Philanthropist and former New Jersey State Senator Frank Guarini has announced a major donation to the Liberty Science Center’s planned campus, SciTech Scity, which is set to open in late 2020 and be on the forefront of modern-day tech invention. The distinguished statesman committed $10 million to help boost the program which will grow dozens of world-changing science and tech companies, as well as reform K-12 science education and provide an incubator for entrepreneurship, academia, and science.
Guarini’s donation is the largest gift ever for the Center and has been matched 50 cents on the dollar in a pledge from LSC Co-Chair David Barry on behalf of himself and other Jersey City developers. Those funds when combined with additional financial support from founding corporate sponsors EY, Verizon, and Millie Williams, the Center receives a total investment of $15 million for the new campus. Jersey City has also been pivotal in the creation of the campus, donating 12.5 acres of land, part of which will be turned into a public commons park for concerts, farmers markets, and art exhibitions.
The Campus will also feature two distinct hubs called the Works and the Co-Creation Center to conduct research and development work and provide a co-working space for startups, as well as offer a conference center and tech exhibition gallery. Innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs, STEM graduate students, and families who have an interest in the SciTech Scity will have the option to stay in the Scholars Village residential housing.
“Technology entrepreneurship is at the heart of the transformative age we are living in,” said Michael J. Inserra, Americas Deputy Managing Partner of EY. “The strong leadership and ambitious plans for Liberty Science Center and SciTech Scity are perfectly aligned to our focus on driving innovation and building a better working world. So, we are excited to bring EY’s energy to this cutting-edge effort which, ultimately, is about inventing the future.”
The first phase of SciTech Scity is underway with it opening in late 2022. The 30-acre SciTech Scity campus includes Liberty Science Center and will be named the Frank J. Guarini Innovation Campus.
