Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ South Africa
DAILY MAVERICK
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER
Innovation is the lifeblood of Daily Maverick – from its origins as a print magazine featuring long-form current affairs, to its current form as a digital news publisher with more than five million unique visitors every month. Founded by Editor-in-chief Branko Brkic and CEO Styli Charalambous in 2009, eagle-eyed...
INNOVATE® Maryland
Buzzy Rocket
Strategic marketing for startups shaping the future
Buzzy Rocket is a boutique startup marketing firm dedicated to helping early-stage and high-growth companies build awareness, engagement, and momentum through clear, credible storytelling and strategic execution. Founded in 2011, the firm partners with founders who are developing innovative solutions to real-world problems, positioning those companies so the audiences who...
Global Innovation Spotlight
What 3D Entertainment Can Teach Us About Digital Experience Design
Clear hierarchy, smart technical choices and real user control turn visual ambition into usable products.
A visually impressive digital product has only a few moments to establish that it is also easy to use. Detailed environments, animated characters, and cinematic transitions can attract attention, but they also introduce practical questions. Can users identify the controls? Does the interface respond quickly? Is essential information still readable...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
CODECOMBAT
How An EdTech Startup Is Reinventing Esports And Providing A Competitive Platform For Creative Coders
At the start of 2021 we launched the CodeCombat AI League. Built on the foundation of our annual CodeQuest competitive coding hackathon, this new and innovative esport was born. The CodeCombat AI League is the first of its kind, part AI battle simulator and part code engine for learning real...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Surgo Health
Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation
Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation Surgo Health, a behavioral AI company based in Washington, DC, is transforming the healthcare landscape with its innovative approach. The company is driven by a mission to empower the healthcare ecosystem with the deepest understanding of human behavior, utilizing proprietary...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
HAX
SOLVING HARD PROBLEMS WITH HARD TECH
SOSV’S HAX is the world’s most active early stage investor in hard tech – the difficult to build physical tech at the forefront of science and engineering in disciplines like robotics, material science, and chemistry. Many investors have shied away from hard tech, and the last 30 years of the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Sticker Builder
Unlocking the Next Frontier
“Mass customization made simple. Creative chaos made scalable.” In today’s experience-driven economy, personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the foundation of competitive advantage. Customers expect more than just products; they want creative control, self-expression, and seamless experiences. That’s where Sticker Builder by Antigro Designer, based in Kraków, Poland, comes in. This...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
Brand Estonia
Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower.
In just three decades, Estonia has built a thriving liberal democracy and the world’s most advanced digital society. Estonia gives the world in flux an example to follow. Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower. 100% digital. 0% bureaucracy. Known globally for e-governance and the e-Residency programme, Estonia also boasts the...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
CONELABS
ENGINEERING A SMARTER, SAFER FUTURE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
Critical infrastructure faces a dual crisis: a massive portfolio of aging structures is colliding with outdated inspection methods. The hands-on methods of ensuring structural safety are being stretched to their breaking point. This is a challenge that can no longer be met with more hands and bucket trucks, but with...
INNOVATE® Miami
RMG STAFFING
Understanding our client’s brand and vision
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO? We are a leading staffing and recruiting firm that have been laser focus to deliver the best talent for the Food and Beverage departments of the most luxurious and iconic brands in the hospitality industry (Hotels, Restaurants, Catering and Special Events) in the...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CALGARY TECH JOURNAL
WHERE INNOVATORS MEET
Launched in 2022, Calgary Tech Journal (CTJ) strives to provide the most complete coverage of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. CTJ builds and supports the local community, delivering the top tech and innovation stories and can’t miss links from around YYC, twice a week. Its articles and newsletters not only cover breaking...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thrive Health
Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone
Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
Holberton School
CHANGING THE FACE OF TECH IN PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico’s technology scene has been a prominent driver of economic growth over the last few years. The changes driven by the global pandemic have made it evident that we rely on technology for our everyday lives. These conditions are creating a higher-than-ever demand for tech skilled professionals. For Puerto...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATION Quebec
CANADA EXCELLENCE RESEARCH CHAIR IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND CITIES
We envision next-generation communities as zero-emission, livable, affordable, equitable and inclusive environments
Zero-emission communities require largescale electrification, retrofitting buildings, integrating renewable energy, developing sustainable mobility concepts, implementing green industry solutions, and transforming cities in a human-centered way. Furthermore, those next-generation communities should be affordable, mixed and inclusive, providing all essential services within walking distance. This also means easy access to green spaces,...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VIRGENT AI
Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered
As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:
How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform
Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
FreshJax
Thinking Bigger Than Salt And Pepper
Sizzle, smoke, and flames. Family, friends, and summer afternoons. Backyard barbeques are known for their music, drinks, and tasty food. When walking up to the FreshJax kitchen and distribution center in Jacksonville, FL, the sweet smell of cooking spices fills the air. FreshJax is changing the way people cook with...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
EDISON PARTNERS
EDISON PARTNERS-WE’RE AN INTEGRATED TEAM OF INVESTORS AND OPERATORS THAT LIVE AND BREATHE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY COMPANIES AT THE GROWTH STAGE. Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm that invests in high-growth, capital-efficient companies in the fintech, enterprise software and healthcare IT sectors. Over our 37-year...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PIPELINE ENTREPRENEURS
A MIDWEST MOVEMENT WITH GLOBAL REACH
Kansas City has long been a center of industry and grit. In recent years, it has also proven itself to be a center of innovation. Pipeline Entrepreneurs sits at the heart of that shift. Founded in 2007, the organization supports the Midwest’s most driven founders and proves that world-class companies...
INNOVATION Quebec
ALLIANCE MÉTAL QUÉBEC
EN MODE INNOVATION
Au Québec, le secteur de la fabrication métallique industrielle (FMI) est le plus important secteur manufacturier. Alliance Métal Québec (AMQ), compte plus de 100 entreprises spécialisées dans les structures complexes et composantes métalliques. Sa mission est de créer des synergies entre les entreprises afin de solutionner des problématiques communes. LE...
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® Washington DMV Edition
11th Street Bridge Park
Bridging Divides: Transforming Washington D.C.
Where the echoes of history and the pulse of modern life intersect in Washington, D.C., a groundbreaking project is taking shape: the 11th Street Bridge Park. Led by Scott Kratz, Senior Vice President of the non-profit organization Building Bridges Across The River and partnering with the District Department of Transportation,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
DAILY MAVERICK
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER
Innovation is the lifeblood of Daily Maverick – from its origins as a print magazine featuring long-form current affairs, to its current form as a digital news publisher with more than five million unique visitors every month. Founded by Editor-in-chief Branko Brkic and CEO Styli Charalambous in 2009, eagle-eyed...
INNOVATE® Maryland
Buzzy Rocket
Strategic marketing for startups shaping the future
Buzzy Rocket is a boutique startup marketing firm dedicated to helping early-stage and high-growth companies build awareness, engagement, and momentum through clear, credible storytelling and strategic execution. Founded in 2011, the firm partners with founders who are developing innovative solutions to real-world problems, positioning those companies so the audiences who...
Global Innovation Spotlight
What 3D Entertainment Can Teach Us About Digital Experience Design
Clear hierarchy, smart technical choices and real user control turn visual ambition into usable products.
A visually impressive digital product has only a few moments to establish that it is also easy to use. Detailed environments, animated characters, and cinematic transitions can attract attention, but they also introduce practical questions. Can users identify the controls? Does the interface respond quickly? Is essential information still readable...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
CODECOMBAT
How An EdTech Startup Is Reinventing Esports And Providing A Competitive Platform For Creative Coders
At the start of 2021 we launched the CodeCombat AI League. Built on the foundation of our annual CodeQuest competitive coding hackathon, this new and innovative esport was born. The CodeCombat AI League is the first of its kind, part AI battle simulator and part code engine for learning real...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Surgo Health
Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation
Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation Surgo Health, a behavioral AI company based in Washington, DC, is transforming the healthcare landscape with its innovative approach. The company is driven by a mission to empower the healthcare ecosystem with the deepest understanding of human behavior, utilizing proprietary...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
HAX
SOLVING HARD PROBLEMS WITH HARD TECH
SOSV’S HAX is the world’s most active early stage investor in hard tech – the difficult to build physical tech at the forefront of science and engineering in disciplines like robotics, material science, and chemistry. Many investors have shied away from hard tech, and the last 30 years of the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Sticker Builder
Unlocking the Next Frontier
“Mass customization made simple. Creative chaos made scalable.” In today’s experience-driven economy, personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the foundation of competitive advantage. Customers expect more than just products; they want creative control, self-expression, and seamless experiences. That’s where Sticker Builder by Antigro Designer, based in Kraków, Poland, comes in. This...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
Brand Estonia
Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower.
In just three decades, Estonia has built a thriving liberal democracy and the world’s most advanced digital society. Estonia gives the world in flux an example to follow. Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower. 100% digital. 0% bureaucracy. Known globally for e-governance and the e-Residency programme, Estonia also boasts the...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
CONELABS
ENGINEERING A SMARTER, SAFER FUTURE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
Critical infrastructure faces a dual crisis: a massive portfolio of aging structures is colliding with outdated inspection methods. The hands-on methods of ensuring structural safety are being stretched to their breaking point. This is a challenge that can no longer be met with more hands and bucket trucks, but with...
INNOVATE® Miami
RMG STAFFING
Understanding our client’s brand and vision
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO? We are a leading staffing and recruiting firm that have been laser focus to deliver the best talent for the Food and Beverage departments of the most luxurious and iconic brands in the hospitality industry (Hotels, Restaurants, Catering and Special Events) in the...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CALGARY TECH JOURNAL
WHERE INNOVATORS MEET
Launched in 2022, Calgary Tech Journal (CTJ) strives to provide the most complete coverage of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. CTJ builds and supports the local community, delivering the top tech and innovation stories and can’t miss links from around YYC, twice a week. Its articles and newsletters not only cover breaking...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thrive Health
Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone
Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
Holberton School
CHANGING THE FACE OF TECH IN PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico’s technology scene has been a prominent driver of economic growth over the last few years. The changes driven by the global pandemic have made it evident that we rely on technology for our everyday lives. These conditions are creating a higher-than-ever demand for tech skilled professionals. For Puerto...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATION Quebec
CANADA EXCELLENCE RESEARCH CHAIR IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND CITIES
We envision next-generation communities as zero-emission, livable, affordable, equitable and inclusive environments
Zero-emission communities require largescale electrification, retrofitting buildings, integrating renewable energy, developing sustainable mobility concepts, implementing green industry solutions, and transforming cities in a human-centered way. Furthermore, those next-generation communities should be affordable, mixed and inclusive, providing all essential services within walking distance. This also means easy access to green spaces,...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VIRGENT AI
Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered
As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:
How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform
Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
FreshJax
Thinking Bigger Than Salt And Pepper
Sizzle, smoke, and flames. Family, friends, and summer afternoons. Backyard barbeques are known for their music, drinks, and tasty food. When walking up to the FreshJax kitchen and distribution center in Jacksonville, FL, the sweet smell of cooking spices fills the air. FreshJax is changing the way people cook with...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
EDISON PARTNERS
EDISON PARTNERS-WE’RE AN INTEGRATED TEAM OF INVESTORS AND OPERATORS THAT LIVE AND BREATHE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY COMPANIES AT THE GROWTH STAGE. Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm that invests in high-growth, capital-efficient companies in the fintech, enterprise software and healthcare IT sectors. Over our 37-year...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PIPELINE ENTREPRENEURS
A MIDWEST MOVEMENT WITH GLOBAL REACH
Kansas City has long been a center of industry and grit. In recent years, it has also proven itself to be a center of innovation. Pipeline Entrepreneurs sits at the heart of that shift. Founded in 2007, the organization supports the Midwest’s most driven founders and proves that world-class companies...
INNOVATION Quebec
ALLIANCE MÉTAL QUÉBEC
EN MODE INNOVATION
Au Québec, le secteur de la fabrication métallique industrielle (FMI) est le plus important secteur manufacturier. Alliance Métal Québec (AMQ), compte plus de 100 entreprises spécialisées dans les structures complexes et composantes métalliques. Sa mission est de créer des synergies entre les entreprises afin de solutionner des problématiques communes. LE...
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® Washington DMV Edition
11th Street Bridge Park
Bridging Divides: Transforming Washington D.C.
Where the echoes of history and the pulse of modern life intersect in Washington, D.C., a groundbreaking project is taking shape: the 11th Street Bridge Park. Led by Scott Kratz, Senior Vice President of the non-profit organization Building Bridges Across The River and partnering with the District Department of Transportation,...