Plans for H-2, the second phase of the Health & Life Science Exchange in downtown New Brunswick, will include 360,000 square feet of build-to-suit lab and office space for Nokia Bell Labs. It would rise alongside a first phase that’s now under construction and slated to include a facility known as the New Jersey Innovation HUB, a new home for the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a center for what’s known as translational research. — Courtesy: New Brunswick Development Corp.
By Joshua Burd
A new facility focused on commercializing scientific research is coming to the HELIX — the acclaimed campus under construction in downtown New Brunswick — under a partnership announced this week by state officials and Nokia Bell Labs, a future tenant at the site.
According to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center will be a 13,500-square-foot coworking office and lab space housed in the new lab and office building that’s slated to open at the HELIX by 2028. Those spaces, part of the planned build-to-suit, 360,000-square-foot tower for Nokia Bell Labs, will have specialized equipment to support the emerging companies’ ongoing research and provide them with necessary business training, operating services, facilities and management guidance to transform their research into commercially viable products and services.
It’s the latest commitment for the project officially known as the Health & Life Science Exchange, which is taking shape just south of Albany Street and across from the New Brunswick train station under a project by New Brunswick Development Corp. The Nokia facility, developed by SJP Properties, will be the second phase behind a 574,000-square-foot tower with the New Jersey Innovation HUB incubator, the new home of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a Rutgers translational research facility.
“For a century, Nokia Bell Labs has been a world-class leader in research and development and our partnership with them sends a clear message that when it comes to technology and innovation, the Garden State is the place to be,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “By providing office and lab space and networking and collaboration opportunities, the NJEDA’s Strategic Innovation Center initiative is helping entrepreneurs grow their business and develop the next generation of life changing technologies.”
The NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center is one of two components announced Wednesday by the state and Nokia. The second, the Bell Labs Venture Studio, will open later this year and will initially occupy Nokia Bell Labs’ longtime campus in Murray Hill, providing similar services while assisting its ventures with access to a network of academic, corporate and other partners to accelerate their growth.
All told, the EDA said it plans to invest $25 million to support the two facilities on a one-to-one basis with Nokia, pending approvals by its board, according to a news release. Additionally, Nokia plans to partner with at least one of the state’s engineering schools, which will allow the companies at the center to benefit from various university resources.
“Bell Labs has long been at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation and this partnership will help bring new technologies to the marketplace and bolster New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem,” said Tim Sullivan, the EDA’s chief executive. “Since he took office, Governor Murphy has been committed to re-establishing New Jersey as a national leader in innovation and he has invested resources to help entrepreneurs grow and scale their business. Powered by the NJEDA’s Strategic Innovation Center initiative, the NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center and New Jersey Bell Labs Venture Studio will foster the development of state-of-the-art technology, create new jobs and drive long-term economic growth.”
The new innovation centers will help startups accelerate and commercialize intellectual property from Nokia Bell Labs and local universities with an emphasis in the fields of communication, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and optical and wireless networks.
“Nokia Bell Labs has a longstanding commitment to innovation and excellence in New Jersey,” said Nishant Batra, Nokia’s chief strategy and technology officer. “Our partnership with NJEDA to launch the Bell Labs Venture Studio and the NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center is a testament to our dedication to fostering cutting-edge research and supporting the growth of startups in the state.
“By collaborating with academic institutions and leveraging our intellectual property and state-of-the-art facilities, we aim to drive technological advancements and bolster New Jersey’s innovation economy.”
Thierry Klein, Nokia Bell Labs’ solutions research president, added: “Bell Labs has proudly called New Jersey home for most of our 100-year history, and we are thrilled to launch the Bell Labs Venture Studio in partnership with NJEDA in 2025, as we celebrate our centennial anniversary. The Bell Labs mission has always been to create groundbreaking technologies that have a demonstratable impact on society and industry. This initiative will not only create new opportunities for emerging startups in New Jersey but also unlock the potential of groundbreaking innovations, and reinforce our legacy of pioneering breakthroughs in communication, AI and other transformative technologies.”
According to the EDA, Strategic Innovation Centers are facilities that support research and development, innovation and entrepreneurship through mentorship, networking opportunities, hands-on training, business support services and education opportunities. SICs can be accelerators, incubators or research centers, the authority said, noting that having a physical location where entrepreneurs can collaborate will help support new, diverse innovators and help drive long-term economic growth.
“This announcement marks another exciting milestone for the HELIX and New Jersey’s innovation economy, strengthening our communities and reaffirming our state’s position as a leader in cutting-edge industries,” state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said. “Through this partnership, we are driving economic growth and creating opportunities for local scholars, entrepreneurs and businesses to prosper. It was legislation, the Economic Recovery Act of 2020, that shows world-class companies like Nokia that New Jersey is ready to partner with the private sector to make smart, strategic investments in the jobs of the future. I am proud of our progress and look forward to the lasting impact it will have for generations to come.”
Devco tops out $732 million first phase of HELIX campus in New Brunswick (PHOTOS + VIDEO)
