A cutting-edge materials science company is bringing a major new research operation to Brooklyn — and marking a forest for New York State in the process.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced this week that Radical AI, a fast-growing materials science laboratory at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The company plans to renovate and repurpose space in Building 20, transforming it into a state-of-the-art headquarters and AI-driven research facility capable of running roughly 100 experiments per day.
“New York is leading the nation in turning cutting-edge research into real-world innovation and good-paying jobs,” Hochul said. “Radical AI’s decision to establish the state’s first fully autonomous materials science laboratory at the Brooklyn Navy Yard strengthens our position as a global hub for artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and deep-tech research.”
The $4 million project is expected to create 115 new high-paying jobs in materials science, artificial intelligence and advanced engineering. The expansion is supported by up to $2 million in performance-based tax credits through Empire State Development’s Excelsior Jobs Program.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said the project highlights the strength of New York City’s innovation ecosystem.
“This project brings together artificial intelligence, advanced research, and high-quality job creation in a field that touches nearly every sector of the global economy,” Knight said. “With support from Empire State Development, Radical AI is helping ensure that the next wave of materials discovery and commercialization happens right here in New York City.”
Radical AI’s autonomous laboratory combined AI, robotics and advanced chemistry to dramatically accelerate the traditionally slow process of materials discovery. The company’s technology allows experiments to run continuously, capturing data that back into its AI models to improve future predictions.
The new space will be a “fully outfitted, advanced materials science lab equipped with specialized tools, gas lines, robotics systems, updated safety and organizational layouts, and essential infrastructure upgrades.
Its purpose is to “discover new inorganic materials through AI-driven experimentation and R&D.”
“Our new facility will run materials experiments at a pace and scale that traditional R&D cannot match,” said Radical AI CEO and co-founder Joseph Krause. “Our mission is to compress decades of materials discovery into years or months, and we’re grateful to ESD for backing that vision.”
The company, founded in 2024, Radical AI has grown to employ over 30 scientists and engineers, with applications across various industries, including energy and transportation, as well as aerospace, infrastructure and defense.
City and regional leaders said the expansion reflects New York City’s ability to attract companies operating at the forefront of science and technology.
“This project will not only create high-paying jobs, but also strengthen New York City’s position as a global center for AI-driven research and advanced manufacturing,” said NYCREDC co-chair Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, alongside co-chair William D. Rahm.
Local lawmakers also praised the announcement. Westchester Assembly Member Steven Otis called the project “an example of the success of Governor Hochul’s focus on job expansion in technology industries,” adding that materials research is “vital to our economic, environmental, and technology future.”
Once complete, the autonomous lab will feature specialized equipment, robotics systems, upgraded safety infrastructure and high-throughput experimentation tools designed to accelerate materials discovery by hundreds of times compared to traditional methods.
In December 2025, Hochul signed the RAISE Act, “nation-leading legislation” that would require “AI frameworks for AI frontier models.” In a statement, she said that “New York is once again leading the nation in setting a strong and sensible standard for frontier AI safety, holding the biggest developers accountable for their safety and transparency protocols.”
