What is the Innovation New Jersey Coalition?

The Innovation New Jersey Coalition is a diverse coalition of leading businesses, trade associations and higher education institutions established to strengthen and enhance the culture of innovation in New Jersey.

Our Mission

Innovation New Jersey also known as “InnovationNJ” and “INJ” promotes policies and partnerships between academia, industry and government that will:

• Foster greater dialogue and collaboration among members of New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem
• Retain and grow high-paying STEM and innovation-related careers
• Strengthen and fortify New Jersey’s highly educated, highly skilled workforce pipeline
• Financially support and incentivize the growth New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem
• Inform and educate the value of New Jersey’s private and public innovation assets

Founded in 2010, Innovation New Jersey was started by Melanie Willoughby of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) and Haskell Berman of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ). Inspired by New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO), NJBIA and HINJ developed INJ as an organization to actualize NJPRO’s recommendations and continue the discussion to improve the collaboration of academia, industry and government.

Our Leadership

Chrissy Buteas
Executive Director of Innovation NJ
President and Chief Executive Officer,
HealthCare Institute of New Jersey