Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
STARTUP PEOPLE
WIDENING THE GATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOUNDERS
When Stockholm’s startup scene began to thrive in the early 2010s, it was known for producing unicorns – but also for its fragmentation. Founders often worked in isolation, disconnected from the support, partners, and investors that could help them endure the long, difficult middle miles between idea and success. SUP...
INNOVATE® Georgia
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA (UNG)
UNG STEPS INTO ITS BRIGHT FUTURE
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is uniquely positioned to help shape the future of higher education thanks to its willingness to think outside the box in crafting experiences that will prepare students to serve as leaders in an ever-changing world. UNG does this in three specific ways: Seeing its...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
TRANSPORT EN LOGISTIEK VLAANDEREN
UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR
Every year, the number of transport and logistics companies in Belgium keeps growing. All projections show that the transportation of goods by the road will also continue to grow in the following 20 years. The sector thus plays a vital role in the Belgian economy. However, with rising costs, stricter...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CGI FEDERAL
SHADMAN HOSSAIN: DRIVING WEB3 ADOPTION IN GOVERNMENT AND BEYOND”
Shadman Hossain, Manager of Emerging Technologies Practice at CGI Federal, is playing a key role in bringing Web3 technology to government. As a leader in the fi eld of digital transformation, CGI Federal specializes in providing cutting-edge technology solutions to government and commercial clients. Hossain, with his expertise in emerging...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
KALEIDO
WHEN KALEIDO, A RALEIGH, NC BASED COMPANY, BROUGHT THE BLOCKCHAIN BUSINESS CLOUD TO MARKET, BLOCKCHAIN DEVELOPMENT TOOK A LEAP FORWARD
When Kaleido, a Raleigh, NC based company, brought the Blockchain Business Cloud to market, blockchain development took a leap forward. For the first time, developers had access to a full-stack SaaS platform for creating, operating, and scaling enterprise-grade blockchain solutions. Kaleido made it possible to deploy blockchain nodes across clouds...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery
As Humans We Are Still Foraging, But Instead Of Turning Over Rocks In Search Of Insects And Nuts, We Are Wanting To Understand It All
Our search for clarity is probably the oldest quest we have. We are forever asking “what must I do”, “why are things the way they are”, and “how could my life be different?” Our deepest motivating force is to make a difference, to experience meaning and live with purpose. We...
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
SAMYR QURESHI
Knack
A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GUNKII
REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE
It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...
INNOVATE® Nashville
AllianceBernstein
Focused on Expanding our Talent Pipeline through Strategic Relationship
AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm, offering diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. In 2018, AB announced its relocation from Midtown Manhattan to Nashville, Tennessee, creating 1,000 high-paying jobs. During that process, AB recognized the strength of the...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’OPTIQUE, PHOTONIQUE ET LASERS (COPL)
LE COPL EST UN ENVIRONNEMENT INTÉGRÉ DE RECHERCHE COLLABORATIVE ET DE FORMATION INCLUSIVE RASSEMBLANT DES EXPERTISES MULTIDISCIPLINAIRES
Son leadership au niveau national contribue grandement à l’essor scientifique et économique des technologies de l’optique et de la photonique au Québec. Depuis 1989, le COPL facilite les collaborations entre des équipes de recherche multidisciplinaires et favorise la mise en commun d’infrastructures et d’expertises de recherche. Sa contribution a permis...
INNOVATE® Detroit
ITC HOLDINGS CORP.
Transmission is Key to Unlocking Our Energy Future
From electric vehicles to renewable energy, the world is looking at electricity in a new way, and ITC is focused on building and maintaining a power grid that can handle it all. The path to a highly connected, advanced society in which vehicles and infrastructure talk to each other, drones...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
UNINTER GROUP
PIONEERING SPIRIT AND GLOBAL EXPANSION FROM CURITIBA
Founded by Professor Wilson Picler, Uninter has trained thousands of students and grown to 1,700 employees by prioritizing respect, technology, and innovation. The history of the Uninter Group, headed by Professor Wilson Picler, is an inspiring example within Brazil’s higher education sector. For more than 25 years, Uninter has democratized...
INNOVATE® Georgia
THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA
THE SUBTLE RISE OF A TECH HUB
Situated between bustling downtown Atlanta and the tranquil the North Georgia mountains, the City of Alpharetta is emerging as a notable example of how a community can quietly yet effectively embrace innovation and growth. This story isn’t about rapid expansion or high-profile advancements; it’s a tale of how Alpharetta has...
INNOVATION Quebec
CHAIRE DIAMENT
HUMANISER L’INNOVATION NUMÉRIQUE EN SANTÉ MENTALE
La Chaire Diament est la Chaire de recherche stratégique de l’UQAM en design pour la cybersanté mentale. Son titulaire est le professeur Stéphane Vial. Mission et visionCréée en janvier 2020, la Chaire Diament est hébergée à l’École de design de l’Université du Québec à Montréal, et rattachée au Centre de...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BOTSWANA DIGITAL AND INNOVATION HUB
THE MANDATE OF THE BDIH IS TO CATALYSE THE DIVERSIFICATION OF BOTSWANA’S ECONOMY, TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
The Hub works closely with innovation ecosystem players to commercialise innovative and tech driven solutions. The Hub does this by: The BDIH owns two subsidiary companies, the first being the Botswana Innovation Hub Property (Pty) Ltd (BIHP). BIHP leverages the strategic infrastructure that includes the Science and Technology Park and...
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™ Oeiras
OEIRAS
The Municipality
Today, Oeiras is a municipality of reference, the result of four decades of detailed, thoughtful, avant-garde planning based on the unique and broad vision of Isaltino Morais. A man who became Mayor in 1985 and who, from the first moment, outlined a strategy that extended beyond the four years of...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Iridia Medical
Whom do first responders call for medical emergencies? Iridia Medical is a physician-founded company that exists to Enable Peace of Mind for people called upon to respond to medical emergencies
Within a span of five months in 1997, a local pulp and papermill experienced the collapse and death of two employees on-site. It was determined that both employees suffered from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). The prospect of future deaths at the site was palpable, and preventative solutions were non-existent. This...
INNOVATE® South Florida
FUEL VENTURE CAPITAL
MIAMI ROOTS AND A GLOBAL REACH
“When we launched Fuel Venture Capital in 2017, a lot of people thought we were crazy,” Fuel Venture Capital’s Founding Partner and Managing Director Jeff Ransdell has often been quoted as saying. He’s not wrong. Back then, #MiamiTech wasn’t even a thought. But, now less than even years in, Fuel...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
SC Thrive
Celebrating 15 Years of Leadership, Impact, and Innovation.
Over the past 15 years, SC Thrive has served as our state’s leader in linking South Carolinians with community and essential resources. In partnership with the Palmetto Institute, the BlueCross BlueShield of SC Foundation, and The Duke Endowment, SC Thrive began as a program of the SC Office of Rural...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
The GDI Hub Brand
In 2019 GDI Hub Is Born With Its Own Identity, Located In The Building That Was Grundig’s Headquarters In Portugal. A Project Developed “in Loco” With A Technological Startup Concept And Completely Out Of The Box When Talking About “Real Estate”.
The initials GDI comes from the concept “Ground Digital Interface”, not dropping the story, keeping three letters of the company “GrunDIg”. Founded by three people and with the support of Corex Web, a technology startup, was the embarkment of a project without any investment capital. Something that would certainly...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
MICROSOFT CANADA
GROWING CANADA’S TECH COMMUNITIES
Tech is about more than just new tools. It is about unlocking opportunities and markets, supporting new approaches, and empowering more high-tech innovations. Microsoft has worked closely with Toronto and Canada’s venture capital community looking to bolster its investments in Canadian startups. Toronto and Canada’s venture capitalists are innovation...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
CITY OF GHENT
Imagine a city where centuries-old architecture seamlessly blends with cutting-edge innovation—where creativity, dynamism, and growth are the norm. Welcome to Ghent, the European technology capital that attracts entrepreneurs from around the globe. Ghent’s strength lies in its strategic alliances across biotech, healthtech, digital tech, and cleantech. This collaborative community is...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
STARTUP PEOPLE
WIDENING THE GATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOUNDERS
When Stockholm’s startup scene began to thrive in the early 2010s, it was known for producing unicorns – but also for its fragmentation. Founders often worked in isolation, disconnected from the support, partners, and investors that could help them endure the long, difficult middle miles between idea and success. SUP...
INNOVATE® Georgia
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA (UNG)
UNG STEPS INTO ITS BRIGHT FUTURE
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is uniquely positioned to help shape the future of higher education thanks to its willingness to think outside the box in crafting experiences that will prepare students to serve as leaders in an ever-changing world. UNG does this in three specific ways: Seeing its...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
TRANSPORT EN LOGISTIEK VLAANDEREN
UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR
Every year, the number of transport and logistics companies in Belgium keeps growing. All projections show that the transportation of goods by the road will also continue to grow in the following 20 years. The sector thus plays a vital role in the Belgian economy. However, with rising costs, stricter...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CGI FEDERAL
SHADMAN HOSSAIN: DRIVING WEB3 ADOPTION IN GOVERNMENT AND BEYOND”
Shadman Hossain, Manager of Emerging Technologies Practice at CGI Federal, is playing a key role in bringing Web3 technology to government. As a leader in the fi eld of digital transformation, CGI Federal specializes in providing cutting-edge technology solutions to government and commercial clients. Hossain, with his expertise in emerging...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
KALEIDO
WHEN KALEIDO, A RALEIGH, NC BASED COMPANY, BROUGHT THE BLOCKCHAIN BUSINESS CLOUD TO MARKET, BLOCKCHAIN DEVELOPMENT TOOK A LEAP FORWARD
When Kaleido, a Raleigh, NC based company, brought the Blockchain Business Cloud to market, blockchain development took a leap forward. For the first time, developers had access to a full-stack SaaS platform for creating, operating, and scaling enterprise-grade blockchain solutions. Kaleido made it possible to deploy blockchain nodes across clouds...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery
As Humans We Are Still Foraging, But Instead Of Turning Over Rocks In Search Of Insects And Nuts, We Are Wanting To Understand It All
Our search for clarity is probably the oldest quest we have. We are forever asking “what must I do”, “why are things the way they are”, and “how could my life be different?” Our deepest motivating force is to make a difference, to experience meaning and live with purpose. We...
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
SAMYR QURESHI
Knack
A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GUNKII
REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE
It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...
INNOVATE® Nashville
AllianceBernstein
Focused on Expanding our Talent Pipeline through Strategic Relationship
AllianceBernstein (AB) is a leading global investment management firm, offering diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients in major world markets. In 2018, AB announced its relocation from Midtown Manhattan to Nashville, Tennessee, creating 1,000 high-paying jobs. During that process, AB recognized the strength of the...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’OPTIQUE, PHOTONIQUE ET LASERS (COPL)
LE COPL EST UN ENVIRONNEMENT INTÉGRÉ DE RECHERCHE COLLABORATIVE ET DE FORMATION INCLUSIVE RASSEMBLANT DES EXPERTISES MULTIDISCIPLINAIRES
Son leadership au niveau national contribue grandement à l’essor scientifique et économique des technologies de l’optique et de la photonique au Québec. Depuis 1989, le COPL facilite les collaborations entre des équipes de recherche multidisciplinaires et favorise la mise en commun d’infrastructures et d’expertises de recherche. Sa contribution a permis...
INNOVATE® Detroit
ITC HOLDINGS CORP.
Transmission is Key to Unlocking Our Energy Future
From electric vehicles to renewable energy, the world is looking at electricity in a new way, and ITC is focused on building and maintaining a power grid that can handle it all. The path to a highly connected, advanced society in which vehicles and infrastructure talk to each other, drones...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
UNINTER GROUP
PIONEERING SPIRIT AND GLOBAL EXPANSION FROM CURITIBA
Founded by Professor Wilson Picler, Uninter has trained thousands of students and grown to 1,700 employees by prioritizing respect, technology, and innovation. The history of the Uninter Group, headed by Professor Wilson Picler, is an inspiring example within Brazil’s higher education sector. For more than 25 years, Uninter has democratized...
INNOVATE® Georgia
THE CITY OF ALPHARETTA
THE SUBTLE RISE OF A TECH HUB
Situated between bustling downtown Atlanta and the tranquil the North Georgia mountains, the City of Alpharetta is emerging as a notable example of how a community can quietly yet effectively embrace innovation and growth. This story isn’t about rapid expansion or high-profile advancements; it’s a tale of how Alpharetta has...
INNOVATION Quebec
CHAIRE DIAMENT
HUMANISER L’INNOVATION NUMÉRIQUE EN SANTÉ MENTALE
La Chaire Diament est la Chaire de recherche stratégique de l’UQAM en design pour la cybersanté mentale. Son titulaire est le professeur Stéphane Vial. Mission et visionCréée en janvier 2020, la Chaire Diament est hébergée à l’École de design de l’Université du Québec à Montréal, et rattachée au Centre de...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BOTSWANA DIGITAL AND INNOVATION HUB
THE MANDATE OF THE BDIH IS TO CATALYSE THE DIVERSIFICATION OF BOTSWANA’S ECONOMY, TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
The Hub works closely with innovation ecosystem players to commercialise innovative and tech driven solutions. The Hub does this by: The BDIH owns two subsidiary companies, the first being the Botswana Innovation Hub Property (Pty) Ltd (BIHP). BIHP leverages the strategic infrastructure that includes the Science and Technology Park and...
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™ Oeiras
OEIRAS
The Municipality
Today, Oeiras is a municipality of reference, the result of four decades of detailed, thoughtful, avant-garde planning based on the unique and broad vision of Isaltino Morais. A man who became Mayor in 1985 and who, from the first moment, outlined a strategy that extended beyond the four years of...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Iridia Medical
Whom do first responders call for medical emergencies? Iridia Medical is a physician-founded company that exists to Enable Peace of Mind for people called upon to respond to medical emergencies
Within a span of five months in 1997, a local pulp and papermill experienced the collapse and death of two employees on-site. It was determined that both employees suffered from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). The prospect of future deaths at the site was palpable, and preventative solutions were non-existent. This...
INNOVATE® South Florida
FUEL VENTURE CAPITAL
MIAMI ROOTS AND A GLOBAL REACH
“When we launched Fuel Venture Capital in 2017, a lot of people thought we were crazy,” Fuel Venture Capital’s Founding Partner and Managing Director Jeff Ransdell has often been quoted as saying. He’s not wrong. Back then, #MiamiTech wasn’t even a thought. But, now less than even years in, Fuel...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
SC Thrive
Celebrating 15 Years of Leadership, Impact, and Innovation.
Over the past 15 years, SC Thrive has served as our state’s leader in linking South Carolinians with community and essential resources. In partnership with the Palmetto Institute, the BlueCross BlueShield of SC Foundation, and The Duke Endowment, SC Thrive began as a program of the SC Office of Rural...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
The GDI Hub Brand
In 2019 GDI Hub Is Born With Its Own Identity, Located In The Building That Was Grundig’s Headquarters In Portugal. A Project Developed “in Loco” With A Technological Startup Concept And Completely Out Of The Box When Talking About “Real Estate”.
The initials GDI comes from the concept “Ground Digital Interface”, not dropping the story, keeping three letters of the company “GrunDIg”. Founded by three people and with the support of Corex Web, a technology startup, was the embarkment of a project without any investment capital. Something that would certainly...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
MICROSOFT CANADA
GROWING CANADA’S TECH COMMUNITIES
Tech is about more than just new tools. It is about unlocking opportunities and markets, supporting new approaches, and empowering more high-tech innovations. Microsoft has worked closely with Toronto and Canada’s venture capital community looking to bolster its investments in Canadian startups. Toronto and Canada’s venture capitalists are innovation...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
CITY OF GHENT
Imagine a city where centuries-old architecture seamlessly blends with cutting-edge innovation—where creativity, dynamism, and growth are the norm. Welcome to Ghent, the European technology capital that attracts entrepreneurs from around the globe. Ghent’s strength lies in its strategic alliances across biotech, healthtech, digital tech, and cleantech. This collaborative community is...