Nokia announced that it will move Nokia Bell Labs from its iconic campus in Murray Hill, New Jersey, to a new state-of-the-art research and development facility in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The move will establish New Brunswick as Nokia’s new R&D hub on the East Coast and affirms Nokia’s commitment to this region of the U.S., according to the Finnish vendor.
The location in Murray Hill began as Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1925 and saw some of the biggest technological breakthroughs, including the world’s first transistor and the emergence of cellular and satellite communications. More recently, engineers in Murray Hill have been working on AI and 6G research.
“Our Murray Hill campus has been home to iconic Nokia Bell Labs innovation for over 80 years,” said Nokia Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Nishant Batra in a statement. “As we look toward the future of Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs in the region, we will take with us all that makes us exceptional – our vision, brainpower, culture of disruptive innovation, and technical prowess – and marry that legacy with a modern research and development facility that is built to our needs. Ultimately, we want a facility that feels right for the next 100 years of Nokia Bell Labs.”
Contributing to the selection of the new site is proximity to an ecosystem of academic centers of excellence, established industry leaders and “exciting new startup ventures,” according to Nokia.
The new facility will break ground in 2025. It will be developed by SJP Properties with community support provided by New Brunswick Development Corporation, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the City of New Brunswick.
The announcement certainly won the endorsement of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who said the new state-of-the-art facility will generate good-paying jobs and further solidify New Brunswick’s standing as a regional leader in the innovation economy.
“Bell Labs has had a storied role in the growth of America’s tech industry. We’re excited to see companies like Nokia continuing to invest in America and support the next generation of technology innovation,” said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson in a statement.
Nokia also announced a new venture studio based in New Jersey that will be focused on the commercial potential of Nokia Bell Labs’ innovations outside of the strategic areas Nokia is focused on today.
Nokia said it has solidified long-term partnerships with Celesta Capital and America’s Frontier Fund to collaborate on building and investing in Nokia Bell Labs innovations that support the next generation of critical technology for the U.S.