Governor Kicks Off Strategic Innovation Center Advisory Council’s Inaugural Meeting

On Oct 9, 2025

Gov. Phil Murphy kicked off the inaugural meeting of the newly-formed Strategic Innovation Center Advisory Council (SIC-AC) yesterday at Prudential Plaza in Newark. The advisory council brings together key stakeholders, academic and corporate leaders, industry champions, subject matter experts, and government officials to further advance New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem through the SIC network. The SIC initiative is powered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).

SICs 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. There are currently 12 announced SICs across the state.

“From technology to life sciences and manufacturing, New Jersey is once again leading the way in innovation. The Strategic Innovation Center Advisory Council will serve as a national model for cultivating a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and keep the state ahead of the curve as market trends shift,” said Murphy. “By bringing together the public and private sector, this unique collaboration will strengthen our innovation ecosystem, helping bring new technologies to the marketplace and create good-paying jobs for our residents.”

According to NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan, “Strategic Innovation Centers are supporting the state’s startup community, ensuring that entrepreneurs have access to capital and opportunities for meaningful collaboration with industry stakeholders. Launching the advisory council today confirms the State’s commitment to growing our innovation ecosystem and the expertise and guidance of its members will help enhance our economic competitiveness.”

Members of the council will serve as primary advocates for New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem, providing strategic guidance on market trends and ecosystem growth, and assessing programmatic impact. As advocates, they will guide strategic communication efforts, spearhead outreach and engagement with industry, academic, and governmental partners, and will serve as New Jersey innovation economy ambassadors, promoting success stories both from established SICs and NJEDA’s innovation programs.

The advisory council consists of representatives from each announced SIC. Steve Van Kuiken, senior partner emeritus, McKinsey & Company, will serve as the SIC-AC chairperson. Additionally, the NJEDA CEO, NJEDA Chief Economic Transformation Officer, and the Secretary of Higher Education, will serve as the council’s Ex-Officio members. Individuals from New Jersey’s innovation sectors will also serve on the SIC-AC.

“I’m extremely impressed with the progress made to date on establishing a robust ecosystem of SICs across the State,” said Van Kuiken. “The SICs will be an engine of economic growth for the State for years to come, and the Advisory Council is well positioned to help them achieve that goal.”

Members of the SIC-AC include:

Strategic Innovation Center Representatives

• Saeed Amidi – Founder & CEO, Plug and Play
• Michael Olmstead – Chief Revenue Officer and Partner, Plug and Play
• Howard Kyle – President, National Aerospace Research & Technology Park
• Paul Hoffman – President & CEO, Liberty Science Center
• Alexis Richter – Executive Director, SciTech Innovation Hub
• Duncan Turner – General Partner; Global Managing Director, SOSV; HAX
• Susan Schofer, PhD – Partner, SOSV; HAX
• Christopher Paladino – President, New Brunswick Development Corp.
• Liat Krawczyk – Founding Executive Director, NJ AI Hub
• Michael Johnson, PhD – President, New Jersey Innovation Institute
• Michael van Ter Sluis – Vice President of Entrepreneurship, New Jersey Innovation Institute
• Thierry E. Klein, PhD – President, Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research
• Chris Jones, PhD – Vice President of Strategic Partnership, Nokia
• Jean-Pierre Issa, MD – President & CEO, Coriell Institute for Medical Research
• Timothy Meyer, PhD – Deputy Director for Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
• Tony Lowman, PhD – Inaugural Chancellor, Rowan University

Independent Members

• Steve Van Kuiken (SIC-AC Chair) – Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Company
• Gina Tedesco – Managing Member, Amala Ventures
• Aisha Glover – Vice President, Urban Innovation, Audible
• Marie Pryor, PhD – Leader of Microsoft’s TechSpark Initiative
• Wesley Mathews – President & CEO, Choose New Jersey
• Sean O’Sullivan – Managing General Partner, SOSV
• Corey Sanders – Senior Vice President of Strategy, CoreWeave
• Jeff Cherry – Founder, CEO & Executive Director, Conscious Venture Lab
• Nina Edwards – Vice President of Emerging Technology & Applied Innovation, Prudential Financial
• Anindya Sengupta – Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Prudential
• Victoria Manax, MD – Partner, Eckuity Capital
• Josh Barer – Managing Director, Astr Partners
•  John Flavin – Founder & CEO, Portal Innovations
• Nancy Tyrrell – Director of Academic Partnerships on the Growth and Expansion Team, Portal Innovations
• Brian Bridges, PhD – Secretary of High Education, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
• Tim Sullivan – CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
•  Mary Maples – Deputy CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
• Kathleen Coviello – Chief Economic Transformation Officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority

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