ROI-NJ

In an ROI-NJ op-ed, Carlos Medina argues that Latino economic growth is one of the most important business stories in New Jersey, New York and the country: https://lnkd.in/enGmk9qX

Stevens Institute of Technology has appointed Brendan Englot as interim dean of its new School of Computing for a two-year term, effective Aug. 1. Englot, a robotics expert and academic leader, will guide the school through its two-year launch period. The School of Computing is set to open in fall 2026 and will support rigorous study in computing as well as applications across health, finance, the arts and other fields. Englot is the Anson Wood Burchard Endowed Professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence. He brings 15 years of experience developing and deploying mobile robots and autonomous navigation algorithms across land, air and sea. https://lnkd.in/eiCiT-dF

Integrity House has been awarded a Pathways to Recovery grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor to expand workforce development and career placement services. The nonprofit, one of New Jersey’s largest licensed providers of substance use disorder and mental health services, will use the grant to implement a two-year program serving individuals across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties. The initiative is focused on people impacted by opioid use disorder, including those experiencing OUD or at risk of developing it. Participants will be connected to training and employment opportunities in fields such as peer recovery support, health care, skilled trades, security, logistics and food services. https://lnkd.in/e24U6pPH

Westwood-based Joy’s Island Spice earned two Gold Medals and the “No & Low Elixir of the Year” award at the 2026 New Orleans Spirits Competition, presented by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. The recognition marks the company’s third major industry award in 2026. Joy’s Island Spice also received a Double Platinum Medal and “Elixir of the Year” at the L.A. Spirits Awards, as well as Double Gold honors at the New York International Non-Alcoholic Competition. The company’s Joy’s Sorrel Hibiscus Elixir is inspired by Jamaican family tradition and made with hibiscus, known in the Caribbean as sorrel, fresh ginger and warming island spices. The alcohol-free elixir is positioned for neat pours, sparkling water mixes, zero-proof cocktails and culinary use. https://lnkd.in/e_5sF8jx

Livingston-based CoreWeave is partnering with Leidos to develop secure AI cloud services for U.S. intelligence and defense missions. The collaboration combines Leidos’ experience delivering mission-critical systems for the federal government with CoreWeave’s AI-native cloud platform. The companies said the goal is to help federal agencies build, train, deploy and operate artificial intelligence at mission scale. The partnership is focused on sovereign AI cloud services for the U.S. Intelligence Community and Department of War as demand grows for secure AI capacity dedicated to government workloads. Planned use cases include model training, fine-tuning, evaluation, deployment and continuous monitoring in classified environments. https://lnkd.in/eDuixyTQ

Schenck, Price, Smith & King LLP has added Joseph M. Freda as counsel in the firm’s health care law practice group. Freda will focus his practice on medical malpractice and professional liability. He brings more than 20 years of litigation experience across New Jersey, including work in Morris, Somerset, Bergen, Union, Essex and Middlesex counties. Freda is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Middlesex County Bar Association. He also supports charitable organizations in Morris County, with a focus on women’s health, veterans and military families. https://lnkd.in/eUS_VUVv

Rocket One Inc. has entered into a nonexclusive patent license agreement with NASA covering the Affordable Vehicle Avionics System. The Hoboken-based technology company said the NASA-developed technology will serve as the foundation for its planned AI-powered software platform supporting spacecraft mission planning, avionics modeling, simulation and engineering workflows. Under the agreement, Rocket One has rights to develop and commercialize software, analytical tools and technical workflows using the patented technology within a defined field focused on modeling, simulation, testing and mission planning for space-vehicle avionics. The company plans to build the technology into a platform for commercial launch providers, satellite operators, aerospace companies, defense contractors and government organizations. https://lnkd.in/e4UGgbpm

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce will honor 10 women business leaders and advocates at its 2026 Women of Inspiration Awards Reception on Oct. 22 at The National Conference Center in East Windsor. The annual awards recognize women whose leadership, advocacy and professional work have created economic opportunities and strengthened New Jersey’s business community. This year’s Alice H. Parker Outstanding Woman of Inspiration Award will go to Amy Mansue, CEO of Inspira Health Network, who has spent four decades in health care, government and statewide leadership roles. Other honorees include Kellie Doucette, Heather Staples, Debbie Hart, Eileen Mannion, Liat Krawczyk, Michele Siekerka, Aiysha “A.J.” Johnson, Fatema Raza and Joanna Gagis. https://lnkd.in/e5is8jZn

New Jersey recorded the sixth-highest business bankruptcy filing rate in the U.S. over the past year, according to a LendingTree analysis of U.S. Courts data. The state had 93.1 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 small businesses, with 979 total business bankruptcy filings among 1,051,630 businesses. Filings in New Jersey rose 79.3% year over year, increasing from 546 to 979 — the second-largest increase of any state. Nationally, business bankruptcy filings rose 11.4% to 25,796 in the 12 months ended March 31, 2026. Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 filings accounted for nearly 93% of business bankruptcies nationwide. https://lnkd.in/eQuU5wnZ

Perth Amboy has broken ground on the Gateway Project, a 44-acre brownfield redevelopment that will transform a long-contaminated industrial property near the Route 35 Victory Bridge into a commercial, logistics and public recreation destination. Mayor Helmin J. Caba, the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency, city officials and developer KURV Industrial took part in the July 27 ceremony at 555 Market St. The event included the ceremonial signing of a land dedication certificate marking the future transfer of 18.6 acres to the city for public benefit. That dedication includes 9.2 acres of permanent public open space for future parks, trails, recreation and environmental stewardship, along with 9.4 acres of pad-ready land for future redevelopment and economic opportunity. https://lnkd.in/ezUAhQyk