Founders, investors and innovation leaders gathered in New Jersey’s capital for a day focused on entrepreneurship, investment and the potential of Trenton’s emerging startup ecosystem.
Trenton took center stage in New Jersey’s innovation economy on September 15 as entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem leaders gathered for Rise of the Rest: Trenton Economic Development Tour, hosted by the Novella Center for Entrepreneurship.
The invitation-only program was designed around a simple idea: bring together people who want to see the Capital City thrive—and connect them with founders, investors and organizations already working to make that happen.
And, appropriately, founders were at the center of the day.
Three Founders Rise to the Top
A highlight was the startup pitch competition, where entrepreneurs had the opportunity to put their companies and ideas in front of the broader community.
Taking first place was Bianca Frezgi of Allies, followed by Thiv Paramsothy of Hera Fertility in second place and Logan Jones of ticker in third place.
The three winners emerged from a group of founders pitching during the event, showcasing the entrepreneurial talent developing in and around New Jersey.
Beyond the competition itself, the pitches reinforced something increasingly visible across the state: innovative companies are being created in a wide range of sectors and communities—and connecting those founders with capital, customers and experienced mentors remains one of the most important ingredients for their growth.
A Conversation About Innovation in New Jersey
The day also featured a Lunch & Learn discussion titled “Innovation in New Jersey,” moderated by Jaime Coleman, Managing Director of the Novella Center for Entrepreneurship.
The panel brought together four different perspectives on the state's innovation ecosystem: Liat Krawczyk of the NJ AI Hub, MJ Durkin of TechUnited:NJ, State Senator Andrew Zwicker, and Lucy Partman of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Their conversation tackled issues that matter directly to founders: access to state programs and funding, the development of New Jersey's AI ecosystem, early-stage capital, technology policy and the challenge of keeping talented people in the state.
But one of the most interesting questions was specifically about Trenton.
With government, transit, available real estate and a potentially attractive cost structure among its assets, what would it take for a technology founder to actively choose Trenton as the place to start and grow a company?
It's a question worth asking.
Why Trenton?
New Jersey has many of the ingredients needed to build successful companies: world-class universities and research, major corporations, proximity to New York and Philadelphia, access to capital and a deep talent pool.
The opportunity is to make sure more of those ingredients connect.
Trenton could play an interesting role in that effort. As the state capital, it sits at the intersection of government, economic development and business—and geographically between some of New Jersey's strongest academic and commercial centers.
The Novella Center is already putting infrastructure behind that opportunity. It administers the Conscious Venture Lab Accelerator Program, whose Trenton program is currently operating its second cohort.
"I am delighted we and the founders we work most closely with get to play a part in making the Capital City an attractive place to build. I am excited to see the ecosystem grow and continue to come together to find new ways to support talent here and talent we are attracting here,” noted Jaime Coleman
Events like Rise of the Rest matter because ecosystems are ultimately built through connections: founders meeting investors, entrepreneurs discovering resources, corporations finding startups, and people who normally operate in separate circles getting into the same room.
The pitch winners gave the day its competitive highlight. But the bigger story may be what happens afterward.
If New Jersey can continue connecting entrepreneurs, capital, universities, government and corporate partners—and extend that activity into cities like Trenton - the state has an opportunity not simply to participate in the next generation of innovation, but to build more of it here.
