New Jersey state leaders recently broke ground on a Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC) in Trenton. The MIHIC will lead efforts to deliver excellence in perinatal and family care, cultivate a diverse and skilled workforce, conduct policy research, provide integrated wraparound supports, and operate a data collaborative to better serve families across the state.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is developing the MIHIC, which will be operated day-to-day by the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Authority (MIHIA). The state has committed $86.7 million in federal and state funding to bring the project to life.

The NJEDA also said that its recently announced 12th Strategic Innovation Center (SIC) focused on medtech innovation will have a presence at the MIHIC. Developed in collaboration with Rowan University and MIHIA, this Trenton-based SIC will focus on driving breakthrough solutions in maternal care equity, digital health, doula support, perinatal mental health, and public benefits access. 

The SIC will leverage startups, academic institutions, public agencies, and community voices to advance maternal health equity and inventive medical technologies. The maternal and infant health SIC will include 5,000 square feet of space within the MIHIC. In collaboration with public and private stakeholders, the location will provide research and development focused on maternal healthcare. The MIHIC incubator will collaborate closely with other components of the state’s 12th SIC, including Plug and Play’s accelerator for early-stage companies.

Pending approval by its Board, the NJEDA will invest $9.55 million into the SIC, including $5.5 million into a seed and early-stage fund for companies in the accelerator program and those that choose to locate and grow their operations in the state. Garden State Venture Partners, a venture capital firm formed in partnership with Rowan University, will invest $7 million for seed and later-stage investments into participating companies.

The MIHIC will be powered by three anchor institutions:
• Rutgers University, with leadership from the School of Nursing, will oversee academic training, research, and workforce training in partnership with Mercer County Community College, Stockton University, The College of New Jersey, and Thomas Edison State University. Princeton University will support future research and policy efforts. Additionally, the NJEDA will work in collaboration with the Trenton Board of Education and Rutgers University to establish career pathways and training opportunities for public high school students in Trenton.
• Capital Health will deliver family, OB/GYN and pediatric services, mental and behavioral healthcare, and doula and lactation consultant support.
• The Trenton Health Team will address social determinants of health — housing, food security, transportation — with comprehensive case management, wraparound supports, and parenting resources.

“Today’s groundbreaking is a resounding success for not only the City of Trenton, but for the mothers and babies who have historically been left out of conversations regarding their health. The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center will serve as a true community health hub where parents and babies can receive the care that they deserve, helping uplift the neighborhood and the people who raise their families there,” said Lisa Asare, president and CEO of MIHIA, in a statement. “The launch of the MIHIC as one of the state’s newest SICs strengthens its role as a hub for innovation, advancing maternal and infant health by supporting emerging industries and scalable solutions with statewide, national, and global impact, while also investing in the well-being of the Trenton community and broader New Jersey population. This SIC was established through a strategic partnership between MIHIA, NJEDA, Rowan University, and Plug and Play—a nationally recognized leader in scaling startups and building innovation ecosystems. Together, we aim to grow community-driven innovations that improve maternal and infant health outcomes in New Jersey."