Stories of Innovation

Today, investors want something different from their money. They want performance, but now with a purpose. More than just low-risk financial returns, but also accountability and sustainability. Our goal is for our investors, team, and the greater community to feel connected to themselves, one another, and technology by making the...

Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...

Qu’on en commun des défis tels que les changements climatiques, la pénurie de main-d’œuvre, l’organisation en santé et l’incertitude économique ? Assurément le besoin de mieux comprendre les phénomènes, de prédire les tendances avec justesse, mais aussi de concevoir des modèles et systèmes plus efficaces et résilients, durables et sécuritaires,...

WE THRIVE ON COLLABORATION Public-private partnerships are how we do business. Our established clusters — Automotive, Production Technology/Heavy Machinery, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences, Business Services and Fintech — provide a solid foundation for a resilient economy. Our fastest-growing cluster, Life Sciences, increased by 33% over the past five years. We’re...

“Artificial intelligence (AI) has made its mark and has begun transforming every industry, government, and the lives of everyone on the planet,” states Ted Willich, NLP Logix Chief Executive. Ted is one of three founders of the company. He, along with Matt Berseth and Robert Marsh, started the company in...

Neurotechnology has spent years surrounded by ambitious predictions about the future of the human brain. Now, some of its strongest evidence is coming from simpler goals: researchers are helping stroke patients work on lost movement, giving people with ALS a way to communicate, and using EEG and VR to support...

Heart failure is a growing global health challenge caused by the heart muscle being unable to pump enough blood around the body to provide cells with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. More than 60 million people worldwide suffer from this progressive and incurable condition, resulting in poor quality of life, recurrent...

LE CENTRE D’ENSEIGNEMENT ET DE RECHERCHE EN FORESTERIE DE SAINTEFOY (CERFO) EST UN CENTRE COLLÉGIAL DE TRANSFERT TECHNOLOGIQUE (CCTT). Sa mission est de contribuer à la progression technologique et à l’essor des entreprises, des organismes et des maisons d’enseignement collégial associés au secteur forestier québécois, dans une perspective de développement...

Depuis sa fondation, le DigiHub est devenu un innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem and by enabling modèle, reconnu comme étant le 3e pôle du numérique au Québec, et de ce fait, un acteur de premier plan, qui a participé activement au tournant économique de la Ville de Shawinigan vers le numérique et...

“Interning at Illuminate helped me row both as an individual and professional by giving me a platform to test my leadership skills, and most importantly by providing me with an invaluable network of connections at my disposal. Believe it or not, but the most important lesson I took from my...

PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...

In 1988, DVIRC was founded to bolster Southeastern Pennsylvania’s industrial base, a home to more than 6,500 manufacturers. The region’s future as a critical manufacturing hub hinged on its ability to compete in an increasingly global economy. DVIRC was established to accelerate that competitiveness, pioneering the right-sizing of best practices...

The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) is a community of business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals committed to empowering individuals by helping them start and grow their businesses. As the largest community of Latino business owners across Illinois and the Midwest, they represent more than 100,000 businesses. Latinos in Illinois...

A WINNIPEG ENTREPRENEUR IS DEPLOYING A MOBILE BARGE-BASED REMEDIATION PLATFORM TO PULL PHOSPHORUS FROM EUTROPHIC LAKES — AND TURN POLLUTION INTO A PREMIUM AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT. Excess phosphorus in freshwater lakes is one of the most persistent and costly environmental challenges facing municipalities and water managers across Canada and around the...

THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF TECH TRANSFORMATION AMONG UTILITY COMPANIESThe role of utility companies has evolved profoundly over the past century. A hundred years ago, utilities delivered essential services like electricity, water, and wastewater to geographically dispersed populations, prioritizing reliability, safety, and affordability. At that time, utilities’ technological footprint was limited...

Julie Lilliston Communications Shapes the Future of PR. When Julie Lilliston founded Julie Lilliston Communications in 2014, she envisioned more than just another public relations firm. Drawing from more than two decades of corporate communications expertise at global agencies Weber Shandwick and MSL Group, she set out to revolutionize how...

Abarca was founded to deliver a better way in healthcare. For more than fifteen years, the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and technology company has been delivering on that promise for its health plan clients and their members through: A smarter platform: Abarca built DarwinTM, its healthcare technology platform, in-house from the...

Our company was established in 1986 during a difficult recession. Grit, determination, and an unwavering pursuit to reimagine what is possible, has gotten us to where we are today. Our ability to consider our role as a company, as leaders, and as a team in relation to the industries we...

Detroit’s entrepreneurial resurgence is being shaped by a powerful force: Endeavor. Since its establishment in the city in 2015, Endeavor Detroit has become a catalyst for scaling high-growth companies, selecting and supporting founders who have the potential to transform economies. More than just a business accelerator or an investment firm,...

For the past 15 years, Techstars has been running 3-month tech accelerators across the world. Names such as SendGrid, Digital Ocean, Latch, Classpass, Remitly and Kepler Aerospace are some of the 3000 alumni companies to have graduated from a Techstars program.   For 5 years Techstars has operated in Toronto....

Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP is a dynamic, multi-service law firm known in the business, financial and legal communities for its attorneys’ aggressive and creative problem-solving skills. Founded in 1975, the firm prides itself on prompt, insightful and business-focused legal solutions for clients ranging from entrepreneurs to large institutions. Klehr...

GoPursue is a revolutionary organization transforming the landscape of career exploration for K-12 students. This vibrant social impact company has carved a unique niche in the educational technology space, addressing critical gaps in workforce development and career preparedness. Founded by Kathryn Adabonyan, a former math teacher and career and technical...

Unionwear manufactures – from scratch—100% made in USA baseball hats, backpacks, messenger bags, portfolios, and binders, with 160 union sewers in Newark, NJ. Mitch Cahn founded Unionwear in 1992 with six sewers and a contract to make baseball hats for Ralph Lauren, and has evolved by buying legacy manufacturers of...

This is what we call Ron Artesano. This craft rum brand is hand-made in small batches in the mountains of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The founders are a solid team of professionals that handle the different aspects of the business: Commercial Operations & Business Development, Distillation, Production & Aging and Rum...