Rutgers Partners With CSIT To Advance Innovation In New Jersey

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is at the center of the state’s world-renowned research and innovation ecosystem. As the largest public research institution in the Garden State, Rutgers helps to build bridges between companies, higher education research institutions, and government agencies — all in the name of advancing discoveries to address worldwide problems.

One of those partnerships is with the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT), which has bolstered cutting-edge research since its re-establishment in 2018.

According to its executive director Judith Sheft, MS, MBA, the commission’s mission is to build and sustain a vibrant innovation economy in New Jersey, in part by making the state a draw for the best scientific and technical minds in the world.

“Our mission is not abstract,” said Sheft. “What we do translates into jobs created, technologies commercialized, and communities empowered. Our programs – such as direct funding for clean tech and life sciences startups, and support for research & development – are not merely helpful; they are transformative. These targeted investments attract talent, reduce the barriers to technology commercialization, and encourage a culture of experimentation.”

“Over the past several years, CSIT has been instrumental in harnessing the power of innovation from New Jersey’s universities and emerging businesses,” said Rutgers senior vice president for research Michael E. Zwick, PhD. “By translating scientific and technological advancements into high-growth ventures, CSIT has helped drive economic development and job creation across the state.”

The commission offers two R&D voucher programs, Catalyst and Clean Tech, which provide direct funding for projects from startups and small companies that are based in New Jersey. That funding can then be used to access core facilities around the state, many of which are located at Rutgers. The funding for the Catalyst R&D Voucher comes from the state appropriation for CSIT and the Clean Tech R&D Voucher is funded by the NJ Board of Public Utility.

“We have over 30 core facilities across our three campuses, all of them featuring state-of-the-art equipment and specializing in various areas of research,” said Jeetendra Eswaraka, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, vice president of Rutgers Universitywide Core Services. “Core facilities are an essential part of the research enterprise, as they offer cutting-edge technology staffed by experts. Our core facilities are available for use to faculty, researchers, and companies, whether or not they are part of Rutgers. The benefit of using our core facilities is that they make it affordable for researchers and small companies to use novel technologies and equipment that would be otherwise unaffordable for any single lab or small company.”

Once a company applies for a CSIT voucher, proves that it is located in New Jersey, and meets program criteria, the CSIT team discusses the applications with qualified research universities and institutes in the state to see which, if any, would be a good fit for the research.

“Rutgers’ relationship with CSIT is managed by the Office for Research, and its New Ventures team connects Rutgers Core facilities with small companies across New Jersey,” said Vince Smeraglia, JD, executive director of New Ventures, who assisted Sheft in developing aspects of the CSIT voucher programs. “When a Rutgers core facility agrees to perform the research services for a company, a statement of work and a budget of up to $40,000 are developed, and we provide a Rutgers letter of support.”

“One of the most powerful roles CSIT plays is as a bridge—connecting research institutions with industry and linking emerging startups to funding and mentorship,” said Sheft. “In doing so, the Commission helps translate academic research into market-ready products, ensuring that breakthroughs in areas like life sciences, clean energy, and AI don’t just sit in labs, but reach the public and improve lives.”

Since its launch, CSIT’s work has grown steadily. According to Sheft, as of September 2025, CSIT has awarded 520 grants totaling over $30.5M to early-stage New Jersey companies, which has led to nearly 900 new jobs and returned to New Jersey an estimated $13.2M in state and local taxes. “The CSIT program is doing what it was designed to do, and that is to benefit everyone inside the research and innovation ecosystem,” said Smeraglia.

“Researchers and small companies can conduct research using equipment they would not have been able to access otherwise. Core facilities and higher education research institutions receive funding to support their work. And when a company creates more value and more data, they can raise more venture capital and hire more employees, which benefits the state economy. Most importantly, this program gives us the opportunity for scientific breakthroughs across all research areas.”

To learn more about the CSIT program, visit https://www.CSIT.gov/. To learn more about Rutgers Core Services, click here.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“Plexymer, Inc. continues to rely on access to Rutgers' equipment and core facilities. Through its humble beginnings, Plexymer has been able to grow thanks to the NJCSIT voucher program, which has provided our company with critical support for equipment access. Plexymer thanks the NJCSIT voucher program for its support.”

Adam Gormley, CEO/Co-founder of Plexymer, Inc., a startup formed based on technology developed at Rutgers that seeks to use artificial intelligence and automation to help researchers advance their work and make breakthrough discoveries.

“Tora Chai received a NJCSIT grant at a pivotal stage in our journey, and we engaged Rutgers Food Innovation Center to help us implement the project. Their expertise and guidance enabled us to streamline production, improve efficiency, and strengthen product consistency. This support not only delivered immediate operational benefits but also positioned us to scale more effectively while maintaining quality and building a stronger foundation for the future.”

Toral Goradia, CEO/Founder of Tora Chai, a women-owned specialty beverage company dedicated to bringing authentic Chai to modern consumers in a convenient format.

“The programs offered by CSIT have been integral in launching our start-up, Zena Therapeutics Inc., from Rutgers University. Grants such as the Catalyst Voucher and SEED have enabled us to become an independent and functional company, all while forging strong strategic partnerships with local entities and universities specifically Rutgers Molecular Design and Synthesis Core and the Department of Animal Sciences. These programs have helped us generate proof of concept data, essential for government-funded grant proposals and advancing the translation research to an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing to help our company continue to grow and develop our technologies.”

Ariane Vasilatis, CEO/co-Founder of Zena Therapeutics, a Rutgers startup founded by Vasilatis and fellow Rutgers alum Eileen Carry, that is working to develop safer medications that would minimize or even eliminate overdoses from prescription drugs used in mental health treatment.