Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Toronto
MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY
Closing The Canadian Investment Gap
Currently amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are witnessing unprecedented technological change triggered by a multitude of disruptive forces. These changes have shaken Canada’s business ecosystem, causing new players to rise and existing leaders to fall. Consequently, incumbents are faced with a harsh reality where constant innovation and technological...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
TECHNOPOLIS
EVERYTHING STARTS WITH WOW
Meet the new Technopolis. Bold, never afraid to reinvent itself and ready to blow everyone’s mind away. Everything starts with WOW is not just a tagline, it’s a promise to face the challenges of the future together. Not by waiting for the next Einstein, Marie Curie or Stephen Hawking to...
CERMA
at the heart of collaborative research
The Research Centre on Advanced Materials of Université Laval (CERMA) in Quebec City is dedicated to fundamental and applied studies aiming at developing materials that can benefit Quebec society. Reproduction of the upper part of a pig femur by 3D printing (right: real bone; left: printed model; center: 3D representation...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Driven
Ending legal debt traps with smart payments
In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
PLAYMAKER RECRUITING
Is here to level the playing field for student athletes and coaches, providing more access to opportunities and resources
Playmaker Recruiting was born from the broken system that is college athlete recruiting, with the mission to help students and coaches navigate the complicated recruiting process, and provide greater access to opportunities at the next level. Having seen friends and family go through the college recruiting process, it was apparent...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
IMPRESA
Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence
IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime. Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
ALERT LABS
SIMPLE BY DESIGN: HOW ALERT LABS MAKES WATER MANAGEMENT SMARTER
From the very beginning, Alert Labs set out to make things easier. Whether for building managers, property owners, or their own team, the goal was always to create solutions that customers would love to use and a company that people wanted to be part of. Alert Labs was founded in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Nashville Entrepreneur Center
Where Bold Ideas Become Businesses
If you’re serious about building a startup in Nashville, meet your secret weapon: the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Founded in 2010, EC is a nonprofit built by business leaders to be—literally—Nashville’s “home to entrepreneurship.” What sets it apart? It’s not just talk: EC has helped over 14,000 entrepreneurs, including more...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
The Napkin Network
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO HELP MOMS IN NEED
Headquartered in DC, the social network of moms spans all 50 states with the help of Lindsay’s specialization in social media, strategic communications, fundraising, and the natural inclination for moms to help other moms in need. Unfortunately, children are expensive and not everyone is in the same position to provide...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP
Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economi
TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp mid 1990’s. It is committed to be an international centre 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 for...
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™ South Africa
4C GROUP OF COMPANIES
ENABLING MILLIONS OF MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS TO CONNECT, ENGAGE AND TRANSACT EVERY DAY
In 1993, the first GSM Networks were installed in Africa opening the door to exciting new business opportunities in the telecommunications sector. 4C Group’s journey began a decade later when our pioneering founder, Rudolph Du Plessis, combined his extensive on the ground experience in information technology with a desire to...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
CHANGED
ON A MISSION TO MAKE STUDENT LOAN DEBT REPAYMENT EFFECTIVE AND PAIN FREE THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT OF EVERYDAY DECISIONS
WHAT WE DO ChangEd is an all-in-one debt management platform helping people build a better relationship with debt so they can reach their financial dreams sooner. ChangEd allows people with debt to link all their loans and spending accounts on one platform. We then analyze their debt load and develop...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE DE GÉOMATIQUE DU QUÉBEC (CGQ)
CCTT IN GEOMATICS
The Centre de géomatique du Québec (CGQ) is a college centre for the transfer of technology (CCTT) affiliated with the Cégep de Chicoutimi. Our centre is part of Tech-Access Canada’s network of technology access centres (TACs). Our mission is to promote the development of businesses and organizations through innovation, research...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Northeastern’s campus in Arlington, Virginia launched in 2023, joining a growing global university system, now totaling 13 campuses in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Each Northeastern location offers varying combinations of undergraduate, graduate, and professional learning; use inspired research; and entrepreneurship—all aligned with the talent and innovation needs of...
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...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
PROVIDENT BANK
Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee and Customer Experience
Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
COHO COLLECTIVE KITCHENS
THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURS COHO IS REDEFINING THE SPACE-AS-A-SERVICE INDUSTRY AND THE FUTURE OF CULINARY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The shared kitchen industry, also known as commissaries, is a rapidly growing sector that is changing how people think about food and culinary entrepreneurship. When starting or scaling a business, food and beverage based entrepreneurs face significant challenges and risks and require significant investment in space, equipment, and overhead costs....
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
MEDPLUS SOLUTIONS
INNOVATING TO PROVIDE SIMPLER, BETTER CARE THAT IMPROVES THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
It’s no secret that healthcare has become excessively complex for both providers and patients. Medplus Solutions builds innovative service programs that deliver a simpler, better experience for patients and superior outcomes for facilities, employers, and payors. Medplus Solutions’ purpose is to provoke changes in the healthcare system by innovating in...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ACP
PARANÁ COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1890, the Associação Comercial do Paraná – ACP meets the needs of its members with ethics, competence and speed through institutional representation and provision of services. The entity offers, in partnership with Boa Vista Equifax, intelligent solutions for small, medium and large companies, from all sectors, working in...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
FLOW TRAVEL
A BOUTIQUE OFFERING OUT OF AFRICA THAT’S GOING PLACES
When Tara Turkington, CEO of marketing agency Flow Communications, was asked to arrange a visit for a few people to South Africa, nobody realised it was the genesis of something remarkable. Flow Travel organises exciting, immersive trips for small groups to wherever our guests lead us. We like to do...
INNOVATION Quebec
Le CMQ
Le Centre de métallurgie du Québec est un centre collégial de transfert technologique (CCTT) rattaché au Cégep de Trois-Rivières. Créé en 1985, le CMQ vise à « Soutenir la compétitivité de l’industrie métallurgique par la recherche et le développement technologique dans une approche collaborative de partenaires privés et publics tout en supportant l’enseignement technique au collégial et le transfert de connaissances en entreprise
L’équipe composée de 60 personnes, incluant 10 à 15 étudiants collégiaux et universitaires par année, met l’accent sur la recherche appliquée et le transfert technologique pour soutenir l’effort de croissance et de positionnement stratégique des entreprises ayant des activités reliées à la transformation métallique. En plus d’assurer des formations de...
INNOVATION Quebec
INSTITUT DU NOUVEAU MONDE (INM)
FOR 20 YEARS, THE INSTITUT DU NOUVEAU MONDE (INM), AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION, HAS PLACED CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT THE CORE OF ITS PROJECTS AND THOSE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT SUPPORTS. INM is driven by the conviction that this endeavor strengthens democracy and helps organizations make better decisions for the...
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™ Toronto
MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY
Closing The Canadian Investment Gap
Currently amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are witnessing unprecedented technological change triggered by a multitude of disruptive forces. These changes have shaken Canada’s business ecosystem, causing new players to rise and existing leaders to fall. Consequently, incumbents are faced with a harsh reality where constant innovation and technological...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
TECHNOPOLIS
EVERYTHING STARTS WITH WOW
Meet the new Technopolis. Bold, never afraid to reinvent itself and ready to blow everyone’s mind away. Everything starts with WOW is not just a tagline, it’s a promise to face the challenges of the future together. Not by waiting for the next Einstein, Marie Curie or Stephen Hawking to...
CERMA
at the heart of collaborative research
The Research Centre on Advanced Materials of Université Laval (CERMA) in Quebec City is dedicated to fundamental and applied studies aiming at developing materials that can benefit Quebec society. Reproduction of the upper part of a pig femur by 3D printing (right: real bone; left: printed model; center: 3D representation...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Driven
Ending legal debt traps with smart payments
In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
PLAYMAKER RECRUITING
Is here to level the playing field for student athletes and coaches, providing more access to opportunities and resources
Playmaker Recruiting was born from the broken system that is college athlete recruiting, with the mission to help students and coaches navigate the complicated recruiting process, and provide greater access to opportunities at the next level. Having seen friends and family go through the college recruiting process, it was apparent...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
IMPRESA
Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence
IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime. Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
ALERT LABS
SIMPLE BY DESIGN: HOW ALERT LABS MAKES WATER MANAGEMENT SMARTER
From the very beginning, Alert Labs set out to make things easier. Whether for building managers, property owners, or their own team, the goal was always to create solutions that customers would love to use and a company that people wanted to be part of. Alert Labs was founded in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Nashville Entrepreneur Center
Where Bold Ideas Become Businesses
If you’re serious about building a startup in Nashville, meet your secret weapon: the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Founded in 2010, EC is a nonprofit built by business leaders to be—literally—Nashville’s “home to entrepreneurship.” What sets it apart? It’s not just talk: EC has helped over 14,000 entrepreneurs, including more...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
The Napkin Network
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO HELP MOMS IN NEED
Headquartered in DC, the social network of moms spans all 50 states with the help of Lindsay’s specialization in social media, strategic communications, fundraising, and the natural inclination for moms to help other moms in need. Unfortunately, children are expensive and not everyone is in the same position to provide...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP
Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economi
TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp mid 1990’s. It is committed to be an international centre 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 for...
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™ South Africa
4C GROUP OF COMPANIES
ENABLING MILLIONS OF MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS TO CONNECT, ENGAGE AND TRANSACT EVERY DAY
In 1993, the first GSM Networks were installed in Africa opening the door to exciting new business opportunities in the telecommunications sector. 4C Group’s journey began a decade later when our pioneering founder, Rudolph Du Plessis, combined his extensive on the ground experience in information technology with a desire to...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
CHANGED
ON A MISSION TO MAKE STUDENT LOAN DEBT REPAYMENT EFFECTIVE AND PAIN FREE THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT OF EVERYDAY DECISIONS
WHAT WE DO ChangEd is an all-in-one debt management platform helping people build a better relationship with debt so they can reach their financial dreams sooner. ChangEd allows people with debt to link all their loans and spending accounts on one platform. We then analyze their debt load and develop...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE DE GÉOMATIQUE DU QUÉBEC (CGQ)
CCTT IN GEOMATICS
The Centre de géomatique du Québec (CGQ) is a college centre for the transfer of technology (CCTT) affiliated with the Cégep de Chicoutimi. Our centre is part of Tech-Access Canada’s network of technology access centres (TACs). Our mission is to promote the development of businesses and organizations through innovation, research...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Northeastern’s campus in Arlington, Virginia launched in 2023, joining a growing global university system, now totaling 13 campuses in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Each Northeastern location offers varying combinations of undergraduate, graduate, and professional learning; use inspired research; and entrepreneurship—all aligned with the talent and innovation needs of...
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...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
PROVIDENT BANK
Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee and Customer Experience
Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
COHO COLLECTIVE KITCHENS
THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURS COHO IS REDEFINING THE SPACE-AS-A-SERVICE INDUSTRY AND THE FUTURE OF CULINARY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The shared kitchen industry, also known as commissaries, is a rapidly growing sector that is changing how people think about food and culinary entrepreneurship. When starting or scaling a business, food and beverage based entrepreneurs face significant challenges and risks and require significant investment in space, equipment, and overhead costs....
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
MEDPLUS SOLUTIONS
INNOVATING TO PROVIDE SIMPLER, BETTER CARE THAT IMPROVES THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
It’s no secret that healthcare has become excessively complex for both providers and patients. Medplus Solutions builds innovative service programs that deliver a simpler, better experience for patients and superior outcomes for facilities, employers, and payors. Medplus Solutions’ purpose is to provoke changes in the healthcare system by innovating in...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ACP
PARANÁ COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1890, the Associação Comercial do Paraná – ACP meets the needs of its members with ethics, competence and speed through institutional representation and provision of services. The entity offers, in partnership with Boa Vista Equifax, intelligent solutions for small, medium and large companies, from all sectors, working in...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
FLOW TRAVEL
A BOUTIQUE OFFERING OUT OF AFRICA THAT’S GOING PLACES
When Tara Turkington, CEO of marketing agency Flow Communications, was asked to arrange a visit for a few people to South Africa, nobody realised it was the genesis of something remarkable. Flow Travel organises exciting, immersive trips for small groups to wherever our guests lead us. We like to do...
INNOVATION Quebec
Le CMQ
Le Centre de métallurgie du Québec est un centre collégial de transfert technologique (CCTT) rattaché au Cégep de Trois-Rivières. Créé en 1985, le CMQ vise à « Soutenir la compétitivité de l’industrie métallurgique par la recherche et le développement technologique dans une approche collaborative de partenaires privés et publics tout en supportant l’enseignement technique au collégial et le transfert de connaissances en entreprise
L’équipe composée de 60 personnes, incluant 10 à 15 étudiants collégiaux et universitaires par année, met l’accent sur la recherche appliquée et le transfert technologique pour soutenir l’effort de croissance et de positionnement stratégique des entreprises ayant des activités reliées à la transformation métallique. En plus d’assurer des formations de...
INNOVATION Quebec
INSTITUT DU NOUVEAU MONDE (INM)
FOR 20 YEARS, THE INSTITUT DU NOUVEAU MONDE (INM), AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION, HAS PLACED CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT THE CORE OF ITS PROJECTS AND THOSE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT SUPPORTS. INM is driven by the conviction that this endeavor strengthens democracy and helps organizations make better decisions for the...
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...