Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Georgia
DAUGHERTY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
WE PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO OUR CLIENTS, AN INCREDIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.
Ranked 5th in the nation by USA Today’s Top Workplaces USA, Daugherty Business Solutions is a leading advisory services and technology consulting firm. Founded by Ron and Jan Daugherty, the company currently employs over 1,500 consultants worldwide with a focus on AI, tech modernization, and business agility. For over 40...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
SENTRY EQUIPMENT
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER, SAFER WORLD
Building the foundation for a better, safer world. For the general public, words such as “innovative” and “dynamic” aren’t commonly used to describe the manufacturing industry. But in an industry criticized for being slow to change, Sentry Equipment—a century-old, Oconomowoc-based manufacturing powerhouse—has solidified its position as a proud outlier driving...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
Global Innovation Spotlight
REPAIRABLY
AS CERTIFICATION BODY
Repairably certification aims to bring repair into the practice of the 21 century. As a third-party independent certification body, we test and verify whether a product fulfills 10 basic rules of the Repairably Manifesto, as the methodology for repairability and product rebirth to enable circularity in business models.“ Alan Suchánek,...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY
Supports a robust innovation ecosystem for life sciences companies, patient access to their discoveries, and New Jersey as a leading life sciences hub
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY (HINJ): LEADING MEDICAL INNOVATION, ADVANCING GLOBAL HEALTH, DRIVING NEW JERSEY’S ECONOMY New Jersey is widely known as the “Medicine Chest of the World,” not only for its concentration of life sciences companies, but also for their historic commitment to innovation and improving global health. Founded...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
USCREEN
BUILDING A MORE CONNECTED CREATOR FUTURE THROUGH THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIPS
USCREEN IS AN ALL-IN-ONE MEMBERSHIP PLATFORM BUILT FOR VIDEO CREATORS. Uscreen started as a bootstrapped company in 2014 with just an idea to start streaming DVDs and quickly pivoted to helping their customers sell video on demand subscriptions. Early customers include Yoga with Adriene and Sarah Beth Yoga, two highly...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CHEFS WAREHOUSE
WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE
As businesses go, restaurants aren’t for the faint of heart. The hospitality industry is one of cutthroat competition. This industry demands discipline, dedication, constant innovation, passion, opportunity, and perseverance from restaurateurs, managers, kitchen staff, and front-of-house staff. Creating fine-dining cuisine is as much an art form as it is the science...
INNOVATE® Detroit
InvestNext
Fostering Growth and Potential
InvestNext is on a mission to transform how investment firms raise and manage real estate investment capital. Founded in 2016 by Michael Gisi, Kevin Heras, and Matthew Attou, this Detroit startup was conceived to revolutionize how the industry operates. What they’ve created democratizes real estate investing and empowers investors to...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
SEMETRON
INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE: MOBILE MODULAR HOSPITAL
The healthcare sector faces increasingly complex challenges — from the impacts of climate change and natural disasters to global pandemics and conflict-related crises. In these situations, timely access to quality medical care can be a matter of life and death. This is where Semetron steps in, an innovative leader from...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast
3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast To boost brand visibility fast, leverage custom apparel for instant recognition, harness storytelling to forge emotional connections, and expand reach through strategic partnerships. These innovative branding strategies bypass traditional advertising noise by creating authentic touchpoints that build trust. By implementing these tactics,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TRIDO ENERGY SERVICES
SUPPORTING THE ENERGY INDUSTRY TOWARDS A DECARBONIZED FUTURE
Trido Energy Services, a Centurion Group company is a renewable energy technology company focused on reducing methane emissions to help clients reach carbon-reduction targets and support the energy industry on its journey toward a decarbonized future. To date, Trido has supported more than 40 clients to reduce CO2e emissions by...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Aeroplicity
Simplifying Aerospace and Defense: The Aeroplicity Story
Aeroplicity has emerged as a transformative force in the aerospace and defense industry, with a mission to simplify and modernize supply chain and aftermarket operations. Leveraging cutting-edge aerospace-grade technologies, the company is reshaping how organizations manage data, compliance, and operational efficiency. At its core, Aeroplicity addresses the industry’s most pressing...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Technology and Family Leisure:
New Ways to Have Fun
Family time has never looked quite like this before. Screens, apps, and gadgets have moved far beyond solo entertainment — they’re now tools for connection, creativity, and shared adventure. Whether your household is full of toddlers or teenagers, there’s a digital experience waiting to bring everyone to the same table....
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
FRUITLAB
IS A COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR THE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT ENJOY SMILING OR GAMING OR SMILING AND GAMING
Imagine a social platform built especially for gamers that enabled users to earn cryptocurrency from their content and from playing their favourite games. Now imagine being able to use that cryptocurrency to buy games and in-game upgrades, purchase NFTs of content from top Content creators or to compete against other...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
Antwerp City
Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries.
Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries. Now it is mobility shaping the future of the city, in the form of the Oosterweel works. For about two decades, the plans for the completion of the ring road...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GIGHOUND
Temp Labour for the 21st Century
In today’s fast-paced economy, employers are facing a major challenge: how to handle their changing day-to-day labour needs without over-hiring full-time staff. Finding, screening, and training new employees can be a costly and time-consuming process for companies. GigHound solves these problems by providing a flexible, reliable, and cost-effective solution that...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
DELIA ASSOCIATES
MAKING THE SHIFT FROM “HOPE AND PRAY” TO “PLAN AND DO.”
Where are today’s opportunities and possibilities for business success? And with all the information available and options to consider, how can you recognize them? Prioritize them? Evaluate them? Align them with your organization’s growth objectives? And a question that we hear with great frequency when making a marketing commitment: “What’s...
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® Kansas City
KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN TECH: THE LEGACY OF KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
In 2013, against the backdrop of a male-dominated tech landscape, Jennifer Wadalla, a passionate advocate for gender equality, founded Kansas City Women in Tech (KCWiT). Her vision was to create a supportive ecosystem that would empower women to thrive in the technology industry. Under Jennifer’s visionary leadership, KCWiT quickly became...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
UWE BRISTOL
WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE
Skills for economic and inclusive growth UWE Bristol is a large, diverse university with over 3,500 staff and 27,000 students, contributing over £400m to the West of England economy – equivalent to 1.3% of the region’s economic output. Every year more than 50% of the University’s graduates remain in the...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
FRESH CITY
CONNECTING TORONTONIANS WITH SUSTAINABLE FARMING & QUALITY FOOD
Fresh City is an award-winning urban farm and omnichannel retailer. With the recent addition of Mama Earth to our family of brands that includes Mabel’s Bakery and The Healthy Butcher, Fresh City is now the largest organic online retailer in Ontario. After a decade, the impact and belief in our...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DAUGHERTY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
WE PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO OUR CLIENTS, AN INCREDIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.
Ranked 5th in the nation by USA Today’s Top Workplaces USA, Daugherty Business Solutions is a leading advisory services and technology consulting firm. Founded by Ron and Jan Daugherty, the company currently employs over 1,500 consultants worldwide with a focus on AI, tech modernization, and business agility. For over 40...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
SENTRY EQUIPMENT
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER, SAFER WORLD
Building the foundation for a better, safer world. For the general public, words such as “innovative” and “dynamic” aren’t commonly used to describe the manufacturing industry. But in an industry criticized for being slow to change, Sentry Equipment—a century-old, Oconomowoc-based manufacturing powerhouse—has solidified its position as a proud outlier driving...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
Global Innovation Spotlight
REPAIRABLY
AS CERTIFICATION BODY
Repairably certification aims to bring repair into the practice of the 21 century. As a third-party independent certification body, we test and verify whether a product fulfills 10 basic rules of the Repairably Manifesto, as the methodology for repairability and product rebirth to enable circularity in business models.“ Alan Suchánek,...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY
Supports a robust innovation ecosystem for life sciences companies, patient access to their discoveries, and New Jersey as a leading life sciences hub
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY (HINJ): LEADING MEDICAL INNOVATION, ADVANCING GLOBAL HEALTH, DRIVING NEW JERSEY’S ECONOMY New Jersey is widely known as the “Medicine Chest of the World,” not only for its concentration of life sciences companies, but also for their historic commitment to innovation and improving global health. Founded...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
USCREEN
BUILDING A MORE CONNECTED CREATOR FUTURE THROUGH THE POWER OF MEMBERSHIPS
USCREEN IS AN ALL-IN-ONE MEMBERSHIP PLATFORM BUILT FOR VIDEO CREATORS. Uscreen started as a bootstrapped company in 2014 with just an idea to start streaming DVDs and quickly pivoted to helping their customers sell video on demand subscriptions. Early customers include Yoga with Adriene and Sarah Beth Yoga, two highly...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CHEFS WAREHOUSE
WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE
As businesses go, restaurants aren’t for the faint of heart. The hospitality industry is one of cutthroat competition. This industry demands discipline, dedication, constant innovation, passion, opportunity, and perseverance from restaurateurs, managers, kitchen staff, and front-of-house staff. Creating fine-dining cuisine is as much an art form as it is the science...
INNOVATE® Detroit
InvestNext
Fostering Growth and Potential
InvestNext is on a mission to transform how investment firms raise and manage real estate investment capital. Founded in 2016 by Michael Gisi, Kevin Heras, and Matthew Attou, this Detroit startup was conceived to revolutionize how the industry operates. What they’ve created democratizes real estate investing and empowers investors to...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
SEMETRON
INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE: MOBILE MODULAR HOSPITAL
The healthcare sector faces increasingly complex challenges — from the impacts of climate change and natural disasters to global pandemics and conflict-related crises. In these situations, timely access to quality medical care can be a matter of life and death. This is where Semetron steps in, an innovative leader from...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast
3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast To boost brand visibility fast, leverage custom apparel for instant recognition, harness storytelling to forge emotional connections, and expand reach through strategic partnerships. These innovative branding strategies bypass traditional advertising noise by creating authentic touchpoints that build trust. By implementing these tactics,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TRIDO ENERGY SERVICES
SUPPORTING THE ENERGY INDUSTRY TOWARDS A DECARBONIZED FUTURE
Trido Energy Services, a Centurion Group company is a renewable energy technology company focused on reducing methane emissions to help clients reach carbon-reduction targets and support the energy industry on its journey toward a decarbonized future. To date, Trido has supported more than 40 clients to reduce CO2e emissions by...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Aeroplicity
Simplifying Aerospace and Defense: The Aeroplicity Story
Aeroplicity has emerged as a transformative force in the aerospace and defense industry, with a mission to simplify and modernize supply chain and aftermarket operations. Leveraging cutting-edge aerospace-grade technologies, the company is reshaping how organizations manage data, compliance, and operational efficiency. At its core, Aeroplicity addresses the industry’s most pressing...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Technology and Family Leisure:
New Ways to Have Fun
Family time has never looked quite like this before. Screens, apps, and gadgets have moved far beyond solo entertainment — they’re now tools for connection, creativity, and shared adventure. Whether your household is full of toddlers or teenagers, there’s a digital experience waiting to bring everyone to the same table....
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
FRUITLAB
IS A COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR THE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT ENJOY SMILING OR GAMING OR SMILING AND GAMING
Imagine a social platform built especially for gamers that enabled users to earn cryptocurrency from their content and from playing their favourite games. Now imagine being able to use that cryptocurrency to buy games and in-game upgrades, purchase NFTs of content from top Content creators or to compete against other...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
Antwerp City
Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries.
Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries. Now it is mobility shaping the future of the city, in the form of the Oosterweel works. For about two decades, the plans for the completion of the ring road...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GIGHOUND
Temp Labour for the 21st Century
In today’s fast-paced economy, employers are facing a major challenge: how to handle their changing day-to-day labour needs without over-hiring full-time staff. Finding, screening, and training new employees can be a costly and time-consuming process for companies. GigHound solves these problems by providing a flexible, reliable, and cost-effective solution that...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
DELIA ASSOCIATES
MAKING THE SHIFT FROM “HOPE AND PRAY” TO “PLAN AND DO.”
Where are today’s opportunities and possibilities for business success? And with all the information available and options to consider, how can you recognize them? Prioritize them? Evaluate them? Align them with your organization’s growth objectives? And a question that we hear with great frequency when making a marketing commitment: “What’s...
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® Kansas City
KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN TECH: THE LEGACY OF KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
In 2013, against the backdrop of a male-dominated tech landscape, Jennifer Wadalla, a passionate advocate for gender equality, founded Kansas City Women in Tech (KCWiT). Her vision was to create a supportive ecosystem that would empower women to thrive in the technology industry. Under Jennifer’s visionary leadership, KCWiT quickly became...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
UWE BRISTOL
WORKFORCE FOR THE FUTURE
Skills for economic and inclusive growth UWE Bristol is a large, diverse university with over 3,500 staff and 27,000 students, contributing over £400m to the West of England economy – equivalent to 1.3% of the region’s economic output. Every year more than 50% of the University’s graduates remain in the...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
FRESH CITY
CONNECTING TORONTONIANS WITH SUSTAINABLE FARMING & QUALITY FOOD
Fresh City is an award-winning urban farm and omnichannel retailer. With the recent addition of Mama Earth to our family of brands that includes Mabel’s Bakery and The Healthy Butcher, Fresh City is now the largest organic online retailer in Ontario. After a decade, the impact and belief in our...