Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
JOHN OBERG ADVISORY & INVESTMENTS
MISSION-DRIVEN ADVISORY WITH AN EYE TO THE FINANCIAL SCOREBOARD
John Oberg Advisory and Investment (JOA) partners with organizations that are on a mission to positively impact our daily lives. Our clients and investments are primarily those that serve others across healthcare, technology, nonprofits, and institutions. Dr. John Oberg and the experienced team at JOA balance strategic direction and tactical...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PLAYHAUS
DATA MANAGEMENT BUILT FOR ALL
playhaus is an emerging technology company working at the intersection of web3 systems and artificial intelligence. It has always had a Midwest-based identity, with the company having started in Ann Arbor, MI, but relocated to Kansas City, MO, in June of 2022 to be immersed in KC’s vibrant creative and...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CarpeDM
Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women
“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
NUMEDICO
THIS ADELAIDE-BASED MEDTECH START-UP HAS FOUND GLOBAL RECOGNITION
THIS ADELAIDE-BASED MEDTECH START-UP HAS FOUND GLOBAL RECOGNITION WITH MORE EFFICIENT, SAFER AND AFFORDABLE DRUG DELIVERY METHODS. SPACE RESEARCH FOR REAL-WORLD PROBLEMSPushing the boundaries of medical research all the way into orbit, Numedico’s latest business venture is a partnership with satellite infrastructure provider ResearchSat to explore newmethods to administer medication....
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Better Basics
Cleans up homes of toxins and saves billions of plastic bottles
Better Basics is on a mission to eliminate homes of toxins and plastic. Their household cleaning personal care and cleaning industry. and personal care refill system is designed to make using all natural, high performing products that save plastic bottles easy and convenient. Better Basics makes “eco-friendly” beautiful and functional...
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® South Carolina
SC Competes | SC Fraunhofer
The Palmetto Applied Research Council
The SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance (the Alliance) is South Carolina’s unique applied research partnership designed to help companies innovate faster, de-risk new technologies, and strengthen the state’s competitiveness in advanced industries. Managed by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes) and its applied research arm, Palmetto Applied Research Council,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
BIOHUBX
PAVING THE WAY FOR YOUNG LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES TO SUCCEED
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Génome Québec
le joyau caché des sciences de la vie La génomique- Facteur d’attraction d’investissements et de talents
GÉNOME QUÉBEC a été fondé en 2000, dans la foulée du premier séquençage entier du génome humain. Membre du réseau pancanadien chapeauté par Génome Canada, notre mission consiste à soutenir le développement stratégique et scientifique de la génomique au Québec. En collaboration avec ses partenaires, Génome Québec a investi plus...
INNOVATE® Georgia
IMPROVING
MODERN DIGITAL SERVICES
The Backstory.Founded in 2005 in the northeast suburbs of Atlanta, then Innovative Architects latched on to the maturing Microsoft Gold Partnership Program as the core of our service offerings. We would become known in that technology community for doing the hard stuff: Commerce Server integration, BizTalk implementation, SharePoint before it...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RESPEK NATURE
PLANTS SPEKBOOM, A CO2 CAPTURING INDIGENOUS SUCCULENT, ON TRACTS OF DENUDED LAND NEAR GRAAFF-REINET AND IN THE LARGER KAROO REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA. LAUNCHED IN AUGUST OF 2020, RESPEK IS A BLENDED DIGITAL AND BOTANICAL CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMME.
The hardy spekboom is considered a pioneer species within the Karoo thicket biome. This means that the plant itself can assist in the regeneration of the indigenous brush, with many other species benefitting from its shade and the nutrients it brings into the soil. As a succulent, spekboom is the...
INNOVATION Quebec
AÉRO MONTRÉAL
NNOVATION COUNCIL - AÉRO MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC’S AEROSPACE CLUSTER
Thanks to its unique and diversified ecosystem, Québec has been able to maintain a prominent position in the global aerospace supply chain, and Aéro Montréal plays a key role in this. Founded in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a not-for-profit organization created to mobilize the players in Québec’s aerospace sector. The...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
MAGNETRON
STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, AND CHALLENGE
Currently, in Brazil, one in every three cities has more motorcycles than cars, totaling over 32 million registered motorcycles. This scenario reflects a market with significant investment potential, and Magnetron is always at the forefront in seeking the best solutions to serve this sector. Founded in the 1960s, the company...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
AIRE
THE TRUST THAT LED ESTONIAN COMPANIES ONTO AI AND ROBOTICS PATHS
In October 2021, AIRE began operations as one of Estonia’s leading AI and robotics innovation centres. The centre was established with the aim of supporting local industrial companies in adopting artificial intelligence and robotics solutions. Today, AIRE plays a central role in accelerating digital transformation, serving as a trustworthy bridge...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
CrossCountry Consulting
Where Expertise, Technology, and Human Insight Converge
Northern Virginia is a region defined by motion: technological, economic, and organizational change shape its daily rhythm. For the companies that power it, transformation is no longer a future goal but a present demand. Finance leaders must modernize operations, manage enterprise complexity, and adopt emerging technologies quickly. They must achieve...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
GREENVILLE CITY
POWERED BY INNOVATION, TO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT
WE THRIVE ON COLLABORATION Public-private partnerships are how we do business. Our established clusters — Automotive, Production Technology/Heavy Machinery, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences, Business Services and Fintech — provide a solid foundation for a resilient economy. Our fastest-growing cluster, Life Sciences, increased by 33% over the past five years. We’re...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
WILD + PINE
NOT OUR FIRST RODEO
At the height of the energy boom, Wild + Pine was created to help restore, reclaim, and conserve some of Alberta’s most challenging and remote landscapes across the industry. Something they do well, but regenerating Canada’s great boreal forest isn’t for the faint of heart. Today, Wild + Pine develops...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
YOCO
PASSION, TALENT AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE SEE YOCO GROW INTO A LEADING AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN A FEW SHORT YEARS
In a few short years since launching in 2015, Yoco has grown into an African technology company that is ready to take on the world. With its focus on creating opportunities for small businesses, breaking down the barriers they face, and helping them to participate fully in a more inclusive...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE
LEADING HIGHER EDUCATION INTO THE FUTURE
Waukesha County Technical College, one of 16 Colleges part of the Wisconsin Technical College System, has been a leader of workforce development and training in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than a century. The College is focused on educating students for in-demand jobs and contributing to the economy by providing skilled...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
GLOBAL E-TALENT
MEETING YOUR TALENT ACQUISITION NEEDS
Global e-Talent Pty Ltd (GeT) is a young Sandton, Johannesburg-based talent search, placement, and onboarding firm. It partners with both private and public organisations, to meet their talent acquisition needs and that such talent is adequately integrated into their business. Behind the conventional recruitment agency, behind it sits a very...
INNOVATE® Miami
Penpal Schools
Helping teachers connect their students to learn with penpals around the world and from different backgrounds
PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VIRGENT AI
Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered
As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
STORIED DATA
THE STORY OF MEANINGFUL TRANSFORMATIONS: Data. Information. Intelligent Presentation. Action
Storied data is a next generation publishing platform for the digital world. It allows users to combine visuals, data, and interactivity in a single document that provides an app-like experience and reduces information overload. In Storied data, you can produce any document – reports, dashboards, infographics, catalogs, and more in...
Global Innovation Spotlight
South African Institute of Canada
Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home
When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
JOHN OBERG ADVISORY & INVESTMENTS
MISSION-DRIVEN ADVISORY WITH AN EYE TO THE FINANCIAL SCOREBOARD
John Oberg Advisory and Investment (JOA) partners with organizations that are on a mission to positively impact our daily lives. Our clients and investments are primarily those that serve others across healthcare, technology, nonprofits, and institutions. Dr. John Oberg and the experienced team at JOA balance strategic direction and tactical...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PLAYHAUS
DATA MANAGEMENT BUILT FOR ALL
playhaus is an emerging technology company working at the intersection of web3 systems and artificial intelligence. It has always had a Midwest-based identity, with the company having started in Ann Arbor, MI, but relocated to Kansas City, MO, in June of 2022 to be immersed in KC’s vibrant creative and...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CarpeDM
Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women
“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
NUMEDICO
THIS ADELAIDE-BASED MEDTECH START-UP HAS FOUND GLOBAL RECOGNITION
THIS ADELAIDE-BASED MEDTECH START-UP HAS FOUND GLOBAL RECOGNITION WITH MORE EFFICIENT, SAFER AND AFFORDABLE DRUG DELIVERY METHODS. SPACE RESEARCH FOR REAL-WORLD PROBLEMSPushing the boundaries of medical research all the way into orbit, Numedico’s latest business venture is a partnership with satellite infrastructure provider ResearchSat to explore newmethods to administer medication....
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Better Basics
Cleans up homes of toxins and saves billions of plastic bottles
Better Basics is on a mission to eliminate homes of toxins and plastic. Their household cleaning personal care and cleaning industry. and personal care refill system is designed to make using all natural, high performing products that save plastic bottles easy and convenient. Better Basics makes “eco-friendly” beautiful and functional...
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® South Carolina
SC Competes | SC Fraunhofer
The Palmetto Applied Research Council
The SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance (the Alliance) is South Carolina’s unique applied research partnership designed to help companies innovate faster, de-risk new technologies, and strengthen the state’s competitiveness in advanced industries. Managed by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes) and its applied research arm, Palmetto Applied Research Council,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
BIOHUBX
PAVING THE WAY FOR YOUNG LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES TO SUCCEED
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
Génome Québec
le joyau caché des sciences de la vie La génomique- Facteur d’attraction d’investissements et de talents
GÉNOME QUÉBEC a été fondé en 2000, dans la foulée du premier séquençage entier du génome humain. Membre du réseau pancanadien chapeauté par Génome Canada, notre mission consiste à soutenir le développement stratégique et scientifique de la génomique au Québec. En collaboration avec ses partenaires, Génome Québec a investi plus...
INNOVATE® Georgia
IMPROVING
MODERN DIGITAL SERVICES
The Backstory.Founded in 2005 in the northeast suburbs of Atlanta, then Innovative Architects latched on to the maturing Microsoft Gold Partnership Program as the core of our service offerings. We would become known in that technology community for doing the hard stuff: Commerce Server integration, BizTalk implementation, SharePoint before it...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RESPEK NATURE
PLANTS SPEKBOOM, A CO2 CAPTURING INDIGENOUS SUCCULENT, ON TRACTS OF DENUDED LAND NEAR GRAAFF-REINET AND IN THE LARGER KAROO REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA. LAUNCHED IN AUGUST OF 2020, RESPEK IS A BLENDED DIGITAL AND BOTANICAL CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMME.
The hardy spekboom is considered a pioneer species within the Karoo thicket biome. This means that the plant itself can assist in the regeneration of the indigenous brush, with many other species benefitting from its shade and the nutrients it brings into the soil. As a succulent, spekboom is the...
INNOVATION Quebec
AÉRO MONTRÉAL
NNOVATION COUNCIL - AÉRO MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC’S AEROSPACE CLUSTER
Thanks to its unique and diversified ecosystem, Québec has been able to maintain a prominent position in the global aerospace supply chain, and Aéro Montréal plays a key role in this. Founded in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a not-for-profit organization created to mobilize the players in Québec’s aerospace sector. The...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
MAGNETRON
STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, AND CHALLENGE
Currently, in Brazil, one in every three cities has more motorcycles than cars, totaling over 32 million registered motorcycles. This scenario reflects a market with significant investment potential, and Magnetron is always at the forefront in seeking the best solutions to serve this sector. Founded in the 1960s, the company...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
AIRE
THE TRUST THAT LED ESTONIAN COMPANIES ONTO AI AND ROBOTICS PATHS
In October 2021, AIRE began operations as one of Estonia’s leading AI and robotics innovation centres. The centre was established with the aim of supporting local industrial companies in adopting artificial intelligence and robotics solutions. Today, AIRE plays a central role in accelerating digital transformation, serving as a trustworthy bridge...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
CrossCountry Consulting
Where Expertise, Technology, and Human Insight Converge
Northern Virginia is a region defined by motion: technological, economic, and organizational change shape its daily rhythm. For the companies that power it, transformation is no longer a future goal but a present demand. Finance leaders must modernize operations, manage enterprise complexity, and adopt emerging technologies quickly. They must achieve...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
GREENVILLE CITY
POWERED BY INNOVATION, TO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT
WE THRIVE ON COLLABORATION Public-private partnerships are how we do business. Our established clusters — Automotive, Production Technology/Heavy Machinery, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences, Business Services and Fintech — provide a solid foundation for a resilient economy. Our fastest-growing cluster, Life Sciences, increased by 33% over the past five years. We’re...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
WILD + PINE
NOT OUR FIRST RODEO
At the height of the energy boom, Wild + Pine was created to help restore, reclaim, and conserve some of Alberta’s most challenging and remote landscapes across the industry. Something they do well, but regenerating Canada’s great boreal forest isn’t for the faint of heart. Today, Wild + Pine develops...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
YOCO
PASSION, TALENT AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE SEE YOCO GROW INTO A LEADING AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN A FEW SHORT YEARS
In a few short years since launching in 2015, Yoco has grown into an African technology company that is ready to take on the world. With its focus on creating opportunities for small businesses, breaking down the barriers they face, and helping them to participate fully in a more inclusive...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE
LEADING HIGHER EDUCATION INTO THE FUTURE
Waukesha County Technical College, one of 16 Colleges part of the Wisconsin Technical College System, has been a leader of workforce development and training in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than a century. The College is focused on educating students for in-demand jobs and contributing to the economy by providing skilled...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
GLOBAL E-TALENT
MEETING YOUR TALENT ACQUISITION NEEDS
Global e-Talent Pty Ltd (GeT) is a young Sandton, Johannesburg-based talent search, placement, and onboarding firm. It partners with both private and public organisations, to meet their talent acquisition needs and that such talent is adequately integrated into their business. Behind the conventional recruitment agency, behind it sits a very...
INNOVATE® Miami
Penpal Schools
Helping teachers connect their students to learn with penpals around the world and from different backgrounds
PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VIRGENT AI
Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered
As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
STORIED DATA
THE STORY OF MEANINGFUL TRANSFORMATIONS: Data. Information. Intelligent Presentation. Action
Storied data is a next generation publishing platform for the digital world. It allows users to combine visuals, data, and interactivity in a single document that provides an app-like experience and reduces information overload. In Storied data, you can produce any document – reports, dashboards, infographics, catalogs, and more in...
Global Innovation Spotlight
South African Institute of Canada
Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home
When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...