Beginning Friday evening, February 3, at 6:00 p.m., EDA will be performing scheduled maintenance that will impact the web servers that host www.njeda.gov, fortmonmouthnj.com, affirmative action and the online application web sites. The impacted sites and applications will be down completely during this time.  These areas should be working normally following the maintenance period, which is expected to end by Sunday afternoon.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

A Special Meeting of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 12:00 Noon in our offices at 36 West State Street, Trenton NJ. The Members will meet to discuss and act upon a request to approve two bond requests under the 2017 Qualified School Construction Bond allocation. The agenda can be found 48 hours prior to the meeting at our website: www.njeda.gov/Board

The EDA is mourning the passing of its former CEO, Caren Franzini.

Those of us who knew Caren Franzini already recognize the magnitude of this loss.  Caren was a personal hero to so many of us, and a true friend to those who had the privilege of knowing her.  Her legacy lives on in the culture she built at the EDA over two decades; a culture she inspired with kindness, loyalty, enthusiasm and integrity.

As longtime EDA CEO (1994-2012), Caren’s mark at the EDA will be everlasting, as will her impact on economic development across the State of New Jersey.  The resurgence of cities like Camden, Trenton and Newark; the fostering of innovation, through the development of the Technology Centre of New Jersey, the Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies and the Waterfront Technology Center at Camden; and her focus on small business and entrepreneurship, are all significant landmarks that will pass from this generation of New Jerseyans to the next.

Caren’s career and influence were truly outstanding, but we will miss her most in far less quantifiable ways.  She never forgot a birthday or to ask how your kids were doing. She was the first to say thank you and to give her staff credit. She was the State’s and the EDA's greatest cheerleader and advocate, and a champion for doing the right thing, always. We all are better people, personally and professionally, for having known her and there is no doubt that the State of New Jersey is a better place because of her.

On many occasions, Caren shared quotes from her favorite poet, Maya Angelou, with EDA staff.  Caren’s life has inspired all who knew her to value people above all else, to recognize what is truly important, and to live life with meaningful purpose.  By every imaginable measure of a person, Caren was a remarkable success.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou

A meeting of the Economic Recovery Board for Camden has been scheduled for Monday, January 23, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at EDA Headquarters, 36 West State Street, Trenton, NJ. The agenda can be found at our website: www.njeda.gov/camdenerb.

Several New Jersey entrepreneurs tout the many benefits of BioNJ membership.

TRENTON, N.J. (January 19, 2017) – Representatives from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) will join more than 750 biotechnology and pharmaceutical professionals, other government officials, academic leaders, and service providers on Feb. 2 at BioNJ's 24th Annual Gateway Gala & Innovation Celebration.

Entrepreneurs from three EDA-supported companies are among those who will be recognized during the gala. Celator Pharmaceuticals former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Scott Jackson, Amicus Therapeutics Chairman of the Board & CEO John Crowley, and Chromocell CEO Christian Kopfli will receive BioNJ’s Innovator Award in the leadership category.

The gala will also highlight New Jersey’s many success stories of 2016 and give trade organization BioNJ the opportunity to tout why innovators choose to grow their companies in New Jersey. According to BioNJ:

> The Garden State boasts the world’s highest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile – more than 225,000 statewide.

> New Jersey is home to 14 of the world’s 20 largest biopharmaceutical companies, including Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer, and 12 of the world’s top 22 research and development companies.

> The annual economic impact of the industry in New Jersey is estimated to be $36 billion.

> More than 64,210 individuals are employed in New Jersey’s life sciences industry.

BioNJ’s mission is to propel New Jersey’s robust life sciences ecosystem forward to accelerate the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies and cures for the patients who need them. With more than 400 member companies, ranging from startups to large corporations, BioNJ has been an advocate for New Jersey’s life science community for over 20 years.

“As New Jersey’s life sciences presence continues to grow, BioNJ works to advance economic development through leadership and lobbying to develop programs and financial resources that will enrich an already vibrant life sciences landscape,” BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart said.

Member companies can take advantage of a multitude of BioNJ resources:

BioNJ’s Talent Services connects entrepreneurs with capable employees who can fit their staffing needs. The service offers candidate sourcing, human resources expertise, and career coaching and training.
BioNJ also offers an array of services and resources aimed at supporting member companies throughout their lifecycle. These include increased visibility on BioNJ’s website, LinkedIn page and weekly BioLines Weekender newsletter, as well as emerging company spotlight profiles and sponsorship opportunities.

Peer-to-peer networking and educational events such as exclusive forums, roundtable discussions, and participation in various BioNJ committees enable entrepreneurs to learn more about themselves, their community, and their industry. BioNJ also holds an annual CEO Summit, which brings together the heads of innovator companies to discuss topics relevant to leaders in the life sciences sector.

“New Jersey has a dynamic life sciences community through which emerging entrepreneurs receive invaluable guidance from established entities, more-seasoned innovators, and giants in the pharmaceutical world,” EDA CEO Melissa Orsen. “It’s through organizations like BioNJ that these relationships are cultivated and strengthened.”

To register for BioNJ's 24th Annual Gateway Gala & Innovation Celebration, of which the EDA is a sponsor, visit http://bionj.org/event/2017-annual-gateway-gala-dinner.

The CEOs of two EDA-supported companies weighed in on the benefits of BioNJ membership:

TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, a Rutgers University spinout that graduated from CCIT, is developing drugs to reduce and possibly eliminate the threat to societal health of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Gregory Mario, whose company also participated in the State’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program, had this to say about BioNJ:
 
“Membership in BioNJ has provided TAXIS with access to tremendous resources,” Mario said. “At different stages of our maturation, we were afforded access to people and programs that assisted us with our growth.  Initially BioNJ membership helped me build the company through networking events where I met professionals that provided advice and counsel; some of which became trusted advisors and others who became employees at TAXIS.  Over the years, TAXIS has benefited from BioNJ membership in the form of fund raising facilitated by the State’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program, cost reduction tools such as the discounted chemical and supplies program and direct, non-dilutive financing via the State’s NOL transfer program.”
 

Agile Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical company in Princeton that focuses on the development of innovative women’s healthcare products. The company has repeatedly benefited from the State’s Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer (NOL) Program. Agile Therapeutics President and CEO Al Altomari touts the many benefits that the organization provides.

“First, on an ongoing basis we get a lot of programming and introductions, things like the CEO Summit where we get a chance to collaborate with our peers,” Altomari said. “In the long time that BioNJ has been our advocate, my company has received a lot of funding through the State’s NOL Program. In short, we’ve received a ton of benefits from our relationship with BioNJ and the State of New Jersey.”

For more information about resources available to support New Jersey’s technology industry, visit https://www.njeda.gov/tls and follow @NJEDATech on Twitter and LinkedIn.

TRENTON, N.J. (January 12, 2017) – As the number of businesses storing information in the cloud skyrockets, and access to analytical data is becoming more critical, companies like Holmdel-based Avlino, Inc. find themselves in growing demand.

“Avlino was established with a mission to simplify data analytics for businesses of all sizes by tying together all the intricacies of the data analytics process into one comprehensive, easy-to-use, interactive platform,” Avlino Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramana Jampala said.

Avlino’s innovative analytics platform, Alenza, brought Jampala’s vision of the “Citizen Data Scientist” to fruition, in that any business can now play with its data to generate insights – without having a PhD in computer science and math. This is possible by Avlino’s complete automation of the process of data collection, analytics, and visualization. The platform’s inbuilt text analytics automatically summarize and visualize consumer behavior, while the predictive models quantify the business impact of the insights generated. Among its many components, Alenza offers advanced social media learning features such as customer-experience measurement, digital influencer analysis and customer demographic analysis.

Avlino was founded in 2013 by a team with over 100 years of collective experience and has quickly gained national recognition for its capabilities. Avlino was named to CIOReview Magazine’s Top 100 Big Data Solutions Providers of 2015.

“With support from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), we’ve been able to expand from a small startup to a leader in big data solutions,” Jampala said.

Avlino has benefited from multiple EDA programs designed to support emerging technology companies at all stages of growth. At its earliest stage, Avlino participated in the EDA’s inaugural New Jersey Founders & Funders event. Hosted at the EDA’s Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies, New Jersey Founders & Funders events introduce entrepreneurs to investors in 10-minute one-on-one “speed dating” match ups, paving the way for emerging companies to attain the funding they need to grow in the state. As it grew, Avlino secured funding from investors who participated in the State’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program, and was approved to sell unused New Jersey net operating losses and research and development (R&D) tax credits through the New Jersey Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer (NOL) Program. This current fiscal year marks the first time that Avlino is participating in the NOL Program.

“Entrepreneurs and companies that know how to leverage resources, find a niche in the marketplace, and position themselves within that realm, are the businesses that will ultimately be successful,” EDA CEO Melissa Orsen said. “We are excited to see what the future holds for Avlino as they continue to grow in New Jersey.” 

@NJEDATech asked Jampala about his company’s experience in New Jersey and its plans for the future:

Why did you choose to grow your company here in New Jersey?
New Jersey is home to some of the most-groundbreaking technological innovations in history and Holmdel was a hotspot for entrepreneurial talent. As both an investor and an entrepreneur, I have invested in numerous New Jersey-based companies and am committed to supporting the high-tech community in the Garden State. There is a tremendous amount of talent remaining from the Bell Labs days and many entrepreneurs are emerging from the top-notch universities in the tri-state area, who are ready to be part of startups and be an active part of the growth engine.

In addition, many large organizations are headquartered in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. The demand among these organizations to incorporate a big data analytics strategy is increasing and many of them are just a drive away from our corporate headquarters, so in-person meetings and networking events are easy to plan and to attend.

How have EDA programs helped Avlino?
The EDA offers several relevant programs that help startups like Avlino grow and thrive in New Jersey. The New Jersey Founders & Funders event exposed Avlino to several investment groups that resulted in follow-on conversations. We have established ongoing relationships with several venture capital firms and angel investor groups, whose feedback and expertise have proven useful throughout our start-up journey. As Avlino progresses through many milestones, we can rekindle many of these relationships for future investments. The Angel Investor Tax Credit program helped Avlino to incentivize Angel and Angel Investor syndicate groups to invest by presenting the program as a way to mitigate their risk in investing by 10 percent. We introduced the program in our pitch decks, explaining the tax credit and how easy it is to apply.

However, the EDA resource from which Avlino Inc. has benefited the most was the NOL Program, which allowed Avlino to sell back its net-operating losses and R&D tax credits to profitable companies. Under this program, Avlino was able to reinvest those dollars back into product development and staff augmentation, ALL of which are New Jersey-based employees. 

What’s on the horizon for Avlino? 
Avlino is on the cusp of exponential growth. As the market demand for the concept of “citizen data scientists” grows, the Alenza solution fills the gap in data analytics. In 2017 and 2018, Avlino will offer Alenza platform-based tailored data analytics solutions to consumer centric industries in retail, hospitality, consumer goods, financial services, and healthcare. Rolling out these solutions to diverse industries will require numerous key hires in data science, big data programming, and business analysis, and Avlino is looking forward to growing its team in New Jersey!
 

 

North Brunswick, N.J. (January 5, 2017) –  National leaders in biotechnology venture capital (VC) will offer insights and advice to New Jersey entrepreneurs interested in securing funding to advance their businesses on January 17. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) will host and deliver “Early Stage Biotech Investing in 2017: Strategies for A Changing Environment,” a two-hour panel discussion featuring speakers that will offer tips and guidance in biotechnology VC investing.

“Early-stage companies are always interested in best practices for raising funds,” EDA Chief Executive Officer Melissa Orsen said. “This event offers them the opportunity to hear directly from some of the top biotechnology VC firms in the country.”

The discussion, which will be held at the EDA’s Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies (CCIT) in North Brunswick beginning at 4:30 p.m., is co-sponsored by BioNJ, the New Jersey Technology Council, and the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey. Biotechnology companies interested in attending should register online at https://www.njeda.gov/Press-Room/Events/CCIT-Biotech-Funding-Panel.

Arch Ventures’ Tom Brennan; Flagship Pioneering’s Dr. Jason Park; and, Versant Ventures’ Dr. Cameron Pitt will answer a variety of funding questions, including:

• How will venture capitalists fund the next generation of drugs, diagnostics and devices? 
• What should you look out for as an early and emerging commercial biotech company seeking funding?

Brennan is a venture partner at Arch Ventures, where he is involved with all aspects of value creation of early-stage advanced technologies. With $2 billion under management, Arch is one of the largest providers of seed and early-state capital in the United States. Brennan grew up in Northfield, Atlantic County, and graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Park is a principal at Flagship Pioneering. Flagship has $1.8 billion under management and has become one of the nation's leading venture creation firms in the life sciences.  Flagship’s scientific ventures start by exploring unprecedented solutions for unsolved problems representing unproven value opportunities.

Dr. Pitt is an associate at Versant Ventures, where he focuses on healthcare investment. The company has $1.9 billion under management and invests across all stages of company development, with an emphasis on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics. Since the firm's founding, 50 Versant companies have achieved successful acquisitions or initial public offerings.

The event will also give biotechnology companies the chance to visit CCIT, a 46,000-square-foot life sciences incubator that is home to nearly two dozen businesses. With 27 wet labs and access to offices, conference rooms, a supportive staff and a variety of additional resources, CCIT is ideal for emerging companies looking to grow in the Garden State. CCIT is located within the Technology Centre of New Jersey, a 75-acre research park that houses such companies as Chromocell and Orthobond (both of which are CCIT graduates), Allergan, and Merial.  Companies interested in touring CCIT should visit www.njeda.gov/CCIT or contact Lenzie Harcum at lharcum@njeda.com.

For more information about resources available to support New Jersey’s technology industry, visit https://www.njeda.gov/tls and follow @NJEDATech on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority's next public Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 10 a.m. at the EDA offices at 36 West State Street, Trenton. A copy of the proposed agenda can be found prior to the meeting at www.njeda.gov/Board. Following the Board Meeting, minutes and the full agenda will also be available at www.njeda.gov/Board.

TRENTON (December 27, 2016) – With 2017 just days away, entrepreneurs and consumers around the Garden State are making their New Year’s resolutions. Whether you have decided that 2017 will be the year that you get healthier, better manage your finances, or make sure your kids’ educations are on solid footing, several New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA)-supported companies offer a variety of products and services to help you reach your goal. 

“New Jersey innovators continue to come up with creative ways to help the average consumer,” EDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Melissa Orsen said. “We encourage you to check out these technology companies focused on health, personal finance, and education that can help you meet your goals in 2017.”

Health
Did you make a resolution to follow through on your doctor’s recommendations? Gold Group Enterprises’ GoMo Health® offers Concierge Care® to engage patients in their moment of need. Based on patient preferences, the “concierge” sends personalized resources, tips, and motivational messages to guide each person on their healthcare journey. By actively engaging patients both in and out of hospitals and encouraging compliance with healthcare regimens, GoMo Health aims to reduce the incidence of hospital re-admission. Gold Group Enterprises participated in the State’s Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer (NOL) Program. “The NOL Program enabled us to quicken the pace of our product enhancements and research and development by providing funding to expand our software development team,” Gold Group Enterprises CEO Bob Gold said.

Have you vowed to always take your medicine in 2017? VEESAG Mobile can help with that…and more! Located at the EDA’s Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies (CCIT), VEESAG Mobile creates devices that are designed to reduce hospital visits and to help people focus on health and wellness. The company’s smart watch, Mobile Personal Emergency Response System (MPERSENS®), reminds wearers to take their medication. It also comes equipped with a one-touch emergency button, as well as location tracking, fall detection, and remote monitoring, and can share critical information with family members. “CCIT provides us with numerous resources to be successful, from office space to technological needs to fulfill frequent meetings with individuals from all over the world who are interested in our products,” Raj Sadhu, VEESAG Mobile Founder and CEO, said.

Is your goal in 2017 to find a low-cost health plan? Check out Lyndhurst-based Vitals, which provides employers and health plans with cost and quality transparency tools that help consumers shop for healthcare. The company also operates Vitals.com, a website that helps over 10 million consumers each month search for the best quality doctors in their areas. Vitals.com has repeatedly participated in the NOL Program. “Our ability to sell net operating losses for cash enhances the company’s ability to invest even further in our technology and innovation for the future,” Vitals Chief Financial Officer Bryan Perler said.

Financial Health
Looking to have a better understanding of your investment portfolio next year? Jersey City-based CircleBlack’s cloud-based platform delivers up-to-date information on all of an investor’s financial relationships, including investment performance, potential pitfalls, and progress toward goals. It also sends proactive, portfolio-specific alerts and content straight to their mobile devices when their investments are impacted, giving them the knowledge needed to take action. CircleBlack, which also has an office in Princeton, received more than $3 million in investments that qualified for New Jersey’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program and participated in the NOL Program. “The support we’ve received from the State has not only helped us grow, but has also enabled us to enhance our platform, thereby helping more advisors and investors,” said CircleBlack CEO John Michel.

Have a college student looking to fund his or her education in 2017? Launched in 2015, PeduL is a Newark-based company that creates a platform helps students crowdfund higher-education opportunities. The company takes funding that each student receives on the platform and gives it to the student’s college or university in the form of third-party scholarships. PeduL attended the EDA’s New Jersey Founders & Funders event in October. “As a young startup, we appreciated the advice and feedback we received from investors during New Jersey Founders and Funders,” PeduL Co-founder, President and Chief Operating Officer Kayla Jackson said.

Education
Want your kids to excel at math in the coming year? Check out education technology (EdTech) company Tabtor Math. Tabtor offers students a learning program that provides personal attention from a dedicated tutor and is specifically tailored to every child’s unique learning needs. The results — an increase in math scores for students and worldwide recognition for the South Brunswick-based startup. “The community in New Jersey is overwhelmingly supportive of providing the best educational outcomes for its children; more than 15 percent of our overall global consumers are based in the Garden State and the evidence of student success has been overwhelming,” Tabtor Math Founder Raj Valli said.

Looking for innovative ways to help a student learn? EdTech company NuSkool converts pop culture and entertainment into learning tools for the classroom. The company offers online access to a complete library of standards-based lesson plans, assessments, quizzes, and test prep exams through its subscription-based entertainment-learning platform. NuSkool, which participated in the New Jersey Founders & Funders event in May, leases space at EDA-supported Cowerks in Asbury Park and Vi Innovation Hub in Holmdel. “I want to make sure that the kids here in New Jersey have access to the same innovation and technology found in New York and Silicon Valley,” NuSkool Founder Abran Maldonado said. “If there’s anything I can do to make that happen, then I’ll feel like I’ve done my part.”

For more information about resources available to New Jersey’s life sciences companies, visit https://www.njeda.gov/tls and follow @NJEDATech on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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TRENTON (December 20, 2016) – As New Jersey technology and life sciences companies wind down 2016 and gear up for 2017, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) looks back at the ten EDA-supported companies that generated the most buzz on @NJEDATech’s Twitter account this year:

“The companies highlighted today, along with so many others, represent the entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in New Jersey,” EDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Melissa Orsen said. “I am continually impressed with the broad spectrum of technology and life sciences companies currently calling New Jersey ‘home,’ and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for the State’s technology sector in 2017.”

Admera Health (@AdmeraHealth1) aims to utilize next generation technology platforms and advanced bioinformatics to redefine disease screening, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and management through innovative, personalized solutions. The South Plainfield-based company, a spinout from the EDA’s Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies (CCIT) graduate GENEWIZ (@GENEWIZ), received an EDA loan through the Edison Innovation VC Growth Fund, which provided the company with working capital to support its operations, including growing its staff. “Admera has always been on the forefront of patient care and, with EDA support, we hope to become the standard of care across the industry,” Admera CEO Dr. Guanghui Hu said. Read more: EDA Support Enables Nationally-Recognized Admera Health to Expand Patient Care

Chromocell (@ChromocellC) discovers new drugs to manage pain, and develops and commercializes novel technologies beneficial to the average consumer – including new flavors, nutritional ingredients, and therapeutics. Chromocell grew from a small biotechnology startup that utilized space at CCIT into an innovative life sciences company that now employs over 120 people in graduate space on the Technology Centre of New Jersey campus in North Brunswick. “Growing the company in New Jersey has provided a variety of benefits,” Chromocell CEO Christian Kopfli said. “First and foremost, access to talent in the area is unprecedented.” Read more: Partnerships and State Resources Key to CCIT Graduate Chromocell’s Success

Cowerks (@Cowerks) is among the many New Jersey coworking spaces that enable entrepreneurs from different companies to work side by side, sharing ideas. Cowerks, which routinely offers technology-related events and programs, plans to use funding from an EDA loan to expand its existing location in Asbury Park and to occupy and build out another facility in the city. “With the expanded facility will also come opportunities for us to hold even more classes and workshops, enabling us to become the go-to resource for technology and entrepreneurial activities in the area,” Cowerks Co-Founder Bret Morgan said. Read more: With EDA Support, Cowerks Expects to Quadruple Available Space for Startups and Entrepreneurs in Asbury Park

CytoSorbents (@CytoSorbents), a Monmouth Junction medical device company focused on critical care immunotherapy, is commercializing a blood purification technology called CytoSorb® to reduce deadly inflammation common to many lethal conditions in the intensive care unit. CytoSorbents participated in the State’s Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer (NOL) Program and received funding from the New Jersey Technology Council’s (NJTC) NJTC Fund 1, in which the EDA invested $7.15 million in a limited partnership investment. “We chose to move to New Jersey in 2001 to take advantage of available laboratory space and New Jersey’s excellent workforce,” CytoSorbents Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Kathy Bloch said. Read more: EDA-Supported CytoSorbents Creates Global Partnerships to Commercialize Life-Saving Blood Purification Device

Bergen County-based Eventcombo (@eventcombo) offers an online ticketing platform for events across all the major cities in the United States. The platform brings added value to event organizers, enabling them to “bundle” other amenities event-goers might need along with the tickets, including dinner reservations, merchandise and parking and eventually branding. Eventcombo became the first company to obtain funding as a direct result of networking that occurred at New Jersey Founders and Funder, when it received an investment from NJIT Highlanders Angel Network earlier this year. Eventcombo Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Joseph Kaufman noted, “New Jersey Founders & Funders has been an amazing resource in developing relationships and connections.” Read more: New Jersey Founders & Funders Event Drives Investment in Bergen County-based Eventcombo

Located in Jersey City, Fusar Technologies (@FUSARtech) develops technology that can turn regular helmets into smart helmets for cyclists, motorcyclists, skaters, skiers, and snowboarders to use during their adventures. Fusar, which was featured over the summer on the premier episode of CNBC’s “Adventure Capitalists,” previously participated in New Jersey Founders & Funders  and the NOL Program.  “We wouldn’t be where we are today without the ample support from so many facets of the state’s technology sector,” Fusar Founder and CEO Ryan Shearman said. Read more: Combining Passion and Public and Private Resources, Fusar Technologies Arrives on National Scene

Enabling teachers to create virtual classrooms, NuSkool (@NuSkoolOfficial) offer online access to a complete library of standards-based lesson plans, assessments, quizzes, and test prep exams through its subscription-based entertainment-learning platform. NuSkool, which participated in the New Jersey Founders & Funders event in May, leases space at Cowerks and Vi Innovation Hub, located in Holmdel. “When you form friendships and bonds with other entrepreneurs at co-working spaces like CoWerks and ViHub, you begin to root for one another,” NuSkool Founder Abran Maldonado said. Read more about NuSkool: New Jersey Founders & Funders Event among State Resources Helping Education Technology Company NuSkool Grow

Bedminster-based STOPit (@STOPitcybrbully) creates software that enables anyone who witnesses a bullying incident, either cyber or traditional, to instantly and anonymously report it via their smartphones or computers. National media outlets have praised STOPit for its app, which is currently available for Android and iOS systems. STOPit has received millions of dollars in funding from investors who took advantage of New Jersey’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program. “The Angel Investor Tax Credit provides a meaningful boost in value to our shareholders,” STOPit CFO Parkhill Mays said. Read more: Somerset County Startup STOPit Receives National Recognition for Giving Students Power to Report Bullying

Based in Totowa, VectraCor (@VectraCor) has developed what it describes as the world’s first cardiac electrical biomarker (CEB®) that may help nurses and doctors potentially detect and diagnose heart attacks. VectraCor participated in October’s New Jersey Founders & Funders and the company’s existing investors have benefited from the State’s Angel Investor Tax Credit Program. “The quality of the talent pool in New Jersey, particularly in the medical technology space, is very high, and that is important to the future success of our company,” VectraCor President and CEO Brad S. Schreck said. Read more: New Jersey Founders & Funders Provides Platform for Passaic County-based VectraCor to Pitch Life-Saving Technology

CCIT tenant Visikol (@Visikol) develops a versatile biological clearing agent, named Visikol®, that penetrates tissue and renders it transparent for optical analysis. Founded in 2012 by Rutgers PhD candidates, Visikol has exclusively licensed the rights to the technology through an agreement with Rutgers University. Visikol CEO Michael Johnson noted, “We know that working in this environment in such close proximity to other companies in the biotechnology arena will help make us stronger as we continue to develop our technology platform for commercialization.” Read more: EDA Welcomes Rutgers University Spinout Visikol as Newest Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies Tenant

To learn more about resources available to New Jersey’s emerging technology and life sciences companies, visit https://www.njeda.gov/tls and follow @NJEDATech on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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