Choose
New Jersey. Choose Success.
Nestled in one of the most globally connected regions, New Jersey is more than just a destination; it’s a thriving ecosystem of possibilities. With its strategic location, top-ranked education system, highly educated and diverse workforce, business-ready environment, and vibrant communities, New Jersey offers a quality of life and set of opportunities that are second to none.
Strength of Location & Infrastructure
New Jersey is situated in the heart of the Northeast, providing businesses a unique advantage with close proximity to major markets such as New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., a region with 5 million people and a jaw-dropping $6.5 trillion in economic output.
In the world of business, time is money. And in New Jersey, we know how to move people and goods fast. A company located in central New Jersey can serve over 46 million consumers within a four-hour drive. New Jersey boasts 2,900 miles of interstate and highways and the nation’s highest railroad density, making delivery of goods and access to customers easy and efficient.
It’s no wonder multinational companies such as Amazon, Goya Foods, Coca-Cola, and other multinationals house their major distribution centers within the state. With the rising demand for next-day and same-day delivery through e-commerce, New Jersey has the resources and infrastructure necessary to keep up with the swell in shipping volume required to get packages where they need to go quickly.
Additionally, New Jersey has invested more than $100 million in clean, equitable transportation projects that will improve air quality and reduce the effects of climate change. The investment includes grants to help state and local governments transition to electric-fueled fleets.
Our state’s research universities are continuing to ensure New Jersey’s primacy as a center for innovation in transportation and logistics on a global scale. Rowan University is the only academic institution in the Northeast with state-of-the-art facilities for accelerated pavement testing. New Jersey-based DataCity, the world’s inaugural city-scale smart mobility test lab, was created in collaboration with Rutgers University, the City of New Brunswick and private partners. The UPS Innovation Center in Parsippany serves as a hub where industry leaders and developers oversee the technology responsible for the movement of ground vehicles that deliver and circulate millions of packages daily.
There is no denying that New Jersey’s world-class transportation system for goods and cargo is critical in supporting economic growth for the Northeast and beyond.
Global Connectivity, Local Advantage
New Jersey was made for efficiency, and reaching your destination, whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, has never been easier. Newark Liberty International Airport is part of the busiest airport system in the United States and the second busiest in the world. It offers 280 daily, convenient, non-stop international flights to 77 different international locations. Over 41 carriers operate out of Newark, but New Jersey is also home to another 41 public-use airports and 75 private airports.
For local accessibility, NJ Transit, New Jersey’s public transportation organization, also offers 253 bus routes and 12 commuter rail lines. Northern New Jersey is a mere 20-minute train ride from New York City, while a significant portion of Greater Philadelphia is located in southern New Jersey. Rail access to Boston takes less than four hours, and a visit to Washington, D.C. takes only three hours on the only high-speed rail network in the Americas.
Our state’s five foreign trade zones (FTZs) – including Port Newark/Elizabeth Marine Terminal, one of the largest contiguous FTZs in the United States – are the gateway to cost-effective international trade. The Port of New York and New Jersey is the second busiest seaport in North America and the largest maritime cargo center on the East Coast. This hub of global commerce supports the most densely populated metropolitan area in North America.
Where Students Shine
New Jersey is a national leader in education. Princeton University, ranked consistently as the nation’s #1 university, is just one example of the state’s educational excellence. In New Jersey, you are never more than 30 minutes away from a college or university. The state is proud of its many county colleges and distinguished research universities and institutions throughout the state, which produce some of the best talent and skilled workforce in the country. New Jersey also earned the #1 ranking nationally for educating students from kindergarten through 12th grade, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best States for Education 2023. We also have the fourth-highest high school graduation rate in the country at 92%.
New Jersey supports the success of its students — our skilled workforce is one of our greatest assets. New Jersey offers a comprehensive approach for businesses to recruit and train their workforce, with initiatives such as hiring incentives, on-the-job training, specialty hiring programs and training incentives.
New Jersey’s community colleges are also committed to aligning education and workforce development to ensure all residents have access to affordable education and training pathways that lead to family-supporting jobs and careers.
Prosperous Industries
Businesses in our key sectors thrive here. For example, eight of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies have a presence in New Jersey, as do more than 4,300 life sciences companies. With the highest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile in the nation, we have the brain power to guarantee success.
If you’re a cinephile, you’re in the right place. New Jersey is the birthplace of the film industry, with a legacy that started in 1893, thanks to Thomas Edison’s invention of early motion picture technology. Today, filmmakers, actors and production teams benefit from the robust 30%, or 35%, film and digital tax credit. Located within the New York Studio Film Zone in a 30-mile radius around Columbus Circle in New York City, New Jersey is home to the largest concentration of film and television professionals outside of Los Angeles. There are numerous film festivals throughout the year, and many iconic projects have been filmed within our borders, such as The Sopranos, The Wolf of Wall Street, Mean Girls the Musical, and more.
New Jersey is also a hub for plant-based food technology, with companies like ZenSoy and Esti developing vegan meat and dairy substitutes and Oishii’s innovative vertical farms that produce some of the world’s finest strawberries. We are a leading hub in technological advancement, bustling with top talent and equipped with elite infrastructure to support any endeavor.
The Economic Engine of the United States
CNBC ranked New Jersey the #1 Most Improved Place for Business in 2023, and the reason is clear: New Jersey is pro-business in every sense. New Jersey was found most improved in job growth, credit ratings and housing. Whether you’re starting a small business, thinking about relocating or growing an existing business, New Jersey offers unparalleled assistance to make the process easier.
New Jersey’s unique entrepreneurial ecosystem has resulted in the creation and success of some of the world’s most iconic businesses, including Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, Campbell Soup Company in Camden, and Prudential Financial and Audible in Newark.
Living in New Jersey
Ranked as the second-best state to live by WalletHub, New Jersey offers a quality of life that extends beyond the workplace, offering family-friendly communities and exciting entertainment.
New Jersey has something for everyone. Sports fans can cheer on the home team at world-class stadiums like MetLife, home of the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Music lovers can see some of the world’s best artists at venues like the Prudential Center (home of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards), NJ Performing Arts Center, Boardwalk Hall, and PNC Bank Arts Center.
Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the state’s idyllic nature preserves that are perfect for hiking, biking, and exploring. In New Jersey, you can appreciate the beauty of nature and experience all four seasons. New Jersey is also renowned for its picturesque beaches. From the bustling boardwalks of places like Atlantic City to the serene shores of Cape May, the state’s coastline provides a delightful blend of relaxation, recreation, and natural beauty.
Our diverse population creates a rich cultural presence that extends to many options for entertainment, events, and eateries around the state. Dubbed the “Food Capital of America,” by Public Radio International, New Jersey has so much to offer.
Our high quality of life is supported by our strong values. New Jersey is one of the most ethnically diverse states in the country. The state is dedicated to actively protecting diversity and promoting inclusivity by expanding rights and protections for all residents. New Jersey is a pioneer in requiring a curriculum that is LGBTQ+ and disability-inclusive. We also boast the highest percentage of jobs generated by immigrant-owned businesses. No matter who you are, you can prosper and feel at home in New Jersey.
How We Can Help
Choose New Jersey is the state’s leading non-profit business attraction organization. We harness the collective power of New Jersey’s business, government, labor, and academic sectors to expand New Jersey’s economy. We work globally, using our marketing expertise, concierge business development services, deep knowledge of the state, and convening power, in collaboration with state government, to empower businesses, entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators to make New Jersey their home.
Choose New Jersey works in tandem with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which collaborates with businesses to grow the state economy while increasing equitable access to opportunity. The NJEDA also offers incentives such as the Emerge Program, which provides per-job tax credits to projects that invest private capital into the state and create new good-paying jobs (or retain a large number of good-paying jobs), and the Aspire Program, which supports commercial, mixed-use and residential real estate development. Tax incentives, grants, loans and other innovative programs are available to incentivize business expansion, promote job creation, and bolster our diversified economy.
Since 2010, we have helped nearly 440 companies create over 48,000 new and retained jobs while generating $11 billion in capital investment.
New Jersey Economic Development Authority means business
By Tim Sullivan • CEO, NJEDA
New Jersey’s business community plays a pivotal role in our regional and national economies. The Garden State is perfectly situated along the Northeast Corridor between two major metropolitan areas, with complete access to some of the nation’s largest airports and shipping ports. But aside from our prime location, New Jersey, under Gov. Phil Murphy’s leadership, has made major investments to support small and mid-sized businesses. In fact, since the start of the Murphy Administration, nearly 60,000 new small businesses have opened. Additionally, CNBC named New Jersey as the most-improved state in the country for business.
Small businesses, which have long served as the backbone to New Jersey’s economy, were hit hard during the pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) helped businesses keep their doors open, and in the years since, has helped mom-and-pop shops grow and expand their businesses. With the pandemic behind us, the NJEDA has been committed to creating a solid economic foundation focused on inclusivity, long-term resiliency, and equitability.
The Main Street Recovery Program, a comprehensive suite of products created under the Economic Recovery Act, has become an essential tool to help small businesses thrive across the state. Since the program launched in 2021, the NJEDA made nearly 4,000 approvals for grants, loans, and technical assistance for small businesses totaling $132 million.
The Main Street Program created several products including, the Small Business Improvement Grant, Main Street Micro Business Loan, and E-Commerce Support Program. The $15 million Small Business Improvement Grant reimburses small businesses for the purchase and installation of new furniture, fixtures, and equipment. The Main Street Micro Business Loan allows early-stage micro businesses to access up to $50,000 in financing, while the E-Commerce Support Program helps expand a business’s online presence. Together, these programs have injected millions of dollars of capital into New Jersey’s main streets and have helped small businesses succeed.
In an effort to strengthen New Jersey’s supply chain, the NJEDA launched the New Jersey Manufacturing Voucher Program (MVP). The $53 million MVP provides manufacturers vouchers to purchase equipment they need to improve their operations and upgrade their businesses. Through the MVP, the NJEDA is working to ensure companies have the resources and capital needed to continue making products used by consumers domestically and abroad, which in turn will grow and strengthen the state’s economy.
As part of Governor Murphy’s economic development strategy to reclaim New Jersey’s role as a leader in innovation, the NJEDA has created the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund (NJIEF), a groundbreaking tool to increase access to venture capital. This unique fund will ensure more innovative companies start, grow, and stay in New Jersey. To date, the NJEDA Board has approved 12 venture capital firms as Qualified Venture Firms, allowing them to access up to $12.5 million annually per investor from the NJIEF to co-invest in innovative, high-growth New Jersey-based businesses. The Fund will also create mentoring, networking and educational opportunities to help position New Jersey companies for success.
The NJEDA is committed to supporting businesses that have long called New Jersey home and is also fiercely dedicated to supporting new businesses looking to expand their footprint here in the Garden State. The NJEDA offers a vast number of products and programs that are able to fit the needs of every business, of every size, in every sector. For more information on NJEDA resources, visit www.njeda.gov.
