Grant Awards Support the Goals Established by the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan

PRINCETON – First Lady Tammy Murphy and New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) CEO Tim Sullivan on March 5th, announced the Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology (CSIT) awarded a combined $1.7 million in grants to 23 New Jersey-based start-ups focused on developing technology, therapeutics, and other solutions to address maternal and infant health challenges. The grant funds support the research and development (R&D) of technologies, products, and services that will enhance the quality of care and service delivery activities to women, infants, and health care agencies. 

“New Jersey is home to some of the most innovative startups in the nation, and it is a privilege to acknowledge their exciting new developments in maternal and infant health,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “The startups receiving awards today will carry on our critical work to ensure New Jersey is the safest and most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby and ultimately, continue to transform the health care industry beyond the Murphy administration. And, with the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center currently in development in Trenton, our state’s capital city will serve as an innovation hub ensuring these types of businesses are fostered on a grander scale for years to come.”

“Under Governor Murphy and First Lady Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is exploring innovative solutions to make the Garden State the safest place to give birth, while addressing racial disparities in maternal and infant health,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “These grants will invest in vital programs, research, and services that will enhance the well-being of women and children, and reduce racial inequities in access to health care. Additionally, we are creating more opportunities for young, innovative businesses in the in the state, helping create jobs and a stronger, more diverse economy.”

The grants were awarded through Round 2 of CSIT’s Maternal and Infant Health R&D Grant Program. Through the program, CSIT will advance the innovation economy through the development of critically necessary research, products, and services designed to support maternal and infant health. This effort supports the goals established by the Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan, which aims to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby. 

In line with Governor Murphy’s vision to create the most diverse and inclusive innovation economy in the nation, the awardees announced on Mar 5th, represent a diverse group of entrepreneurs focused on supporting maternal health in New Jersey. Nearly 29 percent of awardees are self-reported minority-owned startups and 46 percent are self-reported women-owned businesses. 

The following startups within New Jersey’s life sciences, technology, and non-retail food and beverage sectors were each awarded grants of up to $75,000:

1. Neoventech, LLC (North Brunswick)
2. PONS (Newark)
3. Pumpkin Baby, Inc. (Lawrenceville)
4. Primo Pharmatech, LLC (Somerset)
5. NeoGeneStar, LLC (Warren)
6. HeraNano Therapeutics (Sewell)
7. Vitruviae, Inc. (Nutley)
8. UCHU Biosensors, Inc. (Newark)
9. Smartbody, LLC (Teaneck)
10. Thrivo Health, LLC (New Brunswick)
11. Delphine Diagnostics, LLC (Newark)
12. Gosia Genomics, Inc. (Kearny)
13. Mycsology Foods, Inc. (Princeton)
14. Ricovr Healthcare, Inc. (Princeton)
15. Quarks Advantage Group (Jersey City)
16. High Throughput Biology, Inc. (Short Hills)
17. Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, Inc. (Mount Laurel)
18. InteguRx Therapeutics, LLC (Califon)
19. Neoneur, LLC (Pennington)
20. Ability HUB, Inc. (Princeton)
21. AfsarTech, Inc. (Rutherford)
22. Within Health Technologies, LLC (Hopewell)
23. Medifvu, LLC (Somerset)

“We are honored to once again collaborate with First Lady Murphy and our partners across the state to support the vital and lifesaving efforts of the Nurture NJ initiative. We have seen great outcomes from Round 1 of the Maternal and Infant awardees and look forward to continuing this important work,” said CSIT Executive Director Judith Sheft. “By helping these startups move their products and services from concept to commercialization, we will create a lasting impact on the quality of care for New Jersey’s mothers and infants. The awardees are developing a range of drug, diagnostic, hardware, and software solutions to improve maternal and infant health.”

Launched in 2019 by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Nurture NJ is a comprehensive, whole-of-government effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity and ensure equitable care among women and children of all races and ethnicities in New Jersey. A key component of this initiative is the establishment of the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC). Based in Trenton, the MIHIC is being developed in partnership with the NJEDA, the Office of First Lady Tammy Murphy, and the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MIHIA), which will oversee day-to-day operations of the Center.

“The startups being recognized today will help strengthen New Jersey as an innovation hub while driving improvements in maternal and infant health across the state,” said MIHIA Chief Executive Officer & President Lisa Asare. “These grants represent a significant step forward in advancing cutting-edge solutions that will ensure more equitable access to care for women and infants, especially in underserved communities. By supporting these startups, we are laying the groundwork for long-term, sustainable improvements in maternal and infant health in New Jersey, and continuing our work to make NJ the safest and most equitable place to give birth and raise a child.”

“CSIT is thrilled to continue our partnership with First Lady Murphy, the Maternal and Infant Health Authority, and the NJEDA on this vital initiative that will support babies and their families by leveraging the innovative capabilities of New Jersey startups to tackle critical maternal and infant healthcare challenges,” said CSIT Board Chair, Debbie Hart. “In Round 2 of the program, 23 companies have received $1.7 million in funding to advance their projects, creating solutions where they are urgently needed.”

"On behalf of Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, I would like to thank First Lady Tammy Murphy, NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan, and other State and local officials for hosting this year’s Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology Maternal and Infant Health R&D Seed Grant Awards here among our scientific entrepreneurship community,” said Melina Blees, Director of Business Operations and Strategy at the BioLabs for Advanced Therapeutics. “This award ceremony shines a well-deserved light on maternal and infant health — a critical scientific and social issue with both acute individual and long-term public health implications. Here at Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, we partner with Princeton University to provide equipment, space, support, and community to world-class scientists and entrepreneurs, supporting our dozens of member startups who are hard at work on a wide range of groundbreaking technologies, from photonics to preeclampsia detection. Tackling these challenges and driving both scientific progress and social change holds critical importance for our families, our communities, our health care systems, and for the next generation.”

“The NJCSIT Seed Grant will provide vital capital, to move our CrossCare application from the proof of concept phase, to a usable minimum viable product. It has been extremely difficult to obtain seed funding and we were very close to giving up,” said Dr. Alexandria Massey, DNP, MPH, MBA,  Founder of SmartBody LLC. “NJCSIT has given us the opportunity to create a grass-roots solution born from the ground up, not pushed from the top down.  We can now bring to market, a solution based in community level engagement and lived experiences, to effect change in the care of women and babies throughout the state.”

"This grant represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges parents face with breastmilk storage and preservation. Through innovative research and community partnerships, PumpKin Baby aims to provide families with the tools and knowledge they need to successfully navigate their breastfeeding journey,” said Justin Silpe, Co-Founder of PumpKin Baby Inc. “Supporting my wife through our breastfeeding journey left me not only concerned as a partner but deeply dissatisfied as a scientist with the lack of data and evidence-based information available surrounding household practices. We are deeply indebted to our NJ friends, partners, employees, and most importantly, the milk donors who continue to show up across New Jersey—their contributions are essential to our mission of helping more families among the 60% who currently don't meet their breastfeeding goals achieve success."