By: Najla Alexander
Middlesex County officials announced that on October 10, the county hosted its annual Business Summit at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
The summit convened top business leaders, entrepreneurs, and government officials to explore the transformative impact of emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), on New Jersey’s economy, County officials said. This year’s theme, Innovate to Elevate: Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Landscape, emphasized how businesses can adapt to the changing workforce and leverage innovations such as AI to drive growth and stay competitive in an ever-evolving market.
For more information about the event, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov/businesssummit.
Governor Philip D. Murphy, Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios, and Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum opened the event, setting the tone for a day dedicated to future-ready business strategies, authorities say. Fireside chats followed with industry leaders, including Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA); Thierry E. Klein, president of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research; and Anjalee Khemlani, senior reporter at Yahoo! Finance.
County officials say the summit’s featured panel, moderated by Tom Bergeron, founder and editor of ROI-NJ, focused on this year’s theme, Innovate to Elevate: Shaping Tomorrow's Business Landscape. Panelists included Shareef Nahas, vice president of Global Operations and chief scientific officer of Sampled; Nayan Dalal, founder and CEO of TLI Home; Tasha Youngblood Brown, founder and CEO of The Brown Bag Collective; and Ray Chen, CEO of GenScript.
“Middlesex County has always been at the forefront of innovation,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios.
"We recognize the power of nurturing an ecosystem where businesses, entrepreneurs, and creators across all industries can thrive. By investing in bold ideas, fostering partnerships, and empowering people, we're driving growth that benefits not just a few but elevates our entire community."
“In Middlesex County, education is the bedrock to our strong and sustainable economic strategy,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum, Chair of the Economic Development Committee.
“Our annual Business Summit draws top innovators and leaders from across New Jersey – we see this as an educational platform where we can learn and be inspired by one another.”
“When it comes to future innovation and cultivating tomorrow’s changemakers, Middlesex County is carving a path forward for New Jersey and the rest of the nation,” said New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy.
“Thanks to the many leaders at today’s business summit, we are building a stronger and fairer Middlesex County, providing opportunity to both well-established and start-up businesses to grow and thrive in today’s competitive business environment.”
According to officials, after the morning session, attendees explored a Business Resource Area, where agencies such as the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the Middlesex County Office of Economic Development, the New Jersey Business Action Center, and many more provided resources and one-on-one consultations.
Attendees were then invited to participate in two distinct breakout sessions, each offering more profound insights into key facets of Middlesex County's business landscape, County officials said.
These breakout sessions encompassed:
- Entrepreneurial Success, Navigating in Today’s Environment: An interactive opportunity for attendees to connect with flourishing entrepreneurs and gain insight into how to foster a company culture that supports entrepreneurial spirits and work-life balance
- Moderator: Sho Islam, Director, Middlesex County Office of Business Engagement
- Speakers: Alex Davisson, Senior Venture Associate, Plug and Play Tech Center; Jeff Kinsberg, COO and Founder, JAKTOOL; Bo Liang, CEO, IView Therapeutics, Inc.
- Digital Transformation: An in-depth discussion on how adopting cutting-edge technologies and forward-thinking strategies can elevate their organizations
- Moderator: Christopher Wombacher, Application Support and Development Manager, Middlesex County
- Speakers: Joti Balani, Founder and Managing Director, Freshriver.ai; Sriram Sridhar, Director, Translational Data Science, Genmab; Michael Geraghty, Chief Information Security Officer and Director, NJ Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell
Middlesex County officials stated since its launch in 2017, the Middlesex County Business Summit has become a premier business networking event in New Jersey. This initiative aims to position the County as a hub for innovation, business growth, and collaboration.
For more information about Middlesex County’s economic development vision and its key industry sectors, such as life sciences, food innovation, and autonomous technology, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/biz, officials say. 