Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BAIRD

DRIVING INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND BEYOND

Founded in 1919 in Milwaukee, Baird’s financial advice and expertise has helped guide clients through changing market cycles and unexpected events across generations. Today, Baird is actively investing in many initiatives throughout Wisconsin to position the state as a center for innovation. These activities are part of the firm’s ongoing...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CTRL

CTRL ROBOTICS

ROBOTICS

We at CTRL have a mission and vision for the future we want to create with everyone. We believe that robots of all shapes and sizes will be key to the physical automation revolution in every part of our society. CTRL Robotics was founded by three people determined to develop...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Product Passport That Outlives the Packaging

Repairing an appliance with hand tools and a circuit board on the bench

Under the EU's ESPR, a product's data now outlives its packaging.

A broken appliance often presents a data problem before a repair problem. Its model label may be scratched and the manual lost. Reliable information about components, materials and spare parts can be harder to locate than the fault. Digital Product Passports keep that information attached throughout a product’s useful life....

INNOVATE® Georgia

TRAX ANALYTICS

INNOVATING THE JANITORIAL SPACE: THE RISE OF TRAX ANALYTICS

In the realm of janitorial management, few stories are as compelling as that of TRAX Analytics, a company that has swiftly risen to prominence since its inception. Founded by Tracy Davis, TRAX Analytics originated as an integral part of Infax, Inc., a family business known for its innovative solutions in...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

TALK SHOP

ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO

Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....

INNOVATE® Nashville

THNKS

THNKS-SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

At Thnks, our mission is to leverage technology and the science of gratitude to help establish and build strong relationships for the modern world, through efficient, personalized, and thoughtful appreciation. Thnks has created a movement in workplaces with over 15,000 Thnks sent every week — helping business professionals improve their...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BrightMa Farms

Building a Circular Ecosystem for Climate-Smart Innovation

From seed to system, BrightMa Farms has redefined what it means to grow innovation from the ground up. Founded by visionary entrepreneur Harold Singletary, BrightMa Farms, Inc. has emerged as one of South Carolina’s most dynamic AgTech enterprises — a company transforming agricultural waste into climate-smart, high-value materials that serve...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

FREESTYLE TRAMPOLINE ASSOCIATION

WORLD’S FIRST 3D TRAMPOLINE SIMULATOR TRAMPOLINE AND GYMNASTICS ‘JUMP’ INTO ESPORTS FOR THE FIRST TIME!

GRT Pro Flipper is a brand-new Mobile Trampoline Simulator that takes trampoline to the next level. All other trampoline-based apps on the App stores are based on simpler 2D gameplay that does not truly match what a trampolinist actually does in the air at the Olympics. Developed by the Freestyle...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

KC Digital Drive

Designing the Digital Backbone of a City

Building Tomorrow’s Kansas City Established in 2012 by the cities of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, KC Digital Drive serves as a regional technology and innovation intermediary. While technologies evolve and community needs change, its purpose has remained constant: helping cities and communities prepare for the future by...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SPARK

WHERE IDEAS IGNITE IN THE HEART OF KANSAS CITY

When the future of work spilled out of traditional offices and into vibrant spaces where community mattered as much as connectivity, Spark Coworking emerged as a beacon for entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators. Launched in 2016 by The Cordish Companies, Spark has grown into a national network of collaborative workspaces –...

INNOVATION Quebec

MAIN

IS THE MOVEMENT OF QUEBEC INNOVATION ACCELERATORS

Since 2016, we have firmly embraced the notion that by promoting collaboration and the mutual exchange of practices and resources (movement) among all those involved in accelerating startup growth (accelerators), we can amplify the impact of startups (innovation) from all regions of Quebec. Our goal is to ensure that every...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

START ME UP

SPEAK YOUR TRUTH. OWN YOUR STORY.

In a galaxy far, far away but closer than you may think lived a company called Start Me Up PR. Landing in YYC first — because even extraterrestrials love the mountains — to invade the local and global tech scene, they set off to support emerging-founders, the investors who help...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

BLCKR

SHIELDING THE DIGITAL WORLD FROM THE THREATS SOFTWARE CAN’T STOP

In an era where cyberattacks dominate headlines and signal based threats evolve beyond detection, one company is quietly defining the future of physical cybersecurity. Founded in Sweden by CEO Fredrik Nyström, BLCKR has emerged as a B2B force specializing in advanced signal-blocking and EMP/HEMP resistant solutions safeguarding digital infrastructure in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

SECCIONAL

THE COMPANY’S HISTORY IS INTERTWINED WITH ITS TRADITION OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION

Since 1976, Seccional researches, designs and manufactures innovative and robust solutions for the telecommunications, lighting, power transmission and wind turbine markets. The company’s laboratories and factories are located in two units in the Industrial City of Curitiba (CIC), totaling facilities of 120,000m², offering a high level of productivity and design,...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

TYMEBANK

THE DIGITALLY SMART BANK FOR ALL SOUTH AFRICANS

With more than 4.5 million customers acquired since launching in February 2019, TymeBank is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital banks....

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

C-Therm

Thermal Conductivity Instrument

Established in 2007, C-Therm Technologies is the world leader in transient thermal conductivity instrumentation for the testing of a wide range of materials with applications ranging from Batteries and Electric vehicles to Textiles and Soft lines. C-Therm is led by the team of Adam Harris (CEO), Brandon Brown (VP Engineering)...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

POPULAR AND PUERTO RICO

BANKING ON THE ISLAND’S FUTURE

Popular is an intricate part of Puerto Rico’s history. We are the longest serving and the largest financial institution in the Island, and a top 50 U.S. financial institution by assets. We play an important role in Puerto Rico’s economy, and we have supported its communities for over 130 years...

INNOVATION Quebec

LLIO

CCTT IN OPEN INNOVATION

Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup’s Laboratoire en innovation ouverte (LLio) is a college centre for technology transfer specializing in open and collaborative innovation. Our mission is to facilitate the implementation of open innovation practices, particularly those involving users. Our focus is on open innovation practices, players and spaces. With our team of...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF)

LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF) EST UN REGROUPEMENT STRATÉGIQUE FINANCÉ PAR LE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC – NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) DEPUIS 2006. Il est le seul regroupement au Québec à avoir pour mission centrale la formation avancée et la recherche sur la forêt. La mission scientifique...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

MAX MATTHIESSEN

RESHAPING FINANCIAL ADVISORY FOR A MORE HUMAN AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

As Europe faces widening wealth gaps, rising climate pressures, and a demographic shift toward longer retirements, traditional financial advice is no longer enough. Companies today want more than solid pension and investment products — they want to build resilience, protect their people and position themselves as employers of choice in...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SONGFINCH

SONGFINCH - Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized

Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized, One-of-a-Kind Songs

Since launching, Songfinch has grown into the leading creator marketplace for musicians touting some of the most influential names in music and tech as investors, including music icon Quincy Jones, current music superstars Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye and Amala ‘Doja Cat’ Dlamini, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman, School of Rock...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Drobot

Human-Centered Automation, Born in South Carolina

In a manufacturing world grappling with worker shortages, rising costs, and the relentless complexity of “high-mix, low-volume” production, one Greenville-based startup is quietly reimagining what it means for humans and robots to work together. Drobot Inc. is pioneering a new generation of Collaborative Mobile Robots (CMRs) – machines designed not...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

MEDIA OFFICE

MEDIA OFFICE -AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

Founded in 1995, Media Office has evolved and grown into a System Integrator. Our aim is to offer our clients a ‘one-stop-shopping’ experience, where we design and integrate audio-visual solutions not only for meeting rooms and training classrooms, but for any area in your building. Over the years, we have...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Harbor + Union

The Growth Hub Powering Nashville’s Next Generation of Business

In the historic Factory at Franklin, just outside of Nashville, a new kind of business environment is quietly transforming the way local founders, executives, and creatives work. Harbor+ Union is more than a co-working space. It’s a purpose-built ecosystem designed to fuel growth, connection, and innovation among the region’s most...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BAIRD

DRIVING INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND BEYOND

Founded in 1919 in Milwaukee, Baird’s financial advice and expertise has helped guide clients through changing market cycles and unexpected events across generations. Today, Baird is actively investing in many initiatives throughout Wisconsin to position the state as a center for innovation. These activities are part of the firm’s ongoing...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CTRL

CTRL ROBOTICS

ROBOTICS

We at CTRL have a mission and vision for the future we want to create with everyone. We believe that robots of all shapes and sizes will be key to the physical automation revolution in every part of our society. CTRL Robotics was founded by three people determined to develop...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Product Passport That Outlives the Packaging

Repairing an appliance with hand tools and a circuit board on the bench

Under the EU's ESPR, a product's data now outlives its packaging.

A broken appliance often presents a data problem before a repair problem. Its model label may be scratched and the manual lost. Reliable information about components, materials and spare parts can be harder to locate than the fault. Digital Product Passports keep that information attached throughout a product’s useful life....

INNOVATE® Georgia

TRAX ANALYTICS

INNOVATING THE JANITORIAL SPACE: THE RISE OF TRAX ANALYTICS

In the realm of janitorial management, few stories are as compelling as that of TRAX Analytics, a company that has swiftly risen to prominence since its inception. Founded by Tracy Davis, TRAX Analytics originated as an integral part of Infax, Inc., a family business known for its innovative solutions in...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

TALK SHOP

ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO

Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....

INNOVATE® Nashville

THNKS

THNKS-SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

At Thnks, our mission is to leverage technology and the science of gratitude to help establish and build strong relationships for the modern world, through efficient, personalized, and thoughtful appreciation. Thnks has created a movement in workplaces with over 15,000 Thnks sent every week — helping business professionals improve their...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BrightMa Farms

Building a Circular Ecosystem for Climate-Smart Innovation

From seed to system, BrightMa Farms has redefined what it means to grow innovation from the ground up. Founded by visionary entrepreneur Harold Singletary, BrightMa Farms, Inc. has emerged as one of South Carolina’s most dynamic AgTech enterprises — a company transforming agricultural waste into climate-smart, high-value materials that serve...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

FREESTYLE TRAMPOLINE ASSOCIATION

WORLD’S FIRST 3D TRAMPOLINE SIMULATOR TRAMPOLINE AND GYMNASTICS ‘JUMP’ INTO ESPORTS FOR THE FIRST TIME!

GRT Pro Flipper is a brand-new Mobile Trampoline Simulator that takes trampoline to the next level. All other trampoline-based apps on the App stores are based on simpler 2D gameplay that does not truly match what a trampolinist actually does in the air at the Olympics. Developed by the Freestyle...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

KC Digital Drive

Designing the Digital Backbone of a City

Building Tomorrow’s Kansas City Established in 2012 by the cities of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, KC Digital Drive serves as a regional technology and innovation intermediary. While technologies evolve and community needs change, its purpose has remained constant: helping cities and communities prepare for the future by...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SPARK

WHERE IDEAS IGNITE IN THE HEART OF KANSAS CITY

When the future of work spilled out of traditional offices and into vibrant spaces where community mattered as much as connectivity, Spark Coworking emerged as a beacon for entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators. Launched in 2016 by The Cordish Companies, Spark has grown into a national network of collaborative workspaces –...

INNOVATION Quebec

MAIN

IS THE MOVEMENT OF QUEBEC INNOVATION ACCELERATORS

Since 2016, we have firmly embraced the notion that by promoting collaboration and the mutual exchange of practices and resources (movement) among all those involved in accelerating startup growth (accelerators), we can amplify the impact of startups (innovation) from all regions of Quebec. Our goal is to ensure that every...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

START ME UP

SPEAK YOUR TRUTH. OWN YOUR STORY.

In a galaxy far, far away but closer than you may think lived a company called Start Me Up PR. Landing in YYC first — because even extraterrestrials love the mountains — to invade the local and global tech scene, they set off to support emerging-founders, the investors who help...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

BLCKR

SHIELDING THE DIGITAL WORLD FROM THE THREATS SOFTWARE CAN’T STOP

In an era where cyberattacks dominate headlines and signal based threats evolve beyond detection, one company is quietly defining the future of physical cybersecurity. Founded in Sweden by CEO Fredrik Nyström, BLCKR has emerged as a B2B force specializing in advanced signal-blocking and EMP/HEMP resistant solutions safeguarding digital infrastructure in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

SECCIONAL

THE COMPANY’S HISTORY IS INTERTWINED WITH ITS TRADITION OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION

Since 1976, Seccional researches, designs and manufactures innovative and robust solutions for the telecommunications, lighting, power transmission and wind turbine markets. The company’s laboratories and factories are located in two units in the Industrial City of Curitiba (CIC), totaling facilities of 120,000m², offering a high level of productivity and design,...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

TYMEBANK

THE DIGITALLY SMART BANK FOR ALL SOUTH AFRICANS

With more than 4.5 million customers acquired since launching in February 2019, TymeBank is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital banks....

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

C-Therm

Thermal Conductivity Instrument

Established in 2007, C-Therm Technologies is the world leader in transient thermal conductivity instrumentation for the testing of a wide range of materials with applications ranging from Batteries and Electric vehicles to Textiles and Soft lines. C-Therm is led by the team of Adam Harris (CEO), Brandon Brown (VP Engineering)...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

POPULAR AND PUERTO RICO

BANKING ON THE ISLAND’S FUTURE

Popular is an intricate part of Puerto Rico’s history. We are the longest serving and the largest financial institution in the Island, and a top 50 U.S. financial institution by assets. We play an important role in Puerto Rico’s economy, and we have supported its communities for over 130 years...

INNOVATION Quebec

LLIO

CCTT IN OPEN INNOVATION

Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup’s Laboratoire en innovation ouverte (LLio) is a college centre for technology transfer specializing in open and collaborative innovation. Our mission is to facilitate the implementation of open innovation practices, particularly those involving users. Our focus is on open innovation practices, players and spaces. With our team of...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF)

LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF) EST UN REGROUPEMENT STRATÉGIQUE FINANCÉ PAR LE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC – NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) DEPUIS 2006. Il est le seul regroupement au Québec à avoir pour mission centrale la formation avancée et la recherche sur la forêt. La mission scientifique...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

MAX MATTHIESSEN

RESHAPING FINANCIAL ADVISORY FOR A MORE HUMAN AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

As Europe faces widening wealth gaps, rising climate pressures, and a demographic shift toward longer retirements, traditional financial advice is no longer enough. Companies today want more than solid pension and investment products — they want to build resilience, protect their people and position themselves as employers of choice in...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SONGFINCH

SONGFINCH - Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized

Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized, One-of-a-Kind Songs

Since launching, Songfinch has grown into the leading creator marketplace for musicians touting some of the most influential names in music and tech as investors, including music icon Quincy Jones, current music superstars Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye and Amala ‘Doja Cat’ Dlamini, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman, School of Rock...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Drobot

Human-Centered Automation, Born in South Carolina

In a manufacturing world grappling with worker shortages, rising costs, and the relentless complexity of “high-mix, low-volume” production, one Greenville-based startup is quietly reimagining what it means for humans and robots to work together. Drobot Inc. is pioneering a new generation of Collaborative Mobile Robots (CMRs) – machines designed not...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

MEDIA OFFICE

MEDIA OFFICE -AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

Founded in 1995, Media Office has evolved and grown into a System Integrator. Our aim is to offer our clients a ‘one-stop-shopping’ experience, where we design and integrate audio-visual solutions not only for meeting rooms and training classrooms, but for any area in your building. Over the years, we have...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Harbor + Union

The Growth Hub Powering Nashville’s Next Generation of Business

In the historic Factory at Franklin, just outside of Nashville, a new kind of business environment is quietly transforming the way local founders, executives, and creatives work. Harbor+ Union is more than a co-working space. It’s a purpose-built ecosystem designed to fuel growth, connection, and innovation among the region’s most...

Ecosystems