On Nov. 19, 2020, Vice Dean for Innovation Rod Priestley joined NJ Governor Phil Murphy, Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway, and the leaders of Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health to announce that the two research institutions and two health care networks will be among the first tenants of The Hub.
Princeton University will be the first institutional tenant in The Hub, a new collaborative site in downtown New Brunswick that aims to foster research, entrepreneurship, innovation and startup incubation in New Jersey. Rutgers University, Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health, announced as core partners in the project, will also be initial tenants.
Vice Dean for Innovation Rodney Priestley participated in the virtual announcement by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
“Like Governor Murphy, Princeton believes that New Jersey is uniquely positioned to lead the nation and, in fact, the world when it comes to scientific, technological and social innovation,” said Priestley, who in addition to his innovation leadership role is a professor of chemical and biological engineering.
He added, “Princeton is committed to fostering the innovation ecosystem here in New Jersey. We as a university are expanding our footprint in innovation and entrepreneurship, so we are excited to have a physical presence at the New Jersey Innovation and Technology Hub.”
The Hub will foster technologies in a range of industries and support the rapid translation to real-world applications of innovations, according to Murphy’s announcement. The Hub plan calls for a ten-story, 210,000 square foot state-of-the-art building with mixed-use non-residential space in downtown New Brunswick with a direct connection to the Northeast Corridor rail line.
“We understand that innovation is how we build a better future and that to do so, strong connections between universities and the public sector are required,” Priestley said. “These partnerships are what will make New Jersey one of the emerging global centers of innovation and entrepreneurship. The caliber of Hub core partners announced today is inspiring and motivates us to further our involvement in building the New Jersey innovation ecosystem.”
Noting the presence of Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway at the online event, Priestley remarked on the combination of world-class public and private research universities in the state: “Strengthening the innovation ecosystem is critical to our ability to continue to attract the best talent from around the world to study and work on our campuses—talent that we want to encourage to stay here in the region upon graduation.”
Construction on The Hub is slated to begin in the summer of 2021 with completion anticipated by January 2024.
Official press release from Governor Phil Murphy