Building Cities of Innovation with Chris Paladino_e.075

In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin is joined by Chris Paladino, President of the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO)—a nonprofit real estate development organization that has played a central role in revitalizing New Brunswick, New Jersey. Under Chris’s leadership since 1994, DEVCO has overseen more than $3.5 billion in projects spanning education, healthcare, housing, and innovation.

Chris shares how a developer’s vision—rooted in collaboration and community impact—can drive economic growth and scientific progress. From transforming New Brunswick into a model for public-private partnerships to spearheading HELIX NJ, a $1.6 billion health and life sciences hub developed with Rutgers, Princeton, Nokia Bell Labs, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and Portal Innovations, Chris offers an insider’s view of how cities can evolve into thriving innovation ecosystems.

Throughout the conversation, he reflects on lessons learned from decades of civic development, the importance of “creative collisions” between academia and industry, and why long-term success depends on patience, partnerships, and purpose.