The World Economic Forum (WEF) has awarded its prestigious 2025 Public-Private Collaboration Award to the Healthcare Innovation Engine, a flagship initiative of SciTech Scity, Liberty Science Center’s 30-acre innovation campus currently under development in Jersey City.

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Pictured Left to Right: Stacey Flanagan, Director of Health and Human Services, City of Jersey City; Alex Richter, Executive Director and Head of SciTech Scity Innovation Hub; Dana Klar, Chief of Staff, Northeast Region, RWJBarnabas Health; Sarah Adelman, New Jersey Department of Human Services Commissioner; Paul Hoffman, President and CEO, Liberty Science Center; Hannah Katz, Senior Director, SciTech Scity Innovation Hub

The award was presented on October 21 in San Francisco’s storied City Hall at WEF’s Annual Urban Transformation Summit. The event convened over 300 participants from 25+ countries focused on sustainable redevelopment, mobility transformation, innovation ecosystems, nature-positive infrastructure, technology governance, and more.

“We award cities that show what’s possible when public purpose, private innovation, and community vision work as one,” noted Vivian Brady-Phillips, WEF’s Head of Strategic Initiatives for Urban Transformation, at the event. “Each of these cities faced a profound challenge, and in every case this challenge became a catalyst for collaboration. Their journeys did not begin with technologies or a top-down solution. Instead, they were forged with sheer commitment rooted in trust, transparency, and inclusion. Their achievements remind us that this is how cities truly transform – not through isolated breakthroughs but through purpose-led collaboration.”

“For more than thirty years, Liberty Science Center has stood as a proud symbol of New Jersey’s pioneering legacy in science and innovation. Its work through SciTech Scity’s Healthcare Innovation Engine embodies the innovative spirit of our state, and this recognition by the World Economic Forum is a testament to its importance in promoting science innovation,” said NJ Governor Phil Murphy. “The Healthcare Innovation Engine team is doing a tremendous job bringing together cross-sector partners, using science and technology to advance healthcare access for our residents.”

SciTech Scity’s Healthcare Innovation Engine was the only entity based in the United States to be recognized this year for convening world-leading public-private collaborations. “We created SciTech Scity to position Jersey City at the forefront of innovation, and this recognition from the World Economic Forum affirms that vision. Being the only U.S.-based recipient highlights not just the strength of our partnerships, but also the global relevance of the work being done right here in Jersey City to expand access to equitable healthcare through technology and collaboration,” said Mayor Steven M. Fulop, City of Jersey City.

“We are inspired by what the Engine is building: pilots that address chronic disease, maternal health, and post-hospital care,” said Sarah Adelman, New Jersey Department of Human Services Commissioner. “These are not theoretical models. They are real solutions making a real difference. They demonstrate what’s possible when government, science, and industry align around a shared purpose.”

“New Jersey has always been a place of firsts – of discovery, invention, and progress. The Healthcare Innovation Engine continues that legacy, proving that when we center people and partnerships, innovation can truly serve the public good,” she added.

The Healthcare Innovation Engine is the first statewide initiative for digital health adoption in the United States, bringing together public, private, and academic stakeholders to accelerate the use of innovative, digital-first approaches to healthcare, particularly in underserved communities. Its members include RWJBarnabas Health, New Jersey Economic Development Authority, EY, Bristol Myers Squibb, Nokia Bell Labs, Tech Council Ventures, Princeton University, New Jersey Innovation Institute, New Jersey Departments of Health and Human Services, Sheba Medical Center (Israel), and Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services.

Operating as a multi-stakeholder ecosystem, the Engine supports healthcare startups and clinical and operational pilots, and connects innovators with healthcare providers, payers, and policymakers. Its goal is to advance digital health solutions that improve patient outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and promote health equity across New Jersey.

Since its launch in 2024, the Engine has initiated two patient pilots. They are:

• A 50-patient program with BioBeat, the first FDA-approved cuffless blood pressure patch. The patch, developed by the Israeli company of the same name, is worn on the chest for 24 hours and transmits comprehensive blood pressure data to physicians via a smartphone app, allowing clinicians to respond proactively and potentially prevent complications.
• An initiative with Dimer Health, a New Jersey-based startup providing daily remote support for uninsured patients discharged from Jersey City Medical Center’s emergency room. By delivering consistent follow-up, guidance, and early intervention, the program aims to reduce preventable readmissions and improve patient outcomes for high-risk populations.

Future pilots are planned in adolescent mental health, opioid addiction, oncology, cardiology, and maternal health, further expanding the Engine’s impact.

“This recognition by the World Economic Forum highlights the power of collaboration between public institutions, healthcare providers, and innovative startups,” said Paul Hoffman, President and CEO of Liberty Science Center. “The Healthcare Innovation Engine is demonstrating how technology and partnership can transform healthcare delivery for communities that need it most.”

Alex Richter, Executive Director and Head of SciTech Scity Innovation Hub, added: “Our approach goes beyond technology. It's about building an ecosystem where innovators, clinicians, and policymakers work together to scale solutions that are both effective and equitable. This award reflects the real-world impact our Engine is already having on patients in New Jersey.”

“There’s a myriad of opportunities ahead—from expanding the scope of industries and challenges we tackle, to deepening our regional collaboration with neighboring states like New York and Pennsylvania, to continuously improving how we bring the most effective technologies to patients,” Richter added. “We’re excited for what’s next, and 2026 promises to be a year of major growth and impact.”

To explore opportunities for collaboration, interested parties should reach out to arichter@lsc.org.

The award comes as Liberty Science Center continues to advance construction on SciTech Scity, a $440 million regional innovation campus designed to bring together scientists, entrepreneurs, educators, and students to solve society’s biggest challenges, from healthcare deficiencies to climate change, with the goal of creating a better future for all people. Anchors of the campus include:

• Liberty Science Center High School, a public countywide STEM magnet academy for grades 9–12, designed to treat being a scientist as a vocation. The school will focus on programs in Earth (Sustainable Engineering and Climate Science), Life (Biological Sciences), and Space (Astrophysics), serving 400 students starting in 2027.
• Edge Works, an eight-story business creation center that will house startups and provide resources for entrepreneurs developing science and technology solutions for public good.
• Scholars Village, residential housing for tech-forward families and individuals, aimed at fostering a vibrant innovation community.
• Public Commons, a three-acre space for community programming and engagement, connecting local residents with SciTech Scity’s mission and resources.

ABOUT THE SCITECH HEALTHCARE INNOVATION ENGINE

The SciTech Healthcare Innovation Engine, launched in February 2024, is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership dedicated to transforming healthcare by accelerating the adoption, reimbursement, and scaling of digital-first care solutions. Unlike traditional innovation hubs, the Engine ensures that cutting-edge technologies move beyond pilots to full clinical integration, providing a structured, real-world pathway to improve patient outcomes. By bringing together health systems, payers, policymakers, and innovators from day one, the Engine eliminates silos that typically slow healthcare adoption. At its core, the Engine is focused on helping the people of New Jersey—particularly the communities that need it most. By prioritizing vulnerable and underserved populations, the Engine is ensuring that digital health innovations expand access to care, reduce disparities, and create more equitable healthcare solutions. This effort is made possible through a multistakeholder coalition including RWJBarnabas Health, Bristol Myers Squibb, EY, Nokia Bell Labs, Princeton University, New Jersey Innovation Institute, Israel’s Sheba Medical Center, and key government agencies such as the NJ Economic Development Authority, NJ Department of Health, NJ Department of Human Services, and Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services. Through this unique collaboration, the Engine is positioning New Jersey as the nation’s testbed for scaling digital-first care, creating scalable, evidence-based models that can be replicated nationwide to improve healthcare access, quality, and affordability—ensuring that all patients, regardless of income or background, receive the care they deserve.

ABOUT SCITECH SCITY

Liberty Science Center is developing a “Science City of Tomorrow” in Jersey City—a 30-acre innovation campus devoted to using science and technology to address humanity’s greatest challenges, from healthcare deficiencies to climate change, and create a better future for all of us. The new campus, including the existing Liberty Science Center, home of the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, will be officially named the Frank J. Guarini Innovation Campus and start to open in 2026. SciTech Scity will include $450 million of new construction: Liberty Science Center High School, a new public magnet STEM high school built by the Hudson County Improvement Authority and operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology; Edge Works, an eight-story business creation center with laboratories, R&D spaces, office suites, co-working spaces, a tech exhibition gallery, and a state-of-the-art conference center; Scholars Village residential housing built and operated by Alpine Residential for tech-forward individuals and families; and Public Commons, three acres of community outdoor space for art installations, food trucks, performances, farmers markets, science festivals, and maker fairs. Learn more at SciTechScity.com.

ABOUT LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER

Liberty Science Center (LSC.org) is a 300,000-square-foot, not-for-profit learning center located in Liberty State Park on the Jersey City bank of the Hudson near the Statue of Liberty. Dedicated to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers and bringing the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology to learners of all ages, Liberty Science Center houses the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, 11 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, giant aquariums, a 3D theater, live simulcast surgeries, a tornado-force wind simulator, K-12 classrooms and labs, and teacher-development programs. More than 280,000 students visit the Science Center each year, and tens of thousands more participate in the Center’s off-site and online programs. Welcoming more than 800,000 visitors annually, LSC is the largest cultural institution in New Jersey and the largest interactive science center in the NYC-NJ metropolitan area.

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