R&D Council Announces 46th Annual Edison Patent Awards Winners

New Jersey’s Premier Event Recognizing the Innovators Driving Our Future

Chatham, N.J. – Today the Research & Development Council of New Jersey (Council) announced the winners of the 2025 Edison Patent Awards, the state’s highest honor for invention and innovation. Twelve patents developed by eleven organizations, as well as six trailblazing individuals, will be recognized at the 46th annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at Bell Works in Holmdel, N.J.

As New Jersey’s largest celebration honoring inventors, the Edison Patent Awards shine a spotlight on the discoveries being made across the state in medicine, technology, energy, defense, and beyond. 

This year’s theme, ”Powering the Future Through Invention,” highlights how the work of New Jersey inventors is shaping the world of tomorrow.

“The Edison Patent Awards is the largest statewide celebration recognizing research organizations and inventors whose breakthroughs power New Jersey’s innovation economy,” said Virginie Maillard, Chair of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey and ​Head of Global Research in Simulation and Digital Twin and Head of Research in US for Siemens Foundational Technologies. “Each year, we’re reminded that invention is at the heart of progress, and that the work being done right here in New Jersey has global impact.”

In addition to patent awards, the Council will recognize six individuals whose leadership, research, and advocacy have made a lasting impact:

• Science & Technology Medal – Robert Cohen, Vice President, Innovation and Technology for Stryker’s Orthopaedics Group, will be honored for his decades of leadership in orthopaedic innovation and digital health. With more than 40 years in the medical device industry and over 25 patents, Cohen has advanced surgical robotics, biomaterials, and 3D printing technologies, all of which have improved patient outcomes worldwide.
• Visionary Award – John Crowley, President & CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), will receive the Visionary Award for his enduring impact on rare disease innovation and biotechnology advocacy. Inspired by his children’s diagnosis with Pompe disease, Crowley became a nationally-recognized biotech leader and a voice for patient-centered science and policy.
• Educator of the Year – Brian Strom, M.D., M.P.H., Chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Rutgers University, will be recognized for his transformative impact on medical education in New Jersey. As the chief architect of Rutgers’ academic health enterprise, Dr. Strom has unified and strengthened the state’s medical, dental, and health professional schools, expanding opportunities for students, improving care delivery, and positioning New Jersey as a national leader in health sciences education.
  
• Catalyst Award – Craig Arnold, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Innovation and University Innovation Officer at Princeton University, will be honored for his leadership in Princeton—and New Jersey—as a hub for innovation. He is playing a key role in launching the NJ AI Hub and expanding Princeton’s innovation infrastructure, helping to accelerate research translation, entrepreneurship, and statewide collaboration in emerging technologies.
• Emerging Tech Award – Nathaniel Banks and Yidian Liu, Co-Founders of PolyGone Systems, will be recognized for their groundbreaking microplastic filtration technology. Their innovative system, launched in partnership with the Atlantic County Utilities Authority, has removed over 540 million microplastics from New Jersey’s waterways to date.

“These six individuals exemplify the many ways innovation can drive real-world change—from saving lives and cleaning our environment to building a stronger research infrastructure for the future,” said Kim Case, Executive Director of the R&D Council. “Their vision, dedication, and leadership continue to inspire the next generation of scientists, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers across our state.”

2025 Edison Patent Award winners are Avantor and Amgen, Merck & Co., Inc., MTF Biologics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Nokia Bell Labs, Princeton University, Rowan University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (which will receive two awards), Siemens AG, Stryker, and the U.S. Army DEVCOM Armaments Center.

The recognized patents range from innovations that improve knee replacements and bone grafts to new ways of streaming online content and sharing data between unmanned vehicles. Winners were selected by a team of Council board members who evaluated patents for the significance of the problem, utility/socio-economic value, novelty, and commercial impact. All winning patents must have at least part of the technical/scientific work completed in New Jersey. 

The 46th annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at Bell Works. During the ceremony each award winner will have a special tribute film premiere in their honor. For information on sponsorship, ads, and tickets, please visit www.rdnj.org/patent-awards. 

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 As the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, we collaborate among industry, academia, and government to grow and strengthen STEM in education, innovation, and the economy. The R&D Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose membership includes representatives from academia, government, and industry. More information can be found at the R&D Council’s website: www.rdnj.org.  

Growing STEM. Advancing Innovation. Impacting the World. 

2025 Edison Patent Award Winners