Stories of Innovation

Since 2020, Quebec has been a pioneer in innovative agricultural technologies and plant bioproducts thanks to the development of Zone Agtech, a localized innovation ecosystem near the city of Montreal in the MRC of L’Assomption. Its mission? It is to intensify the development of clean, efficient and viable innovative technologies...

In the 1990s, Howard Schultz built Starbucks into one of the world’s most iconic consumer businesses. In 1998, after taking Starbucks public, Dan Levitan and Howard founded Maveron. They recognized that digital technologies would integrate into people’s lives in unprecedented ways and that great teams attacking consumer-focused problems would require...

In Canada, it is common to see layers of support for life sciences companies up to and including the incubator stage, right before commercialization occurs. But support drops off drastically when companies are ready to commercialize and take their most significant risks and leaps. It takes capital and multiple fundraising...

With schools in Palatka, Interlachen, Crescent City, Melrose, and Florahome, Putnam County is dedicated to providing every student with opportunities to succeed. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math instruction are vitally important components in the formula for success.   North Central Florida is known for beautiful waterways, nature trails, and woodlands,...

Today, as Toronto strives to be a model of wellness and sustainability, the city looks to learn from Indigenous communities, combining many traditional practices with contemporary medicine, design and green technologies....

Livewire is a global gaming marketing and gametech company that leads major brands and agencies into the gaming ecosystem. We create bespoke gaming strategies based on proprietary research and knowledge that build authentic and culturally relevant brand positions within the gaming audience and deliver results that build brands fame and...

CYBER RESILIENCE What we care about: We are all connected. Technology is the current that runs through our businesses and global villages. Higher State Technology (HST) serves SMBs in a “Techno-city” where we can focus on what matters – taking care of employees and clients. Cyber Resilience is at the...

Edesa Biotech, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing latestage, research-validated assets. In 2020, the Markham-based company positioned itself on the frontline of the Covid-19 treatment race when one of its leading drug candidates showed great promise as a “rescue therapy” for hospitalized patients with a life-threatening form of...

WHC stands for Water, Hygiene, Convenience....

Grâce à ses liens avec les organisations issues de tous les maillons de la chaîne de valeur en sciences de la vie, BIOQuébec vous aide à explorer de nouvelles opportunités d’affaires et à entrer en relation avec les personnes-clés de l’écosystème québécois. Depuis 1991, l’association des biotechnologies et des sciences...

Hexagram est un regroupement stratégique interuniversitaire des Fonds de recherche du Québec dédié à la recherche-création abordant les relations entre les arts, les cultures et les technologies. Fondé en 2001, le réseau regroupe aujourd’hui 45 membres chercheurs et environ 200 membres étudiants issus de 8 institutions d’enseignement supérieur au Québec...

THE HISTORY OF THE HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKINGThe Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking was founded in 2017 with a $40 million donation from the Hunter Family Foundation, marking one of the largest donations in the University of Calgary’s history. The Hunter Hub’s purpose is to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout...

Grâce à un leadership de huit institutions universitaires québécoises, le Réseau SmartDigital-Green Innovation™ (SDGInnov), un premier au Canada, a été créé le 16 janvier 2019, dans l’optique de répondre à des besoins industriels nécessitant la collaboration interuniversitaire en recherche et développement (R&D), ainsi que la formation de personnel hautement qualifié...

For years, the founders of Buena Vibra asked themselves how to praise the Puerto Rican talent. They were always aware of all the potential that the island held, recognizing the fast evolution and future globalization of the latin music, star product of the island that gave them life. They had...

River Cleanup is a Belgium-based organization with one clear goal: making rivers plastic-free. The non-profit started with manual cleanup actions and evolved into a pioneer in the field of river protection, with mentions in Forbes, De Tijd, The Economist and many more. Their recently launched Clean River Model offers a...

Moving home is one of the most stressful events in anybody’s life. Compound that with experiencing major life milestones, such as having a baby, getting married, and completing a master’s degree all at the same time, and one has a living situation in urgent need of an update. Two friends,...

La genèse de SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE a été fondée en 2018 par le ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec à la suite d’une mobilisation et d’une réflexion conjointes des entreprises de la création numérique, des collèges, des universités, des milieux associatifs ainsi que de représentant·e·s du ministère de l’Économie...

Big problems don’t always require big solutions. Sometimes the best ideas are those that are the most subtle and nuanced. That’s exactly the approach that TryCycle Data Systems took when CEO John MacBeth of Ottawa, decided to tackle the huge problems associated with Mental Health and Substance Use disorders. Deconstructing...

A container village on Campus Drie Eiken, in which 30 volunteers took up residence to test polio vaccines, that was the setup for Poliopolis, a study at UAntwerpen conducted within a closed container village on campus, in 2017. To ensure proper follow-up, participants remained in quarantine for 28 days. The...

CleanSpark is a NASDAQ-listed, sustainable bitcoin mining and energy technology company headquartered in Henderson, Nevada. CleanSpark’s mission is to transform how bitcoin is mined by being the world’s most trusted and transparent bitcoin miner. They are leading the proof-of work mining industry with sustainable business practices. CleanSpark is addressing some...

The backbone of many new ventures is intellectual property – a swirl of ideas that can include inventions, branding, product designs, and a variety of intangibles that make an undertaking worth pursuing. Most ventures begin with curious minds asking questions, identifying a gap in a market, or challenging the status...

PRIMA Québec is the advanced materials research and innovation hub that supports and promotes the advanced materials ecosystem and acts as an engine of innovation and economic growth in Quebec.   It is a leading catalyst between the industrial and research communities. Acting as a sectoral industrial research group (SIRG),...

Coalition of Parents in Esports is a 501c3 nonprofit founded by parents of pro esports players and content creators who recognized a need of engaging parents in the growing esports industry so more kids are able to pursue their passions with the support they need....

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...