2017: Our Favorite NJ Tech Photos, Part Two

January 2, 2018 Esther Surden Off News, Photo Essay,

The NJ tech community held hundreds of meetings. meetups, and tech talks during 2017 and NJTechWeekly.com attended many of them. We also went to numerous open houses, product launches, and ribbon cuttings. And we took photos. Lots and lots of photos. As we looked back on 2017, some of the photos stood out. We either caught panelists in the moment, or we witnessed intense networking at an event, or we were in awe of some great architecture in a building we were visiting. The photos here are not necessarily representative of the year, but they are some of the most interesting photos we took. This is part two of our photo essay.

1. June 2017

Photo: NVP Labs hosted a demo day at the Prudential Center at the end of June. Here we see members from all of the startup teams who had pitched that day, along with the NVP Labs staff, posing for photos on the floor of the Devil's arena in Newark. It's a fun photo in a fun setting that captures the excitement around the NVP Labs endeavor to accelerate great startups that will then create great jobs in Newark.
  Photo Credit: Esther Surden

NVP Labs hosted a demo day at the Prudential Center at the end of June. Here we see members from all of the startup teams who had pitched that day, along with the NVP Labs staff, posing for photos on the floor of the Devil's arena in Newark. It's a fun photo in a fun setting that captures the excitement around the NVP Labs endeavor to accelerate great startups that will then create great jobs in Newark.
  | Esther Surden

2. June 2017

Photo: In an unusual collaboration, David Postolski of Gearhart Law and Montclair State University's Feliciano Center came together to provide prototyping services to Gearhart clients. We like this photo because it captures how intense these sessions were, as Gearhart clients tried to explain their needs to the MIX Lab co-directors, Jason Frasca and Iain Kerr. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

In an unusual collaboration, David Postolski of Gearhart Law and Montclair State University's Feliciano Center came together to provide prototyping services to Gearhart clients. We like this photo because it captures how intense these sessions were, as Gearhart clients tried to explain their needs to the MIX Lab co-directors, Jason Frasca and Iain Kerr. | Esther Surden

3. July 2017

Photo: The "Fireside Chats" with Aaron Price at the NJ Tech Meetup often become animated as founders talk about their passion for their businesses. Here we see Ali Abdullah, CEO of Newark startup ClaimIt!, making a point. We also like the fake cardboard fireplace! Photo Credit: Esther Surden

The "Fireside Chats" with Aaron Price at the NJ Tech Meetup often become animated as founders talk about their passion for their businesses. Here we see Ali Abdullah, CEO of Newark startup ClaimIt!, making a point. We also like the fake cardboard fireplace! | Esther Surden

4. August 2017

Photo: Bell Works, which has become a tech destination in Holmdel, hosted an eclipse party in August. We took many great photos that day, but the best one by far was of Ralph Zucker, president of Somerset Development, taking in the eclipse on the Bell Works terrace. To us, this photo symbolizes the return of life to the old Bell Labs space, a return of optimism for the tech industry in N.J., and the understanding that while we all work hard to build our businesses, there is always time to experience wonder. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

Bell Works, which has become a tech destination in Holmdel, hosted an eclipse party in August. We took many great photos that day, but the best one by far was of Ralph Zucker, president of Somerset Development, taking in the eclipse on the Bell Works terrace. To us, this photo symbolizes the return of life to the old Bell Labs space, a return of optimism for the tech industry in N.J., and the understanding that while we all work hard to build our businesses, there is always time to experience wonder. | Esther Surden

5. October 2017

Photo: Everyone was exteremly happy to be unveiling this sign on Route 1 in central New Jersey to dedicate this office park as part of Einstein's Alley. We liked this photo because it caught Einstein's Alley Executive Director Katherine Kish in a full on smile, while Assemblyman and Head of Science Education at the Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory Andrew Zwicker examines the sign. This photo is another one of those optimistic symbols that reminds us tech and biotech is alive and well in New Jersey. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

Everyone was exteremly happy to be unveiling this sign on Route 1 in central New Jersey to dedicate this office park as part of Einstein's Alley. We liked this photo because it caught Einstein's Alley Executive Director Katherine Kish in a full on smile, while Assemblyman and Head of Science Education at the Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory Andrew Zwicker examines the sign. This photo is another one of those optimistic symbols that reminds us tech and biotech is alive and well in New Jersey. | Esther Surden

6. October 2017

Photo: We were invited to the Vi Hub coworking space at Bell Works by the NJ Ad Club for an innovation summit. There we found a roundtable discussion on using virtual reality and augmented reality in advertising. New Jersey is home to a lot of creative people who keep their eyes on the future. Here we see Eric Bowers, Creative Director, Technology from By and Large explaining how By and Large and others use these technologies today and how they will use them in the future. We like this photo because it captures Bowers presenting his passion to others eager to learn from him. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

We were invited to the Vi Hub coworking space at Bell Works by the NJ Ad Club for an innovation summit. There we found a roundtable discussion on using virtual reality and augmented reality in advertising. New Jersey is home to a lot of creative people who keep their eyes on the future. Here we see Eric Bowers, Creative Director, Technology from By and Large explaining how By and Large and others use these technologies today and how they will use them in the future. We like this photo because it captures Bowers presenting his passion to others eager to learn from him. | Esther Surden

7. October 2017

Photo: Camden held its first ever pitch competition to lure startups to build their businesses in the city. The prize was $25,000. The response was enthusiastic. The final pitch event was held at the Camden acquarium and attracted many angels and VCs from the area to get a look at startups willing to give Camden a chance. Here we show the final moments of the competition, when Fredric A. Byarm, was awarded the check for his tech-enabled startup Invincible City Farms. To us, this photo represents hope that startups will find Camden a welcoming place to build businesses. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

Camden held its first ever pitch competition to lure startups to build their businesses in the city. The prize was $25,000. The response was enthusiastic. The final pitch event was held at the Camden acquarium and attracted many angels and VCs from the area to get a look at startups willing to give Camden a chance. Here we show the final moments of the competition, when Fredric A. Byarm, was awarded the check for his tech-enabled startup Invincible City Farms. To us, this photo represents hope that startups will find Camden a welcoming place to build businesses. | Esther Surden

8. November 2017

Photo: There were hundreds of people in the room for the 2017 New Jersey Tech Council Awards dinner, but we got this shot of Judith Sheft who has advanced tech entrepreneurship at NJIT for years, being awarded the Martinson-Ballen award. To us, Judith represents how one person can help change the landscape for tech in New Jersey. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

There were hundreds of people in the room for the 2017 New Jersey Tech Council Awards dinner, but we got this shot of Judith Sheft who has advanced tech entrepreneurship at NJIT for years, being awarded the Martinson-Ballen award. To us, Judith represents how one person can help change the landscape for tech in New Jersey. | Esther Surden

9 December 2017

Photo: An enthusiastic, standing-room only crowd came to the Morris Tech Meetup event on virtual currencies and blockchain in December. The room was full of new faces and people we knew who wanted to learn more about these topics. To us this photo represents a groundswell of interest in these topics, spurred not only by the meteoric rise in the value of Bitcoin but also by tech interest in blockchain and how it will disrupt industry. We see this technology as the future and believe that many N.J. startup founders will be getting into blockchain now. Photo Credit: Esther Surden

An enthusiastic, standing-room only crowd came to the Morris Tech Meetup event on virtual currencies and blockchain in December. The room was full of new faces and people we knew who wanted to learn more about these topics. To us this photo represents a groundswell of interest in these topics, spurred not only by the meteoric rise in the value of Bitcoin but also by tech interest in blockchain and how it will disrupt industry. We see this technology as the future and believe that many N.J. startup founders will be getting into blockchain now. | Esther Surden

About The Author

Esther Surden

Esther is the Founder and Editor in Chief of NJ Tech Weekly