Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey announced Thursday that is donating $1 million and will be a founding corporate sponsor of SciTech Scity, the transformative 30-acre innovation campus being created by Liberty Science Center in Jersey City.
Called a “City of Tomorrow,” SciTech Scity is the much-heralded campus that aims to launch and grow dozens of world-changing science and technology companies and reimagine public school science education with a magnet school. The campus aims to bring together entrepreneurs, scientists, academics, students and other thinkers.
The first phase of the campus is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023.
Horizon, which is making its donation through its charitable giving arm, the Horizon Foundation of New Jersey, joins three other founding sponsors: Bank of America, EY and Verizon.
Horizon CEO Gary St. Hilaire said the organization is thrilled to be a partner in a center dedicated to ensuring that the scientists of today and tomorrow have the tools and technologies needed to discover and pioneer breakthroughs that will make the world a healthier, better place for generations to come.
“Innovation and technology will drive the health care improvements of tomorrow, and SciTech Scity will bring a world-class facility devoted to those breakthroughs to New Jersey,” St. Hilaire said.
“Horizon’s members and the communities we serve will benefit for generations from the investment we are making in the discoveries, collaborations and new approaches that will emerge from SciTech Scity. Their focus on reimagining the science curriculum will ensure that New Jersey’s students of today are ready to join the workforce of tomorrow.”
LSC CEO Paul Hoffman said he was extremely grateful to Horizon.
“Science and technology are the keys to the health and welfare of our country, and the betterment of all humanity,” he said. “With SciTech Scity, we are building a unique campus to pioneer the necessary innovations to actualize this mission.”
The first phase of the campus includes:
- Edge Works: A central location for innovation comprising two distinct hubs. The Works will have a fabrication lab, research and development spaces, offices and coworking areas for startups and entrepreneurs. The Co-Creation Center will be a state-of-the-art conference center and tech exhibition gallery;
- Scholars Village: Housing being developed by Alpine Residential for innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs, STEM graduate students, and individuals and families who desire to be a part of the SciTech Scity community;
- Public Commons: Five-acre outdoor park with activations that encourage exploration, creativity, collaboration and innovation. An events plaza for concerts, farmers markets, art exhibitions and food truck festivals;
- Liberty Science Center High School: A countywide public magnet STEM academy that will be a part of and operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology offering world-class programming in mathematics, engineering, computer sciences and basic sciences to students in grades 9-12, as well as support programs to underserved low-income middle-school students in Jersey City and Hudson County with interest in the sciences and who aspire to attend the new institution.
Subsequent phases of SciTech Scity may include expanded incubation space, additional schools and other facilities to drive STEM innovation and job creation.
Other anchor supporters of SciTech Scity include the city of Jersey City; Joseph D. and Millie E. Williams; LSC board co-Chair David Barry; and former U.S. Rep. Frank J. Guarini, for whom the SciTech Scity Innovation Campus will be named.
