenton, providing programmatic and technical support through third-party administration.
NJ AIM will feature 8,500 square feet of space across Camden and Mullica Hill, including laboratories, diagnostic, and testing facilities designed to enable collaborative research and development. Cooper University Health Care will act as the anchor commercial partner, while Rowan University will invest in selected accelerator companies. The New Baby New Jersey SIC will occupy 5,000 square feet at MIHIC and focus on maternal health research, digital health, doula support, perinatal mental health, and access to public benefits, promoting equity and innovation in maternal and infant health care.
Plug and Play, with extensive experience running over 100 accelerator programs globally, will support the SICs by providing founders with mentorship, commercialization support, and access to networks of investors, universities, and clinical partners. NJEDA’s broader SIC initiative includes 12 centers across New Jersey, covering industries such as AI, fintech, aerospace, life sciences, and biotech, and is designed to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and long-term economic growth.
The NJEDA serves as New Jersey’s primary agency for economic development, aiming to create inclusive, sustainable growth, generate employment opportunities, and strengthen the state’s competitiveness by leveraging public-private partnerships and strategic initiatives that support entrepreneurs and communities across the state.
