Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Alberta
INVERTED VENTURES
WE FINANCE PARADIGM SHIFTS
FINANCING PARADIGM SHIFTSA paradigm shift is a revolutionary and disruptive change in the human experience. Inverted Ventures is a single family office of investors with a passion for technology that radically improves the human experience. We invest in founders with visions for the future that will lead to fundamental changes...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of AI Conferences in 2024:
A Look at the Most Important Events and Topics
Artificial intelligence, or as it is commonly referred to, AI conferences date back to the 1960s and have tremendously expanded from niche gatherings that mainly catered to academia to industry-focused and entrepreneurial assemblies. This is where researchers, policymakers, and professionals from global tech companies collaborate on various aspects of the...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
PORTAGE VENTURES
A GLOBAL FINTECH VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTOR
Portage Ventures (“Portage”) is a venture investor that partners with some of the world’s most innovative financial technology companies. Portage is the venture capital arm of multi-asset class alternative investment firm Sagard. It was cofounded in 2016 by Paul Desmarais III (Executive Chairman and CEO of Sagard) and Adam Felesky...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
TALTECH
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION: IT DIDACTICS RESEARCH GROUP AT TALTECH
Our Vision and Laboratory Looking around us, we witness the rapid rise of technology that touches every aspect of our lives—robots, artificial intelligence, social media, and countless other digital tools. But how do these innovations translate into meaningful changes in education? At Tallinn University of Technology’s IT College, the IT...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Youth Growth Network
Empowering the Next Generation
Founding Story: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Real-World Experience Youth Growth Network (YGN) was founded with a powerful mission: to bridge the gap between academic learning and the real-world skills students need to thrive in their future careers. Recognizing that traditional education often falls short in providing hands-on experiences,...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
RIVER CLEANUP
From a 10-minute cleanup to 1000 plastic-free rivers
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...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Upcoming IT Conferences Focused on Sustainable Technology and Green IT
Sustainable IT Events You Should Consider Attending Next Year
However minimal, we’ve all felt some impact of climate change at one point or another in our lifetime, irrespective of what part of the world we are from. The World Health Organization stated that about 3.6 billion people live in areas especially vulnerable to climate impacts. This is almost half...
INNOVATE® South Florida
OWWLL
TRANSFORMING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WITH JASON R. HILL’S INNOVATIVE VISION
In an era where connections and networking are paramount to success, Owwll emerges as a groundbreaking platform dedicated to fostering meaningful professional relationships. Offering instant networking with top professionals to create endless opportunities, Owwll, founded by visionary entrepreneur Jason R. Hill, is transforming how professionals connect, seek knowledge, and build...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BRANSON CENTRE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP SOUTH AFRICA
SCREW IT, LET’S DO IT!
The world is obsessed with changing businesses for good. Ask the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa (Branson Centre) for its take on that, and it’ll tell you that is actually a misnomer. Fundamentally, business is good. The focus of the Branson Centre is entrepreneurialism and social responsibility. The Branson...
Global Innovation Spotlight
20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years
The job market changes constantly. Industries evolve and employment demands shift with infrastructure developments and technology improvements. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is thrusting Artificial Intelligence (AI) across workplaces with far greater speed than the age of robotics ever did to manufacturing industries in the past. If we learned one thing...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CANADIAN FOOD INNOVATION NETWORK
CONNECTING THE FOOD SECTOR THROUGH INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION
The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is a national, member based organization established in 2021 that’s stimulating transformative and transferrable innovation across the food sector. CFIN has three key strategic pillars: smart product and process development; food ecosystem sustainability; and agile and safe supply chains. The organization connects the Canadian...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
Armanino
The Innovative Accounting And Consulting Firm That Has A Global Reach And A Local Touch
Founded in 1969, Armanino is one of the top 20 public accounting and business consulting firms in the US, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and has served the Austin and greater Texas markets for years. The firm has robust and expansive traditional tax and audit capabilities, whether it’s...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DJJ Technologies
Building The Future
A Journey of Transformation The story of DJJ Technologies is deeply intertwined with the personal journey of its founder. James began his career at AT&T in 1984, where he honed his skills by selling telephone systems and computers to major oil companies across Texas. His move to Atlanta in 1986...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...
INNOVATE® Nashville
THNKS
SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE
At Thnks, our mission is to leverage technology and the science of gratitude to help establish and build strong relationships for the modern world, through efficient, personalized, and thoughtful appreciation. Thnks has created a movement in workplaces with over 15,000 Thnks sent every week — helping business professionals improve their...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Soft2Bet Combines iGaming Growth with Purpose-Driven Giving
Growth, but with Grounding
Did You Know That Soft2Bet’s Business Model Has a Generous Side? Fast growth and big numbers tend to steal the spotlight in iGaming. But there’s another side to success that doesn’t always make the headlines — the part that gives back. Soft2Bet knows the business of scaling platforms and entering...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
MITACS
MAKING WAVES AND BUILDING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA
THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization, drives innovation across Atlantic Canada through strategic collaborations. With a network of over 197 postsecondary institutions across the country and more than 25 years of experience, Mitacs employs a collaborative approach to research and innovation, matching need with...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
iHeartMedia: Built for the Way People Listen
Morning routines often unfold with familiar voices in the background, filling the space between tasks without demanding attention. In those moments, attention settles rather than fragments. iHeartMedia has built its position inside that space, where engagement feels natural and presence does not need to be forced, reshaping how audio fits...
INNOVATE™ Kenya
NERDHUB KENYA
OUR MISSION IS TO UTILIZE OUR ESPORTS CENTRE TO HELP GIVE YOUNG ASPIRING ESPORT ATHLETES A PLATFORM TO GROW THEIR ESPORTS CAREERS AND COMPETE ON THE WORLD STAGE
Nerdhub Kenya was started as a platform to give talented Kenyan youth an opportunity to grow. Kenya is an underdeveloped country where youth really struggle to follow their dreams. We are giving the youth the opportunity to be the next pop star, Esports champion, Comic artist, Dancer etc. We are...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
KLABIN IN PARANÁ
ROOTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The largest producer and exporter of paper for packaging and sustainable solutions in paper packaging in Brazil, Klabin is a protagonist in a history characterized by innovation and a commitment with sustainable development. Founded in 1899, the Company stands out as the only one in Brazil offering solutions in softwood,...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
LIFESEEDS
BUILDING THE NORDIC BRIDGE TO PERSONALIZED LONGEVITY
Aging is the single greatest risk factor for every major chronic disease — yet the global wellness and supplement market still treats human biology as if one size fits all. Consumers spend billions on generic products, vague claims and underdosed formulas — yet see little measurable impact. At the same...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
OPTAVE
IS BUILDING THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
VISION: We’re enabling a world where the systems are so effective and smart that problems are identified and solved before you even know they exist. And if you ever need to contact support, an artificial intelligent assistant will do it for you, making life easier for everyone. The ‘Uber’ of...
INNOVATE® Seattle
DEFINED.AI
ENABLING CREATORS OF THE FUTURE - TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME
At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
GSP International Airport
Reaching New Heights
Our History Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), Upstate South Carolina’s commercial service airport, was established in October 1962. At the time of its opening, the idea of regional collaboration was not a common one among cities, counties, politicians, businesses, or economic development organizations. Without a major interstate roadway to connect the...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
INVERTED VENTURES
WE FINANCE PARADIGM SHIFTS
FINANCING PARADIGM SHIFTSA paradigm shift is a revolutionary and disruptive change in the human experience. Inverted Ventures is a single family office of investors with a passion for technology that radically improves the human experience. We invest in founders with visions for the future that will lead to fundamental changes...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of AI Conferences in 2024:
A Look at the Most Important Events and Topics
Artificial intelligence, or as it is commonly referred to, AI conferences date back to the 1960s and have tremendously expanded from niche gatherings that mainly catered to academia to industry-focused and entrepreneurial assemblies. This is where researchers, policymakers, and professionals from global tech companies collaborate on various aspects of the...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
PORTAGE VENTURES
A GLOBAL FINTECH VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTOR
Portage Ventures (“Portage”) is a venture investor that partners with some of the world’s most innovative financial technology companies. Portage is the venture capital arm of multi-asset class alternative investment firm Sagard. It was cofounded in 2016 by Paul Desmarais III (Executive Chairman and CEO of Sagard) and Adam Felesky...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
TALTECH
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION: IT DIDACTICS RESEARCH GROUP AT TALTECH
Our Vision and Laboratory Looking around us, we witness the rapid rise of technology that touches every aspect of our lives—robots, artificial intelligence, social media, and countless other digital tools. But how do these innovations translate into meaningful changes in education? At Tallinn University of Technology’s IT College, the IT...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Youth Growth Network
Empowering the Next Generation
Founding Story: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Real-World Experience Youth Growth Network (YGN) was founded with a powerful mission: to bridge the gap between academic learning and the real-world skills students need to thrive in their future careers. Recognizing that traditional education often falls short in providing hands-on experiences,...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
RIVER CLEANUP
From a 10-minute cleanup to 1000 plastic-free rivers
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...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Upcoming IT Conferences Focused on Sustainable Technology and Green IT
Sustainable IT Events You Should Consider Attending Next Year
However minimal, we’ve all felt some impact of climate change at one point or another in our lifetime, irrespective of what part of the world we are from. The World Health Organization stated that about 3.6 billion people live in areas especially vulnerable to climate impacts. This is almost half...
INNOVATE® South Florida
OWWLL
TRANSFORMING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WITH JASON R. HILL’S INNOVATIVE VISION
In an era where connections and networking are paramount to success, Owwll emerges as a groundbreaking platform dedicated to fostering meaningful professional relationships. Offering instant networking with top professionals to create endless opportunities, Owwll, founded by visionary entrepreneur Jason R. Hill, is transforming how professionals connect, seek knowledge, and build...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BRANSON CENTRE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP SOUTH AFRICA
SCREW IT, LET’S DO IT!
The world is obsessed with changing businesses for good. Ask the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa (Branson Centre) for its take on that, and it’ll tell you that is actually a misnomer. Fundamentally, business is good. The focus of the Branson Centre is entrepreneurialism and social responsibility. The Branson...
Global Innovation Spotlight
20 Fastest-Growing Jobs for the Next Ten years
The job market changes constantly. Industries evolve and employment demands shift with infrastructure developments and technology improvements. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is thrusting Artificial Intelligence (AI) across workplaces with far greater speed than the age of robotics ever did to manufacturing industries in the past. If we learned one thing...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CANADIAN FOOD INNOVATION NETWORK
CONNECTING THE FOOD SECTOR THROUGH INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION
The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is a national, member based organization established in 2021 that’s stimulating transformative and transferrable innovation across the food sector. CFIN has three key strategic pillars: smart product and process development; food ecosystem sustainability; and agile and safe supply chains. The organization connects the Canadian...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
Armanino
The Innovative Accounting And Consulting Firm That Has A Global Reach And A Local Touch
Founded in 1969, Armanino is one of the top 20 public accounting and business consulting firms in the US, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and has served the Austin and greater Texas markets for years. The firm has robust and expansive traditional tax and audit capabilities, whether it’s...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DJJ Technologies
Building The Future
A Journey of Transformation The story of DJJ Technologies is deeply intertwined with the personal journey of its founder. James began his career at AT&T in 1984, where he honed his skills by selling telephone systems and computers to major oil companies across Texas. His move to Atlanta in 1986...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...
INNOVATE® Nashville
THNKS
SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE
At Thnks, our mission is to leverage technology and the science of gratitude to help establish and build strong relationships for the modern world, through efficient, personalized, and thoughtful appreciation. Thnks has created a movement in workplaces with over 15,000 Thnks sent every week — helping business professionals improve their...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Soft2Bet Combines iGaming Growth with Purpose-Driven Giving
Growth, but with Grounding
Did You Know That Soft2Bet’s Business Model Has a Generous Side? Fast growth and big numbers tend to steal the spotlight in iGaming. But there’s another side to success that doesn’t always make the headlines — the part that gives back. Soft2Bet knows the business of scaling platforms and entering...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
MITACS
MAKING WAVES AND BUILDING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA
THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization, drives innovation across Atlantic Canada through strategic collaborations. With a network of over 197 postsecondary institutions across the country and more than 25 years of experience, Mitacs employs a collaborative approach to research and innovation, matching need with...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
iHeartMedia: Built for the Way People Listen
Morning routines often unfold with familiar voices in the background, filling the space between tasks without demanding attention. In those moments, attention settles rather than fragments. iHeartMedia has built its position inside that space, where engagement feels natural and presence does not need to be forced, reshaping how audio fits...
INNOVATE™ Kenya
NERDHUB KENYA
OUR MISSION IS TO UTILIZE OUR ESPORTS CENTRE TO HELP GIVE YOUNG ASPIRING ESPORT ATHLETES A PLATFORM TO GROW THEIR ESPORTS CAREERS AND COMPETE ON THE WORLD STAGE
Nerdhub Kenya was started as a platform to give talented Kenyan youth an opportunity to grow. Kenya is an underdeveloped country where youth really struggle to follow their dreams. We are giving the youth the opportunity to be the next pop star, Esports champion, Comic artist, Dancer etc. We are...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
KLABIN IN PARANÁ
ROOTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The largest producer and exporter of paper for packaging and sustainable solutions in paper packaging in Brazil, Klabin is a protagonist in a history characterized by innovation and a commitment with sustainable development. Founded in 1899, the Company stands out as the only one in Brazil offering solutions in softwood,...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
LIFESEEDS
BUILDING THE NORDIC BRIDGE TO PERSONALIZED LONGEVITY
Aging is the single greatest risk factor for every major chronic disease — yet the global wellness and supplement market still treats human biology as if one size fits all. Consumers spend billions on generic products, vague claims and underdosed formulas — yet see little measurable impact. At the same...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
OPTAVE
IS BUILDING THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
VISION: We’re enabling a world where the systems are so effective and smart that problems are identified and solved before you even know they exist. And if you ever need to contact support, an artificial intelligent assistant will do it for you, making life easier for everyone. The ‘Uber’ of...
INNOVATE® Seattle
DEFINED.AI
ENABLING CREATORS OF THE FUTURE - TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME
At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
GSP International Airport
Reaching New Heights
Our History Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), Upstate South Carolina’s commercial service airport, was established in October 1962. At the time of its opening, the idea of regional collaboration was not a common one among cities, counties, politicians, businesses, or economic development organizations. Without a major interstate roadway to connect the...