Nokia Bell Labs Breaks Ground on New Jersey Headquarters in New Brunswick

Construction has begun on the Nokia Bell Labs headquarters building in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The recent groundbreaking of the 10-story complex kicked off work on the 34,374-square-meter site, which will open in 2027.

Called Health and Life Science Exchange 2 (HELIX 2), the structure will stand in New Brunswick's growing tech zone. Scientists and startup teams will work side by side in modern labs and offices.

"Today's groundbreaking marks a new and exciting chapter in Bell Labs' long history in New Jersey," said Bell Labs Solutions Research President Thierry E. Klein at the ceremony, per IEEE Spectrum. "The location offers unique advantages that will speed up our innovation and provide greater access to academic centers and new startups."

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy praised the company's commitment. "Our history of innovation in New Jersey could be summarized in two words: Bell Labs," Murphy said at the event. "Through partnerships, joint ventures, and spinoffs, Nokia Bell Labs will create new products and companies that will drive the innovation economy in New Jersey."

The site sits 32 kilometers south of the old Murray Hill base, where Bell Labs marked 100 years in May. Murray Hill birthed world-changing inventions like the Bellmac-32 chip and the Horn Antenna, which backed up big bang theory claims.

Core Research President Peter Vetter put the move in context. The labs started in New York City back in 1925. After moving to Murray Hill in 1941, teams there made the transistor and built cell networks from scratch.

"I want to think that our move will again be a catalyst for breakthrough innovations in areas such as 7G, AI, quantum computing, and quantum network security," said Vetter.

HELIX 2 runs on green power and houses cutting-edge research spaces. Top schools nearby — Princeton, Rutgers, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Stevens Institute — will feed talent and spark new studies.

This marks building two of three planned for New Brunswick's tech center. HELIX 1 opens in 2026 for Rutgers medical work. Both sites will offer ready-to-use labs stocked with science gear.

Bell Labs hits another high point on Oct. 21. IEEE will honor several Murray Hill breakthroughs, including three Nobel wins: super-resolved microscopy, the charge-coupled device, and the fractional quantum hall effect.