Trenton, NJ — New Jersey Business reports that the state budget introduced last week in the New Jersey Legislature includes a line-item that is critical to promoting innovation—creation of a statewide asset database on higher education research and resources.
Once up and running, it would foster collaboration with private-sector businesses to see the research and the facilities that are available to them.
“When we created the Innovation New Jersey coalition six years ago, a statewide database like this one was at the top of our list,” said NJBIA’s Chief Government Affairs Officer Melanie Willoughby. “If we want to attract tomorrow’s innovation leaders, if we want to be home to the next Facebook or Google, this database is essential.”
Under the plan, the NJ Economic Development Authority, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education, will create and maintain an online portal would promote New Jersey’s academic assets to attract high tech companies.
Once up and running, it would foster collaboration with private-sector businesses to see the research and the facilities that are available to them.
“When we created the Innovation New Jersey coalition six years ago, a statewide database like this one was at the top of our list,” said NJBIA’s Chief Government Affairs Officer Melanie Willoughby. “If we want to attract tomorrow’s innovation leaders, if we want to be home to the next Facebook or Google, this database is essential.”
Under the plan, the NJ Economic Development Authority, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education, will create and maintain an online portal would promote New Jersey’s academic assets to attract high tech companies.
The database will enable companies to tap into the expertise of New Jersey’s university faculty researchers, high-tech facilities, intellectual property and other academic resources. Businesses would gain access to the work of nationally recognized research universities like Rutgers, Princeton, NJIT, the Stevens Institute of Technology and Rowan.
“New Jersey has all the pieces to have a world-class innovation hub: strong research-based industries, outstanding academic institutions, a supportive state government, dynamic entrepreneurs, accessibility to capital and a highly-educated workforce,” said Tyler Seville, NJBIA director for Technology and Workforce Development.
This initiative was the recommendation of the New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO), and affiliate of NJBIA.
“In the past five years, New Jersey has made dramatic progress coordinating and leveraging its resources into building a competitive high-tech economy,” Willoughby said. “An academic asset database, showcasing the R&D capacity of our universities, would continue this upward innovation trend to foster collaboration and improve the partnerships between academia, business and government.”
“New Jersey has all the pieces to have a world-class innovation hub: strong research-based industries, outstanding academic institutions, a supportive state government, dynamic entrepreneurs, accessibility to capital and a highly-educated workforce,” said Tyler Seville, NJBIA director for Technology and Workforce Development.
This initiative was the recommendation of the New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO), and affiliate of NJBIA.
“In the past five years, New Jersey has made dramatic progress coordinating and leveraging its resources into building a competitive high-tech economy,” Willoughby said. “An academic asset database, showcasing the R&D capacity of our universities, would continue this upward innovation trend to foster collaboration and improve the partnerships between academia, business and government.”
