Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Nashville

Tyler York

Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same.

“Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same” – this was the vision of Founder and CEO Charlie Peterson when launching Tyler York Real Estate Brokers at the beginning of 2018. After a meteoric rise in Nashville real estate beginning in 2013, Charlie quickly...

Global Innovation Spotlight

20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years

20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years

The job market changes constantly. Industries evolve and employment demands shift with infrastructure developments and technology improvements. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is thrusting Artificial Intelligence (AI) across workplaces with far greater speed than the age of robotics ever did to manufacturing industries in the past. If we learned one thing...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

FOUNDER INSTITUTE

FOUNDER INSTITUTE-Since Its Inception In 2009

Since Its Inception In 2009, The Founder Institute Has Always Maintained One Guiding Principle; “There Are A Lot Of Big Problems In The World, And We Are Here To Help Founders Build Companies That Will Solve Them.”

OriginsFrom its Silicon Valley origins, Co-founders Adeo Ressi and Jonathan Greechan have built an unparalleled global network of over 5,000 Portfolio Companies, across 200 cities with the largest mentor network in the world of 21,000 Mentors, innovators, investors and ecosystem builders. With chapters on every continent except Antarctica and $30B...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

BOAST AI

Boast’s AI-powered platform maximizes R&D tax credits while accelerating access to funding

Boast’s AI-powered platform maximizes R&D tax credits while accelerating access to funding The good news for companies of all sizes: Each year, the Canadian and U.S. federal governments provide businesses with more than $20 billion in research and development (R&D) credits. The bad news: application processes are cumbersome, time-consuming, and...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Hazlnut

Hazlnut - The Company Helping To Bring New-Age Technology To The Small Businesses In Their Community

The Company Helping To Bring New-Age Technology To The Small Businesses In Their Community

Meet Hazlnut, the company helping to bring new-age technology to the small businesses in their community. Today, people expect to have access to restaurants and retail stores on the web. Hazlnut is an all-in-one integrated solution that helps companies develop relationships with their customers through beautifully designed websites and custom...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

7RIVERS

THE CONFLUENCE OF DATA AND STRATEGY

7Rivers is pioneering a path for businesses to navigate the uncharted waters of a new era of technology.With a keen focus on data modernization and artificial intelligence, 7Rivers is not just a technology services company but a leader for organizations ready to embark on a transformative journey, helping solve some...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

GRUPO GUAYACÁN-Building Local Entrepreneurship From The Ground Up

Very few people were talking about entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico when Grupo Guayacan, Inc. was born in 1996. Founded by Enrique “Ricky” Adsuar as a private sector mission-driven nonprofit organization, it has served entrepreneurs with a unique model that has coupled private equity investment with a series of programs to...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

bMEDIA

bMEDIA-LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY

LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY

bMedia was founded in 2009 with a clear vision in mind; to bring innovation to the outdoor media industry. Since its foundation, bMedia has revolutionized the island’s media industry by changing the outdoor media landscape and developing what is today one of Puerto Rico’s leading media companies, and one of...

Global Innovation Spotlight

HILCO CONSUMER - RETAIL

INNOVATING FOR THE RETAIL LIFECYCLE – FROM BEGINNING TO END AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

Can a business founded as a retail liquidation firm innovate to save retail? Hilco Consumer-Retail (HCR) is undoubtedly trying – and succeeding in BIG WAYS! Retail – and the consumer product businesses that feed them inventory – is among the most troubled sectors in the United States and worldwide. This...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

LAYLA CARE

DELIVERING PATIENT CENTRIC INNOVATION INTO MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Layla’s mission is to empower Canadians to take control of their mental health....

INNOVATE® Nashville

NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ADVANCING REGIONAL PROSPERITY THROUGH INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIP

ABOUT PARTNERSHIP 2030 The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partnership 2030 is the Nashville region’s public-private economic development initiative dedicated to Middle Tennessee’s long-term economic prosperity. The Partnership was formed in 1990 to maintain and grow the Nashville region’s economy by creating jobs through relocating and expanding businesses, attracting and...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

ENVISIONING LABS

PIONEERING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

In the face of climate change, the need for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Envisioning Labs, a Vancouver based deep tech firm, is at the forefront of this challenge, developing social and technological solutions that counter climate change and foster a carbon neutral future. Their focus on first principles-based,...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

BOEING AUSTRALIA

Fuelling The Future Of Aerospace

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic forced employers to reimagine the centralised workplace model, Boeing Australia seized an opportunity to establish a capability hub in Adelaide to support its growing defence business. When the Commonwealth of Australia announced the acquisition of the Boeing-built P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to be based...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

THE GIFT PLACE

THE TRUE VALUE OF A GIFT IS THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THE GIFTING

NOTE FROM FOUNDER A few years ago, I realized how strenuous it is for some to come up with or present a thoughtful gift for any occasion. The idea of The Gift Place grew from my passion to create a gift by simply sourcing various items from different outlets to...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

DCI MARKETING

CELEBRATING ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, DCI MARKETING FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES, MAJOR RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS.

As American forces crossed the English Channel to liberate France in June 1944, Milwaukee native Lloyd A. Sauer was thinking forward to a post-war era. Sauer purchased a small company called ColorPrint Products Printing and began producing window signage for shoe stores. But it was Cadillac and Harley-Davidson that propelled...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

AUVE TECH

DRIVING ESTONIA’S AUTONOMOUS FUTURE, ONE SHORT ROUTE AT A TIME

Cities are stitched together by infrastructure – roads, rails, sidewalks, and transit routes. Yet for many, that final stretch between a transit stop and the destination is the hardest to bridge. Often, commuters surrender to convenience, hailing a car instead and adding congestion and emissions to already-strained streets. Estonia’s Auve...

INNOVATE® Miami

Chargello

Chargello - Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Chargello makes portable phone charging kits, places them in restaurants and other venues, and uses this unique location to sell targeted ads. By doing this, they have built a highly focused new media channel while also solving the universal need for charging your phone away from home. “My phone was...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BRIDGES FOR MUSIC

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH CREATIVE EDUCATION AND MUSIC

Bridges for Music was launched as a dream of connecting the broader music industry with young creatives from underserved communities....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

METTĀ CREATIVE

GATHERING INTENTIONALLY IN THE PRESENT TO CO-CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

Born out of a desire for an alternative to unfulfilling college night-life, Mettā Creative has existed on the fringes of DMV culture since November 2016. Mettā, which means “loving-kindness” in Sanskrit, is a bonding agent, a glue between people, their community, and the public good. In the early days, Creative...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economics

TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp in the mid-1990s. It is committed to being an international center of excellence for fundamental and applied academic training, research, and service provision in transport economics, logistics, and regional economics. Its mission is to enhance transport and logistics...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DATASEERS

FOSTERING INNOVATION FOR A DATA AND TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN WORLD

Headquartered in Atlanta, DataSeers is an award-winning AIpowered compliance company offering comprehensive solutions for financial institutions. DataSeers provides a range of services, including Behavior-Based Monitoring, EDD Flows, Transaction Monitoring, Fraud Prevention and Detection, Case Management, FinCEN Direct E-Filings, 314a and 314b Handling, Sanctions Screening, PEP Adverse Media Screening, Real-time Monitoring,...

INNOVATE® Detroit

TECHTOWN DETROIT

Driving equitable economic development through entrepreneurship

“TechTown is foundational to the entrepreneurship community in and around Detroit and integral to Wayne State’s vision for innovation in the region,” said WSU President Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy. “In addition to elevating entrepreneurs in our community, TechTown’s community-based programs and services create enriching, impactful opportunities beyond the classroom for...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Willowglen Systems

The future of Scada technology, SentientQ transforming the future of Automation

Wayne Karpoff, CEO of Willowglen Systems, and his team of Scada rock stars are making innovative improvements to the rail transportation and energy industries. “We reimagined SCADA to meet the needs of the future. And it all started here in Alberta.” — Wayne Karpoff, CEO at Willowglen Systems. Innovation is...

Global Innovation Spotlight

South African Institute of Canada

Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home

When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Tyler York

Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same.

“Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same” – this was the vision of Founder and CEO Charlie Peterson when launching Tyler York Real Estate Brokers at the beginning of 2018. After a meteoric rise in Nashville real estate beginning in 2013, Charlie quickly...

Global Innovation Spotlight

20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years

20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years

The job market changes constantly. Industries evolve and employment demands shift with infrastructure developments and technology improvements. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is thrusting Artificial Intelligence (AI) across workplaces with far greater speed than the age of robotics ever did to manufacturing industries in the past. If we learned one thing...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

FOUNDER INSTITUTE

FOUNDER INSTITUTE-Since Its Inception In 2009

Since Its Inception In 2009, The Founder Institute Has Always Maintained One Guiding Principle; “There Are A Lot Of Big Problems In The World, And We Are Here To Help Founders Build Companies That Will Solve Them.”

OriginsFrom its Silicon Valley origins, Co-founders Adeo Ressi and Jonathan Greechan have built an unparalleled global network of over 5,000 Portfolio Companies, across 200 cities with the largest mentor network in the world of 21,000 Mentors, innovators, investors and ecosystem builders. With chapters on every continent except Antarctica and $30B...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

BOAST AI

Boast’s AI-powered platform maximizes R&D tax credits while accelerating access to funding

Boast’s AI-powered platform maximizes R&D tax credits while accelerating access to funding The good news for companies of all sizes: Each year, the Canadian and U.S. federal governments provide businesses with more than $20 billion in research and development (R&D) credits. The bad news: application processes are cumbersome, time-consuming, and...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Hazlnut

Hazlnut - The Company Helping To Bring New-Age Technology To The Small Businesses In Their Community

The Company Helping To Bring New-Age Technology To The Small Businesses In Their Community

Meet Hazlnut, the company helping to bring new-age technology to the small businesses in their community. Today, people expect to have access to restaurants and retail stores on the web. Hazlnut is an all-in-one integrated solution that helps companies develop relationships with their customers through beautifully designed websites and custom...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

7RIVERS

THE CONFLUENCE OF DATA AND STRATEGY

7Rivers is pioneering a path for businesses to navigate the uncharted waters of a new era of technology.With a keen focus on data modernization and artificial intelligence, 7Rivers is not just a technology services company but a leader for organizations ready to embark on a transformative journey, helping solve some...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

GRUPO GUAYACÁN-Building Local Entrepreneurship From The Ground Up

Very few people were talking about entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico when Grupo Guayacan, Inc. was born in 1996. Founded by Enrique “Ricky” Adsuar as a private sector mission-driven nonprofit organization, it has served entrepreneurs with a unique model that has coupled private equity investment with a series of programs to...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

bMEDIA

bMEDIA-LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY

LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY

bMedia was founded in 2009 with a clear vision in mind; to bring innovation to the outdoor media industry. Since its foundation, bMedia has revolutionized the island’s media industry by changing the outdoor media landscape and developing what is today one of Puerto Rico’s leading media companies, and one of...

Global Innovation Spotlight

HILCO CONSUMER - RETAIL

INNOVATING FOR THE RETAIL LIFECYCLE – FROM BEGINNING TO END AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

Can a business founded as a retail liquidation firm innovate to save retail? Hilco Consumer-Retail (HCR) is undoubtedly trying – and succeeding in BIG WAYS! Retail – and the consumer product businesses that feed them inventory – is among the most troubled sectors in the United States and worldwide. This...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

LAYLA CARE

DELIVERING PATIENT CENTRIC INNOVATION INTO MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Layla’s mission is to empower Canadians to take control of their mental health....

INNOVATE® Nashville

NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ADVANCING REGIONAL PROSPERITY THROUGH INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIP

ABOUT PARTNERSHIP 2030 The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partnership 2030 is the Nashville region’s public-private economic development initiative dedicated to Middle Tennessee’s long-term economic prosperity. The Partnership was formed in 1990 to maintain and grow the Nashville region’s economy by creating jobs through relocating and expanding businesses, attracting and...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

ENVISIONING LABS

PIONEERING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

In the face of climate change, the need for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Envisioning Labs, a Vancouver based deep tech firm, is at the forefront of this challenge, developing social and technological solutions that counter climate change and foster a carbon neutral future. Their focus on first principles-based,...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

BOEING AUSTRALIA

Fuelling The Future Of Aerospace

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic forced employers to reimagine the centralised workplace model, Boeing Australia seized an opportunity to establish a capability hub in Adelaide to support its growing defence business. When the Commonwealth of Australia announced the acquisition of the Boeing-built P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to be based...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

THE GIFT PLACE

THE TRUE VALUE OF A GIFT IS THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THE GIFTING

NOTE FROM FOUNDER A few years ago, I realized how strenuous it is for some to come up with or present a thoughtful gift for any occasion. The idea of The Gift Place grew from my passion to create a gift by simply sourcing various items from different outlets to...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

DCI MARKETING

CELEBRATING ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, DCI MARKETING FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES, MAJOR RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS.

As American forces crossed the English Channel to liberate France in June 1944, Milwaukee native Lloyd A. Sauer was thinking forward to a post-war era. Sauer purchased a small company called ColorPrint Products Printing and began producing window signage for shoe stores. But it was Cadillac and Harley-Davidson that propelled...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

AUVE TECH

DRIVING ESTONIA’S AUTONOMOUS FUTURE, ONE SHORT ROUTE AT A TIME

Cities are stitched together by infrastructure – roads, rails, sidewalks, and transit routes. Yet for many, that final stretch between a transit stop and the destination is the hardest to bridge. Often, commuters surrender to convenience, hailing a car instead and adding congestion and emissions to already-strained streets. Estonia’s Auve...

INNOVATE® Miami

Chargello

Chargello - Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Chargello makes portable phone charging kits, places them in restaurants and other venues, and uses this unique location to sell targeted ads. By doing this, they have built a highly focused new media channel while also solving the universal need for charging your phone away from home. “My phone was...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BRIDGES FOR MUSIC

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH CREATIVE EDUCATION AND MUSIC

Bridges for Music was launched as a dream of connecting the broader music industry with young creatives from underserved communities....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

METTĀ CREATIVE

GATHERING INTENTIONALLY IN THE PRESENT TO CO-CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

Born out of a desire for an alternative to unfulfilling college night-life, Mettā Creative has existed on the fringes of DMV culture since November 2016. Mettā, which means “loving-kindness” in Sanskrit, is a bonding agent, a glue between people, their community, and the public good. In the early days, Creative...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economics

TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp in the mid-1990s. It is committed to being an international center of excellence for fundamental and applied academic training, research, and service provision in transport economics, logistics, and regional economics. Its mission is to enhance transport and logistics...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DATASEERS

FOSTERING INNOVATION FOR A DATA AND TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN WORLD

Headquartered in Atlanta, DataSeers is an award-winning AIpowered compliance company offering comprehensive solutions for financial institutions. DataSeers provides a range of services, including Behavior-Based Monitoring, EDD Flows, Transaction Monitoring, Fraud Prevention and Detection, Case Management, FinCEN Direct E-Filings, 314a and 314b Handling, Sanctions Screening, PEP Adverse Media Screening, Real-time Monitoring,...

INNOVATE® Detroit

TECHTOWN DETROIT

Driving equitable economic development through entrepreneurship

“TechTown is foundational to the entrepreneurship community in and around Detroit and integral to Wayne State’s vision for innovation in the region,” said WSU President Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy. “In addition to elevating entrepreneurs in our community, TechTown’s community-based programs and services create enriching, impactful opportunities beyond the classroom for...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Willowglen Systems

The future of Scada technology, SentientQ transforming the future of Automation

Wayne Karpoff, CEO of Willowglen Systems, and his team of Scada rock stars are making innovative improvements to the rail transportation and energy industries. “We reimagined SCADA to meet the needs of the future. And it all started here in Alberta.” — Wayne Karpoff, CEO at Willowglen Systems. Innovation is...

Global Innovation Spotlight

South African Institute of Canada

Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home

When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...

Ecosystems