NEWARK, NJ, Nov 1, 2018 – The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) an NJIT Corporation, and HealRWorld (HRW), a social impact company dedicated to spurring the growth of sustainable small and mid-sized (SMEs) businesses in New Jersey and globally, have partnered to launch an accelerator focused on supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The vision was announced by Dr. Joel Bloom, president of NJIT, at the United Nations in May, and is now being launched at the same time Governor Phil Murphy has unveiled an economic development strategic plan – “The State of Innovation: Building a Stronger and Fairer Economy in New Jersey.” The plan is designed to place New Jersey on a path to a stronger future where innovation, diversity and fairness stand at the forefront of the State’s economy.
Don Sebastian, president of NJII stated, “We are excited to partner with HealRWorld on this new sustainability-themed accelerator to support companies helping to achieve the SDGs of the United Nations. Our model will accelerate the development of startup, early-stage, and scale-up companies through cohorts organized by the sustainable business priorities of the participating companies. We will also partner with large companies and granting organizations to scout, vet, and curate smaller technology-based companies that provide a source of corporate innovation.”
Governor Murphy, in a recorded video message stated, “To HealRWorld and the New Jersey Innovation Institute–congratulations on this tremendous new collaboration. As you know, I want to see New Jersey once again dominate the global innovation economy. To do so we will need to make New Jersey a magnet for companies working at the leading edge of discovery and sustainability. But I don’t want us to just do well…I want us to do good in the process.” To view the entire statement from Governor Murphy, click here.
The SDG Accelerator Launch brought together leaders from major New Jersey corporations along with NGOs, social impact investors, academic institutions, representatives from the United Nations and cutting-edge start-ups eager to collaborate and partner on this new venture.
