Ten awards of $75,000 each will go toward helping early-stage, innovation-based companies in New Jersey accelerate the development of technologies, products and services that support pregnant women from pre-natal, through birth and post-partum, and into infancy.

The Garden State increased its presence on this year's list, which recognizes the top 250 facilities nationwide.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research comes as the New Jersey Economic Development Authority embarks on efforts to build up a Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton.

The board authorized a Memorandum of Understanding with Kean University's The Watson Institute to embark on an iterative community engagement process that builds trust and support from residents and organizational stakeholders for the project, in addition to understanding what services are needed.

The health care system said it delivered a 7% increase over the previous year, in terms of babies born.

The cash donation builds on the Franklin Lakes-based medical technology company's relationship with UNICEF that was established in 1997.