Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BEKTEK
INNOVATING MANAGEMENT: CUTTING-EDGE HR, PAYROLL, AND MORE FOR TODAY’S WORKFORCE
INTRODUCTIONSince our inception, Bektek has been on a remarkable journey of innovation and growth. What began as a pioneering venture into Time and Attendance management, with the introduction of HostedTime, our flagship software, has evolved into a one stop solution for today’s workforce. OUR STORYAt Bektek, our story is one...
Global Innovation Spotlight
How Soft2Bet Built a Culture of Innovation from the Inside Out
Innovation as a Culture, Not a Department
In the hyper-paced iGaming industry, where change is constant and customer attention fleeting, some companies simply try to keep up. But others reimagine the race altogether. Soft2Bet belongs firmly in the latter camp. Rather than chasing trends, the company has consistently invested in its internal innovation engine — a culture-first,...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Le CQDM
Accélérer la découverte de médicaments
Ce consortium de recherche biopharmaceutique à but non lucratif soutient et facilite l’innovation multipartite afin d’accélérer la transformation de découvertes de pointe en vaccins, en produits thérapeutiques et en diagnostics répondant à des besoins médicaux non satisfaits, tout en générant des retombées importantes pour l’économie canadienne. Un modèle de...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
IMPACT BUILDERS
TOWARDS A RESILIENT AND HUMAN-CENTERED EUROPE
Europe stands at a turning point. Global supply chains are increasingly shaped by geopolitical shifts, critical technologies are still developed elsewhere, and many European industries struggle with succession and growth. To safeguard prosperity, the continent needs to build its own strength. A Europe-first economy means homegrown technologies, resilient supply chains,...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SPIRAL DATA
MEET THE AI TECHNOLOGISTS: Creating Decision Advantage for Water and Defence Organisations
In today’s fast-paced and data-driven business landscape, organisations are constantly seeking innovative solutions to unlock the true potential of their data. Enter Spiral Data, a leading player in Adelaide, Australia, revolutionising the way organisations extract insights from complex datasets. With a team of dedicated data scientists, machine learning engineers,and technologists,...
INNOVATE® Miami
Dalent Medical
Creating Better Solutions For Physicians To Help Restore Health And Well-Being To Patients
Dalent Medical is committed to creating better solutions for physicians to help restore health and well-being to patients living with sinus-related conditions. The company’s first FDA-listed product, the Sinusleeve™ Balloon Sinus Dilation Sleeve is used to treat chronic sinusitis, a condition that affects more than 30 million people annually, according...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
QFLO CREATIVE INSIGHTS
ENABLING BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN BOTSWANA BY BATSWANA
Creative Insights is a citizen-owned technology and software development company that was created to address poor customer experiences in Botswana. Backed by a board of local and established business leaders, the team of young digital innovators was able to create an upgraded version of the queue management service, WorldQueues, which...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Breezy HR
Helps You Find Your Next A-Player, Sooner
Hiring doesn’t have to be messy. Say Sayonara! to the stacks of resumes cluttering up your workspace, and let Breezy help you find your next A-player—sooner. With Breezy, you’ll automate time-consuming hiring tasks like advertising your jobs, emailing and texting candidates, scheduling interviews, and gathering feedback from your team. Breezy...
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® Nashville
HeroWear
Evolving work, improving life: HeroWear exosuits help prevent backpain to improve worker quality of life.
Serious back injuries in the workplace are often preventable. The logistics, manufacturing, and construction industries have long struggled to prevent worker injuries, which impact the quality of life for workers and collectively cost companies billions of dollars each year. In fact, workers in warehousing and transportation who are keeping our...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
ESPAT
CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE PIXEL AT A TIME
ESPAT (Esports Pixels and Technology) is a technology company that is utilizing the legacy digital media licensing model to help gaming and esports IP holders monetize their digital assets. Through computer vision and machine learning technology, the company is converting traditional licensed assets into interactive, commerce-enabled experiences for viewers/consumers. As...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S OLDEST INCUBATOR. THE YMCA OF METRO CHICAGO IS INNOVATING FROM THE INSIDE
In 2022, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago celebrated its 164th birthday. There are only a handful of organizations in the country with that kind of history. But all those candles on the cake are not merely a reminder of accomplishments passed. It’s also a light leading the way forward, illuminating...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ICI (INSTITUTO DAS CIDADES INTELIGENTES)
TECHNOLOGY THAT CONNECTS CITIES AND PEOPLE
A SMART CITY IS ONLY MADE WITH GREAT CARE, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT CAPACITY, AND TECHNOLOGY. For over 25 years, the Institute of Smart Cities (ICI), a social organization located in Curitiba, has been involved in developing Information Technology and Communication solutions for public management. With recognized experience throughout Brazil in the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
How Worldwide Economic Ecosystems Are Affected by Cryptocurrency Adoption
10 Ways Cryptocurrency Adoption Has Affected Global Economic Ecosystems
From a local trend to a worldwide financial movement, the fast growth of cryptocurrencies has changed. From small companies to whole national economies, the ripple effects of decentralized digital currencies have changed financial landscapes. The global economic ecology undergoes several changes—some good, others complicated—as conventional structures change to fit this...
INNOVATE® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
SENTRY EQUIPMENT
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER, SAFER WORLD
Building the foundation for a better, safer world. For the general public, words such as “innovative” and “dynamic” aren’t commonly used to describe the manufacturing industry. But in an industry criticized for being slow to change, Sentry Equipment—a century-old, Oconomowoc-based manufacturing powerhouse—has solidified its position as a proud outlier driving...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SKILLSHOT
SKILLSHOT PARTNERS WITH BRANDS TO DELIVER GAMING FOR GOOD
SKILLSHOT CONNECTS LEADING BRANDS, ENGAGED GAMING FANS, AND POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT. Now why exactly would major brands — as diverse as Coca-Cola, US Army, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Piedmont, Georgia State University, Spelman College, DoorDash, Chelsea FC, Comcast, Cox, Turner, Intel, HP, Lenovo, Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Georgia, YMCA,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
2U
A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE
FOUNDED IN 2008 IN MARYLAND WASHINGTON DC, 2U, INC. SET OUT TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST ONLINE EDUCATION AND THEY’VE BEEN DEFYING THE ODDS EVER SINCE. ALSO AROUND THE EXACT SAME TIME AND COINCIDING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE MOOC REVOLUTION, GETSMARTER WAS ALSO FOUNDED. Early on in the industry,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
Grupo Boticário
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY
Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
JTEKT North America
Looking for Trouble, Delivering Solutions
At JTEKT North America, innovation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an invitation. An invitation to businesses facing their toughest challenges. When it comes to solving the problems that seem unsolvable, JTEKT isn’t shy about one thing: we’re actively “looking for trouble.” Not the kind of trouble that comes with poor...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Bamboo
Building a Statewide Ecosystem
Bamboo began in 2013 out of a community movement. It was the first co-working space in Downtown Detroit. The organization’s model has since evolved to develop and operate hubs that serve as centers for entrepreneurship and creativity. When it started, Bamboo borrowed a $5,000 friends-and-family loan and activated a space...
INNOVATION Quebec
CYBERQUÉBEC
AU CŒUR DE L’ÉDUCATION SPÉCIALISÉE ET DEL’INNOVATION TECHNOLOGIQUE EN CYBERSÉCURITÉ.
CyberQuébec est l’un des 59 Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie (CCTT) du réseau Synchronex. Intégré au Cégep de l’Outaouais, CyberQuébec offre une gamme élargie de services en cybersécurité pour aider les PME à relever les défis technologiques de la sécurité numérique et appuyer le développement de la main d’œuvre...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
KNEAD
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BEKTEK
INNOVATING MANAGEMENT: CUTTING-EDGE HR, PAYROLL, AND MORE FOR TODAY’S WORKFORCE
INTRODUCTIONSince our inception, Bektek has been on a remarkable journey of innovation and growth. What began as a pioneering venture into Time and Attendance management, with the introduction of HostedTime, our flagship software, has evolved into a one stop solution for today’s workforce. OUR STORYAt Bektek, our story is one...
Global Innovation Spotlight
How Soft2Bet Built a Culture of Innovation from the Inside Out
Innovation as a Culture, Not a Department
In the hyper-paced iGaming industry, where change is constant and customer attention fleeting, some companies simply try to keep up. But others reimagine the race altogether. Soft2Bet belongs firmly in the latter camp. Rather than chasing trends, the company has consistently invested in its internal innovation engine — a culture-first,...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Le CQDM
Accélérer la découverte de médicaments
Ce consortium de recherche biopharmaceutique à but non lucratif soutient et facilite l’innovation multipartite afin d’accélérer la transformation de découvertes de pointe en vaccins, en produits thérapeutiques et en diagnostics répondant à des besoins médicaux non satisfaits, tout en générant des retombées importantes pour l’économie canadienne. Un modèle de...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
IMPACT BUILDERS
TOWARDS A RESILIENT AND HUMAN-CENTERED EUROPE
Europe stands at a turning point. Global supply chains are increasingly shaped by geopolitical shifts, critical technologies are still developed elsewhere, and many European industries struggle with succession and growth. To safeguard prosperity, the continent needs to build its own strength. A Europe-first economy means homegrown technologies, resilient supply chains,...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SPIRAL DATA
MEET THE AI TECHNOLOGISTS: Creating Decision Advantage for Water and Defence Organisations
In today’s fast-paced and data-driven business landscape, organisations are constantly seeking innovative solutions to unlock the true potential of their data. Enter Spiral Data, a leading player in Adelaide, Australia, revolutionising the way organisations extract insights from complex datasets. With a team of dedicated data scientists, machine learning engineers,and technologists,...
INNOVATE® Miami
Dalent Medical
Creating Better Solutions For Physicians To Help Restore Health And Well-Being To Patients
Dalent Medical is committed to creating better solutions for physicians to help restore health and well-being to patients living with sinus-related conditions. The company’s first FDA-listed product, the Sinusleeve™ Balloon Sinus Dilation Sleeve is used to treat chronic sinusitis, a condition that affects more than 30 million people annually, according...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
QFLO CREATIVE INSIGHTS
ENABLING BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN BOTSWANA BY BATSWANA
Creative Insights is a citizen-owned technology and software development company that was created to address poor customer experiences in Botswana. Backed by a board of local and established business leaders, the team of young digital innovators was able to create an upgraded version of the queue management service, WorldQueues, which...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Breezy HR
Helps You Find Your Next A-Player, Sooner
Hiring doesn’t have to be messy. Say Sayonara! to the stacks of resumes cluttering up your workspace, and let Breezy help you find your next A-player—sooner. With Breezy, you’ll automate time-consuming hiring tasks like advertising your jobs, emailing and texting candidates, scheduling interviews, and gathering feedback from your team. Breezy...
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® Nashville
HeroWear
Evolving work, improving life: HeroWear exosuits help prevent backpain to improve worker quality of life.
Serious back injuries in the workplace are often preventable. The logistics, manufacturing, and construction industries have long struggled to prevent worker injuries, which impact the quality of life for workers and collectively cost companies billions of dollars each year. In fact, workers in warehousing and transportation who are keeping our...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
ESPAT
CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE PIXEL AT A TIME
ESPAT (Esports Pixels and Technology) is a technology company that is utilizing the legacy digital media licensing model to help gaming and esports IP holders monetize their digital assets. Through computer vision and machine learning technology, the company is converting traditional licensed assets into interactive, commerce-enabled experiences for viewers/consumers. As...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S OLDEST INCUBATOR. THE YMCA OF METRO CHICAGO IS INNOVATING FROM THE INSIDE
In 2022, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago celebrated its 164th birthday. There are only a handful of organizations in the country with that kind of history. But all those candles on the cake are not merely a reminder of accomplishments passed. It’s also a light leading the way forward, illuminating...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ICI (INSTITUTO DAS CIDADES INTELIGENTES)
TECHNOLOGY THAT CONNECTS CITIES AND PEOPLE
A SMART CITY IS ONLY MADE WITH GREAT CARE, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT CAPACITY, AND TECHNOLOGY. For over 25 years, the Institute of Smart Cities (ICI), a social organization located in Curitiba, has been involved in developing Information Technology and Communication solutions for public management. With recognized experience throughout Brazil in the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
How Worldwide Economic Ecosystems Are Affected by Cryptocurrency Adoption
10 Ways Cryptocurrency Adoption Has Affected Global Economic Ecosystems
From a local trend to a worldwide financial movement, the fast growth of cryptocurrencies has changed. From small companies to whole national economies, the ripple effects of decentralized digital currencies have changed financial landscapes. The global economic ecology undergoes several changes—some good, others complicated—as conventional structures change to fit this...
INNOVATE® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
SENTRY EQUIPMENT
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER, SAFER WORLD
Building the foundation for a better, safer world. For the general public, words such as “innovative” and “dynamic” aren’t commonly used to describe the manufacturing industry. But in an industry criticized for being slow to change, Sentry Equipment—a century-old, Oconomowoc-based manufacturing powerhouse—has solidified its position as a proud outlier driving...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SKILLSHOT
SKILLSHOT PARTNERS WITH BRANDS TO DELIVER GAMING FOR GOOD
SKILLSHOT CONNECTS LEADING BRANDS, ENGAGED GAMING FANS, AND POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT. Now why exactly would major brands — as diverse as Coca-Cola, US Army, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Piedmont, Georgia State University, Spelman College, DoorDash, Chelsea FC, Comcast, Cox, Turner, Intel, HP, Lenovo, Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Georgia, YMCA,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
2U
A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE
FOUNDED IN 2008 IN MARYLAND WASHINGTON DC, 2U, INC. SET OUT TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST ONLINE EDUCATION AND THEY’VE BEEN DEFYING THE ODDS EVER SINCE. ALSO AROUND THE EXACT SAME TIME AND COINCIDING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE MOOC REVOLUTION, GETSMARTER WAS ALSO FOUNDED. Early on in the industry,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
Grupo Boticário
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY
Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
JTEKT North America
Looking for Trouble, Delivering Solutions
At JTEKT North America, innovation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an invitation. An invitation to businesses facing their toughest challenges. When it comes to solving the problems that seem unsolvable, JTEKT isn’t shy about one thing: we’re actively “looking for trouble.” Not the kind of trouble that comes with poor...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Bamboo
Building a Statewide Ecosystem
Bamboo began in 2013 out of a community movement. It was the first co-working space in Downtown Detroit. The organization’s model has since evolved to develop and operate hubs that serve as centers for entrepreneurship and creativity. When it started, Bamboo borrowed a $5,000 friends-and-family loan and activated a space...
INNOVATION Quebec
CYBERQUÉBEC
AU CŒUR DE L’ÉDUCATION SPÉCIALISÉE ET DEL’INNOVATION TECHNOLOGIQUE EN CYBERSÉCURITÉ.
CyberQuébec est l’un des 59 Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie (CCTT) du réseau Synchronex. Intégré au Cégep de l’Outaouais, CyberQuébec offre une gamme élargie de services en cybersécurité pour aider les PME à relever les défis technologiques de la sécurité numérique et appuyer le développement de la main d’œuvre...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
KNEAD
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...