Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Alberta
RED DEER POLYTECHNIC
Creating Solutions for Industry
The Centres for Manufacturing and Energy Innovation collaborate with business and industry clients to help them reach their goals. “Every innovation starts with a challenge, but that challenge is not always coming up with a new idea. Sometimes the biggest challenge entrepreneurs face is overcoming barriers to accessing the technology...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE « RÉSEAU SDG INNOVATION™ NETWORK »
Under the leadership of eight Quebec academic institutions, the Smart-Digital-Green Innovation™ Network (SDG Innov), a first in Canada, was created on January 16, 2019, with a view to meeting industrial needs requiring inter-university collaboration in research and development (R&D), as well as the training of highly qualified personnel to accompany...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GOPURSUE
Empowering the Next Generation
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...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES
DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT
White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
TRANSNET PORT TERMINALS (TPT)
INNOVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S PORTS
INNOVATION IN THE PORT SECTOR Innovate to Compete Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), a division of Transnet SOC Ltd is responsible for the operations of 16 port terminals across seven of South Africa’s ports. More than 9,000 employees work diligently every day to ensure that containers, cars, bulk, and break-bulk cargo...
INNOVATE® Georgia
FASTTEK GLOBAL
LEADERSHIP SETS THE TONE
In 2003, Carey Pachla joined Fast Switch, Ltd.; essentially, a start-up at the time. Over 16 years, she built the division she started into a best-in-class and purpose-driven organization with hundreds of team members servicing multiple organizations, which range in size from Fortune Top 10 to mid-size and start-up organizations....
INNOVATE™ Montréal
AIR CANADA
AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS BURGEONING TECHNOLOGY
Air Canada has made it clear that the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) will play a key part of the airline’s future, and it has already established several initiatives within various branches that will have long-term benefits. In the current climate brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CPA
CCTT EN PRODUCTION AUTOMATISÉE
Depuis 1984, le Centre de production automatisée (CPA) du Cégep de Jonquière collabore étroitement avec environ 200 organisations annuellement tant à l’échelle locale qu’internationale. Le CPA a élargi sa mission en obtenant du CRSNG son Centre en technologies des énergies renouvelables et du rendement énergétique (Centre TERRE). Les projets sont...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Denmark Technical College
Reimagining the Rural College Landscape
Since 1947, Denmark Technical College has been a lifeline for education and economic mobility in South Carolina’s rural corridor. Established as a training center for African American veterans returning from World War II, Denmark Tech has grown into a proud HBCU with a legacy of service, resilience and transformation. For...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RETAIL CAPITAL
TURNING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT INTO A FUNDING LIFELINE
Retail Capital was born in 2011 as an idea on a white napkin. Those drawings became the framework of what ended up being the first Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) product for businesses in South Africa. Driven by a deep passion to support the SME sector, Retail Capital has since innovated...
INNOVATION Quebec
CQRDA
About the CQRDAAmong the first organizations in Quebec to promote and encourage the transformation of Quebec’s green aluminium, the CQRDA is the intermediary between public research centers and aluminium producers and transformers. With funding from the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie (MEIE), the CQRDA provides financial assistance,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026 Somewhere right now, a founder is about to spend $120,000 building an MVP that could have been shipped for $25,000. Not because the cheaper version would be worse. Because the founder picked the wrong tech stack for...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NIKO PARTNERS
COMPANIES NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MARKETS IN WHICH THEY COMPETE
When consumers and students think of the video game industry and esports, they think of the excitement and entertainment of it all – but rarely about the data that guides the strategy of a business and of the game development plan. A market research firm provides the data that helps...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
REX K-12-FROM VISION TO IMPACT
FROM VISION TO IMPACT
Rex K-12 is at the forefront of a transformative wave redefining the educational landscape in Milwaukee – and beyond. It is a company preparing the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital world. This story isn’t just about innovation; it’s a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and the...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BIGGINS LACEY SHAPIRO & CO
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMPANIES AND THEIR SITE SELECTION NEEDS THROUGH LOCATION ECONOMICS®
OUR STORYBiggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) is one of the largest independent firms in the specialty fields of site selection and economic development incentives advisory services. Our principals have been delivering our mix of services for more than twenty-five years and arehighly respected leaders in their field....
INNOVATE® South Florida
MODERN TRIALS®
DEMOCRATIZES ACCESS TO ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS FOR PATIENTS IN NEED
What does Modern Trials actually do? Modern Trials provides access to cutting-edge treatments to patients by matching them with appropriate clinical trial opportunities. What do patients have to do? Nothing, that’s the beauty of the Modern Trials process; Modern Trials identifies the patients most likely to benefit from the investigational...
INNOVATE® Georgia
7FACTOR
BUILDING GOOD THINGS RIGHT, THE FIRST TIME, TAKES THOUGHTFUL INTENTION.
7Factor Software was founded on human-centric principles held fiercely true at every step in their work to design, develop, deploy, and maintain well-engineered software solutions for tech-forward enterprises and ambitious start-ups with great ideas and a commitment to quality. They tackle their clients’ most unique problems, empowering them to seize...
INNOVATION Quebec
NEXT AI
FOR ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING TO SOLVE GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH AI-ENABLED SOLUTIONS
Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Founders can be part of the ecosystem from anywhere in Canada, following the program remotely or in-person from the Toronto or Montreal sites. Taking advantage of a renowned network of AI and business experts, Next AI...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THORNHILL MEDICAL
PUTS TOMORROW’S LIFE-SAVING CAPABILITY IN YOUR HANDS — TODAY
Thornhill Medical is a leading developer of innovative mobile medical technologies. Thornhill Medical’s ground-breaking solutions are produced to be used around the world by emergency health care providers, military medical teams and disaster relief responders. Renowned Canadian research scientist and physician, Dr. Joseph Fisher, has spent his career achieving...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
WEAR-TECH
INNOVATING SAFETY
WEAR-TECH – DETECT – PREDICT – PROTECT™ “Our homegrown AI companion, MAHI™, is aware of its users’ environment and alerts the wearer and the caregivers if a vulnerable loved one inadvertently heads towards a hazard.” A profound loss propelled an innovator in Hartland, WI, to create predictive safety technologies for...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
TEMBICI
INNOVATIVE BIKE SHARING SYSTEM REVOLUTIONIZES THE CITY’S MOBILITY
Tembici is the leading company in micromobility technology in Latin America, responsible for over 250 million bike journeys. Recognized as one of Brazil’s most promising and innovative startups, the company has, in recent years, contributed to a potential saving of 46,000 tons of CO2. In 2022, the company conducted the...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GENLOGS
THEY USED TO TRACK TERRORISTS… NOW THEY TRACK TRUCKS
Like many on September 11th 2001, Ryan Joyce stared in disbelief at the television screens as he watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center in New York City. But it was the next image on the screen that made his heart sink further: the gaping hole and ensuing...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
STARTUP DAY
A COMMUNITY-POWERED FESTIVAL FOR BOLD INNOVATORS
sTARTUp Has ‘Tartu’ in its name – and that’s no coincidence. sTARTUp Day, Northern Europe’s most startup-minded business festival, is a unique event that thrives on the power of its community. Born from a shared vision in a sauna in 2015, it has evolved into a world-class gathering in Tartu,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Proven Ways to Master Golf Indoors Effortlessly
3 Proven Ways to Master Golf Indoors Effortlessly To master golf indoors effortlessly, players are leveraging a trifecta of technologies: advanced launch monitors for precision data, realistic hitting surfaces for injury prevention, and immersive projection ecosystems for course simulation. These innovations allow golfers to build consistent swing mechanics and lower...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
RED DEER POLYTECHNIC
Creating Solutions for Industry
The Centres for Manufacturing and Energy Innovation collaborate with business and industry clients to help them reach their goals. “Every innovation starts with a challenge, but that challenge is not always coming up with a new idea. Sometimes the biggest challenge entrepreneurs face is overcoming barriers to accessing the technology...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE « RÉSEAU SDG INNOVATION™ NETWORK »
Under the leadership of eight Quebec academic institutions, the Smart-Digital-Green Innovation™ Network (SDG Innov), a first in Canada, was created on January 16, 2019, with a view to meeting industrial needs requiring inter-university collaboration in research and development (R&D), as well as the training of highly qualified personnel to accompany...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GOPURSUE
Empowering the Next Generation
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...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES
DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT
White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
TRANSNET PORT TERMINALS (TPT)
INNOVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S PORTS
INNOVATION IN THE PORT SECTOR Innovate to Compete Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), a division of Transnet SOC Ltd is responsible for the operations of 16 port terminals across seven of South Africa’s ports. More than 9,000 employees work diligently every day to ensure that containers, cars, bulk, and break-bulk cargo...
INNOVATE® Georgia
FASTTEK GLOBAL
LEADERSHIP SETS THE TONE
In 2003, Carey Pachla joined Fast Switch, Ltd.; essentially, a start-up at the time. Over 16 years, she built the division she started into a best-in-class and purpose-driven organization with hundreds of team members servicing multiple organizations, which range in size from Fortune Top 10 to mid-size and start-up organizations....
INNOVATE™ Montréal
AIR CANADA
AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS BURGEONING TECHNOLOGY
Air Canada has made it clear that the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) will play a key part of the airline’s future, and it has already established several initiatives within various branches that will have long-term benefits. In the current climate brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CPA
CCTT EN PRODUCTION AUTOMATISÉE
Depuis 1984, le Centre de production automatisée (CPA) du Cégep de Jonquière collabore étroitement avec environ 200 organisations annuellement tant à l’échelle locale qu’internationale. Le CPA a élargi sa mission en obtenant du CRSNG son Centre en technologies des énergies renouvelables et du rendement énergétique (Centre TERRE). Les projets sont...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Denmark Technical College
Reimagining the Rural College Landscape
Since 1947, Denmark Technical College has been a lifeline for education and economic mobility in South Carolina’s rural corridor. Established as a training center for African American veterans returning from World War II, Denmark Tech has grown into a proud HBCU with a legacy of service, resilience and transformation. For...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RETAIL CAPITAL
TURNING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT INTO A FUNDING LIFELINE
Retail Capital was born in 2011 as an idea on a white napkin. Those drawings became the framework of what ended up being the first Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) product for businesses in South Africa. Driven by a deep passion to support the SME sector, Retail Capital has since innovated...
INNOVATION Quebec
CQRDA
About the CQRDAAmong the first organizations in Quebec to promote and encourage the transformation of Quebec’s green aluminium, the CQRDA is the intermediary between public research centers and aluminium producers and transformers. With funding from the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie (MEIE), the CQRDA provides financial assistance,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026 Somewhere right now, a founder is about to spend $120,000 building an MVP that could have been shipped for $25,000. Not because the cheaper version would be worse. Because the founder picked the wrong tech stack for...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NIKO PARTNERS
COMPANIES NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MARKETS IN WHICH THEY COMPETE
When consumers and students think of the video game industry and esports, they think of the excitement and entertainment of it all – but rarely about the data that guides the strategy of a business and of the game development plan. A market research firm provides the data that helps...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
REX K-12-FROM VISION TO IMPACT
FROM VISION TO IMPACT
Rex K-12 is at the forefront of a transformative wave redefining the educational landscape in Milwaukee – and beyond. It is a company preparing the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital world. This story isn’t just about innovation; it’s a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and the...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BIGGINS LACEY SHAPIRO & CO
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMPANIES AND THEIR SITE SELECTION NEEDS THROUGH LOCATION ECONOMICS®
OUR STORYBiggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) is one of the largest independent firms in the specialty fields of site selection and economic development incentives advisory services. Our principals have been delivering our mix of services for more than twenty-five years and arehighly respected leaders in their field....
INNOVATE® South Florida
MODERN TRIALS®
DEMOCRATIZES ACCESS TO ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS FOR PATIENTS IN NEED
What does Modern Trials actually do? Modern Trials provides access to cutting-edge treatments to patients by matching them with appropriate clinical trial opportunities. What do patients have to do? Nothing, that’s the beauty of the Modern Trials process; Modern Trials identifies the patients most likely to benefit from the investigational...
INNOVATE® Georgia
7FACTOR
BUILDING GOOD THINGS RIGHT, THE FIRST TIME, TAKES THOUGHTFUL INTENTION.
7Factor Software was founded on human-centric principles held fiercely true at every step in their work to design, develop, deploy, and maintain well-engineered software solutions for tech-forward enterprises and ambitious start-ups with great ideas and a commitment to quality. They tackle their clients’ most unique problems, empowering them to seize...
INNOVATION Quebec
NEXT AI
FOR ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING TO SOLVE GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH AI-ENABLED SOLUTIONS
Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Founders can be part of the ecosystem from anywhere in Canada, following the program remotely or in-person from the Toronto or Montreal sites. Taking advantage of a renowned network of AI and business experts, Next AI...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THORNHILL MEDICAL
PUTS TOMORROW’S LIFE-SAVING CAPABILITY IN YOUR HANDS — TODAY
Thornhill Medical is a leading developer of innovative mobile medical technologies. Thornhill Medical’s ground-breaking solutions are produced to be used around the world by emergency health care providers, military medical teams and disaster relief responders. Renowned Canadian research scientist and physician, Dr. Joseph Fisher, has spent his career achieving...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
WEAR-TECH
INNOVATING SAFETY
WEAR-TECH – DETECT – PREDICT – PROTECT™ “Our homegrown AI companion, MAHI™, is aware of its users’ environment and alerts the wearer and the caregivers if a vulnerable loved one inadvertently heads towards a hazard.” A profound loss propelled an innovator in Hartland, WI, to create predictive safety technologies for...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
TEMBICI
INNOVATIVE BIKE SHARING SYSTEM REVOLUTIONIZES THE CITY’S MOBILITY
Tembici is the leading company in micromobility technology in Latin America, responsible for over 250 million bike journeys. Recognized as one of Brazil’s most promising and innovative startups, the company has, in recent years, contributed to a potential saving of 46,000 tons of CO2. In 2022, the company conducted the...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GENLOGS
THEY USED TO TRACK TERRORISTS… NOW THEY TRACK TRUCKS
Like many on September 11th 2001, Ryan Joyce stared in disbelief at the television screens as he watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center in New York City. But it was the next image on the screen that made his heart sink further: the gaping hole and ensuing...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
STARTUP DAY
A COMMUNITY-POWERED FESTIVAL FOR BOLD INNOVATORS
sTARTUp Has ‘Tartu’ in its name – and that’s no coincidence. sTARTUp Day, Northern Europe’s most startup-minded business festival, is a unique event that thrives on the power of its community. Born from a shared vision in a sauna in 2015, it has evolved into a world-class gathering in Tartu,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Proven Ways to Master Golf Indoors Effortlessly
3 Proven Ways to Master Golf Indoors Effortlessly To master golf indoors effortlessly, players are leveraging a trifecta of technologies: advanced launch monitors for precision data, realistic hitting surfaces for injury prevention, and immersive projection ecosystems for course simulation. These innovations allow golfers to build consistent swing mechanics and lower...