Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Blockchain

PHIGITALS

PHIGITALS

Fashion + Web3: The Road to Sustainability

Phigitals [Physical + Digital] is a web3 enabled B2B Saas solution for sustainable fashion resale, allowing e-commerce retail platforms to recapture margin in the circular economy, boosting profits while reducing their carbon footprint by up to 86% per transaction (source: Financial Times). The company tethers individual fashion items to NFTs...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BENEDICT COLLEGE

Pioneering an Entrepreneurial Revolution

In the heart of Columbia, South Carolina, Benedict College is redefining the landscape of higher education by fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. At the forefront of this transformation is the Burroughs Enterprise, Startup, and Technology (B.E.S.T.) Innovation Lab, a dynamic hub that empowers students, faculty, and entrepreneurs to...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

NEXT AGENTS

DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION IN STOCKHOLM

Stockholm is globally recognized as a hub for innovation, particularly in sustainability, and Next Agents plays a pivotal role in advancing this ecosystem. Sustainability-driven innovation lies at the heart of Next Agents’ mission to empower businesses to create solutions that benefit people, the planet, and profitability. Central to this approach...

INNOVATE® Nashville

SOUNDSTRIPE

WHERE MUSIC MEETS MOMENTUM

Soundstripe makes it easier for creators to find music that moves—and for artists to make a living doing what they love. Born in Nashville and built by musicians who know the grind, Soundstripe is more than just a licensing platform—it’s a growing music library of tens of thousands of tracks...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

YORK UNIVERSITY

YORK UNIVERSITY-A COMMUNITY OF CHANGE MAKERS WORKING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

A COMMUNITY OF CHANGE MAKERS WORKING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

York University is a leading international teaching and research University, and a driving force for positive change. Located in Toronto, Canada, York University is home to one of the largest and most diverse student bodies in Canada with 59,000 students from 178 countries. International partners are collaborating with VISTA to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ÄIO

FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO

ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Bluewave Technologies Inc.

Bluewave Technologies Inc. - A health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s innovation hub

A health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s innovation hub

Created in 2015 company, BLUEWAVE Technologies is a health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s Innovation Hub. Innovation Hub. BLUEWAVE Technologies is a health-tech startup and the creator of the BLUEWAVE, a device that can deodorize items with its proprietary ozone infusion technology in as little as...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

WILLIAM BLAIR

WILLIAM BLAIR-INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Committed to Growth and Innovation Since 1935At William Blair, growth and innovation are in our DNA. As an independent, private partnership, we are committed to providing the world’s leading venture firms with the expert guidance and creative solutions required to unlock value for investors and their portfolio companies. We are...

Global Innovation Spotlight

REPAIRABLY

REPAIRABLY-AS CERTIFICATION BODY

AS CERTIFICATION BODY

Repairably certification aims to bring repair into the practice of the 21 century. As a third-party independent certification body, we test and verify whether a product fulfills 10 basic rules of the Repairably Manifesto, as the methodology for repairability and product rebirth to enable circularity in business models.“ Alan Suchánek,...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

Econsult Solutions, Inc.

Where Innovation Takes Root: The Economics of What Comes Next

Economic impact has a standard playbook: count jobs, measure spending, calculate activity, and produce a number. Oftentimes this approach defines how cities, institutions, and developers tell their economic story, but it can leave out the most important part—the context of the place and the tangible day-to-day impacts on the community....

INNOVATION Quebec

BIOPTERRE

CCTT IN BIOPRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

In the current context of climate change, biodiversity loss, increasing pressure on natural resources and public health concerns, there is a consensus on the importance of building on the bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is the economic activity associated with the development and production of bioproducts and biological processes. Relying on the...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

MAGGIE O’NEILL

WHAT IF COLOR IS THE ANSWER?

Maggie O’Neill is a Washington, D.C.-based artist, designer, entrepreneur, and activist with 20+ years of experience supporting the city’s creative community through her multifaceted work. Her integral role as one of the District’s cultural leaders at the intersection of arts and hospitality is a culmination of her creative design firm...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Explainable Is Too Soft:

in 2026 We Need Forensic Audit Trails in Medical AI

The epiphany didn’t come from a breakthrough in model architecture or a surge in accuracy metrics. It came from watching a physiotherapist from Lviv stare blankly at a screen. Dmytro Grybeniuk and Oleh Ivchenko, specialists in machine learning infrastructure, were attending the MedAI hackathon at Odesa National Polytechnic University not...

INNOVATION Quebec

CPA

CCTT IN AUTOMATED PRODUCTION

Since 1984, Cégep de Jonquière’s Centre de production automatisée (CPA) has been working closely with approximately 200 organizations each year, both locally and internationally. Our mission has expanded with the creation of our Centre en technologies des énergies renouvelables et du rendement énergétique (Centre TERRE) through the NSERC. Working together...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FinEst Centre

Creating Smarter Cities Through Collaborative Innovation

FinEst Centre for Smart Cities is a research and development centre driven by the passion to enhance the quality of life in urban areas. It brings together cities, researchers and entrepreneurs to co-create scalable, research-based solutions for the most pressing urban challenges. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, the centre serves as...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CSG LAW

FULL-SERVICE LAW FIRM ANSWERING CLIENT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION

For more than 50 years, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law) has assisted a broad spectrum of clients in achieving their objectives by offering a comprehensive array of legal services. Our more than 185 attorneys play a key role on clients’ advisory teams, providing strategic guidance to private enterprises, public...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SOUNDBOARD VENTURE FUND

A COLLABORATIVE FUND INVESTING IN EARLY STAGE COMPANIES

SoundBoard Venture Fund leverages the diverse perspectives of our LPs to make investments through a collaborative and facilitated process. SoundBoard Venture Fund is an early-stage fund focused on scalable, tech-enabled, and capital-efficient businesses. We value collaboration, mobilizing our LP base to join our deal flow, diligence, and decision-making processes, assembling...

INNOVATE® Miami

Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig - Entrepreneur Focused Legal Counsel at the Center of Miami’s Innovation Ecosystem

Entrepreneur Focused Legal Counsel at the Center of Miami’s Innovation Ecosystem

At Greenberg Traurig, innovation is more than just talk. It’s in our DNA. Our global law firm utilizes a systemic, holistic approach to innovation, helping clients cut through the noise and pursue their most business-critical goals and growth objectives. Greenberg Traurig’s Emerging Technology Practice is a multidisciplinary legal team representing...

INNOVATE® South Florida

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ALLIANCE

WORK IN THE CLOUD. LIVE IN THE SUN.™

Greater Fort Lauderdale has played an important role as a birthplace of global technology and innovation. This is evident in the products, services, and devices people use daily, including personal computers, mobile phones, mixed reality, satellite radio, and even pet products. Greater Fort Lauderdale is the launchpad for such household...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE MAKERSPACE

THE MAKERSPACE- WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING

WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING, A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS CLASS & CULTURE AND THAT UPLIFTS AS IT ENLIGHTENS

By leveraging the natural generosity inherent in maker culture, the project is able to unlock a new level of efficiency in skills transfer. Creating a safe environment where anyone can learn to use new technologies, where experienced professionals can share their knowledge and help the next generation. Makers” make things,...

INNOVATE® Georgia

UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

INNOVATING TOMORROW: UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA’S CUTTING-EDGE APPROACH TO EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Nestled in the heart of Georgia, the University of West Georgia (UWG) stands as a beacon of innovation and research, setting the stage for a future in which creativity and entrepreneurial spirit thrive. As the seventh-largest public university in the state, UWG is not just an institution of higher learning;...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

First Class Recruiting

Elevating Talent, Powering Industry

In the heart of South Carolina’s booming Upstate region, where aerospace, manufacturing, and technology sectors thrive, First Class Recruiting is building more than just careers – it’s building futures. Helmed by U.S. Air Force veteran and industry trailblazer Lindsay Hansel, this boutique executive search firm has become synonymous with precision...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AETOS

COME SOAR WITH US

“Our vision is to revolutionize the built environment by using3D scanning technology to enhance how facilities train their staff, manage their assets, and collaborate online.” Named after the Greek word for “eagle” (αετός) we believe that clear sight is the medium through which learning, navigation, safety, and collaboration are most...

Global Innovation Spotlight

How Soft2Bet Uses Data and Analytics for Product Development

Soft2Bet is an international B2B technology company that develops software solutions and digital platforms for the iGaming industry. Creating in-demand digital services requires effective management of information flows and data. Soft2Bet uses analytical approaches to the collection, processing, and interpretation of information, helping to improve digital products and user experience....

INNOVATE® Blockchain

PHIGITALS

PHIGITALS

Fashion + Web3: The Road to Sustainability

Phigitals [Physical + Digital] is a web3 enabled B2B Saas solution for sustainable fashion resale, allowing e-commerce retail platforms to recapture margin in the circular economy, boosting profits while reducing their carbon footprint by up to 86% per transaction (source: Financial Times). The company tethers individual fashion items to NFTs...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BENEDICT COLLEGE

Pioneering an Entrepreneurial Revolution

In the heart of Columbia, South Carolina, Benedict College is redefining the landscape of higher education by fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. At the forefront of this transformation is the Burroughs Enterprise, Startup, and Technology (B.E.S.T.) Innovation Lab, a dynamic hub that empowers students, faculty, and entrepreneurs to...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

NEXT AGENTS

DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION IN STOCKHOLM

Stockholm is globally recognized as a hub for innovation, particularly in sustainability, and Next Agents plays a pivotal role in advancing this ecosystem. Sustainability-driven innovation lies at the heart of Next Agents’ mission to empower businesses to create solutions that benefit people, the planet, and profitability. Central to this approach...

INNOVATE® Nashville

SOUNDSTRIPE

WHERE MUSIC MEETS MOMENTUM

Soundstripe makes it easier for creators to find music that moves—and for artists to make a living doing what they love. Born in Nashville and built by musicians who know the grind, Soundstripe is more than just a licensing platform—it’s a growing music library of tens of thousands of tracks...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

YORK UNIVERSITY

YORK UNIVERSITY-A COMMUNITY OF CHANGE MAKERS WORKING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

A COMMUNITY OF CHANGE MAKERS WORKING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE

York University is a leading international teaching and research University, and a driving force for positive change. Located in Toronto, Canada, York University is home to one of the largest and most diverse student bodies in Canada with 59,000 students from 178 countries. International partners are collaborating with VISTA to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ÄIO

FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO

ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Bluewave Technologies Inc.

Bluewave Technologies Inc. - A health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s innovation hub

A health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s innovation hub

Created in 2015 company, BLUEWAVE Technologies is a health-tech startup that started out of the University of Florida’s Innovation Hub. Innovation Hub. BLUEWAVE Technologies is a health-tech startup and the creator of the BLUEWAVE, a device that can deodorize items with its proprietary ozone infusion technology in as little as...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

WILLIAM BLAIR

WILLIAM BLAIR-INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Committed to Growth and Innovation Since 1935At William Blair, growth and innovation are in our DNA. As an independent, private partnership, we are committed to providing the world’s leading venture firms with the expert guidance and creative solutions required to unlock value for investors and their portfolio companies. We are...

Global Innovation Spotlight

REPAIRABLY

REPAIRABLY-AS CERTIFICATION BODY

AS CERTIFICATION BODY

Repairably certification aims to bring repair into the practice of the 21 century. As a third-party independent certification body, we test and verify whether a product fulfills 10 basic rules of the Repairably Manifesto, as the methodology for repairability and product rebirth to enable circularity in business models.“ Alan Suchánek,...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

Econsult Solutions, Inc.

Where Innovation Takes Root: The Economics of What Comes Next

Economic impact has a standard playbook: count jobs, measure spending, calculate activity, and produce a number. Oftentimes this approach defines how cities, institutions, and developers tell their economic story, but it can leave out the most important part—the context of the place and the tangible day-to-day impacts on the community....

INNOVATION Quebec

BIOPTERRE

CCTT IN BIOPRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

In the current context of climate change, biodiversity loss, increasing pressure on natural resources and public health concerns, there is a consensus on the importance of building on the bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is the economic activity associated with the development and production of bioproducts and biological processes. Relying on the...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

MAGGIE O’NEILL

WHAT IF COLOR IS THE ANSWER?

Maggie O’Neill is a Washington, D.C.-based artist, designer, entrepreneur, and activist with 20+ years of experience supporting the city’s creative community through her multifaceted work. Her integral role as one of the District’s cultural leaders at the intersection of arts and hospitality is a culmination of her creative design firm...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Explainable Is Too Soft:

in 2026 We Need Forensic Audit Trails in Medical AI

The epiphany didn’t come from a breakthrough in model architecture or a surge in accuracy metrics. It came from watching a physiotherapist from Lviv stare blankly at a screen. Dmytro Grybeniuk and Oleh Ivchenko, specialists in machine learning infrastructure, were attending the MedAI hackathon at Odesa National Polytechnic University not...

INNOVATION Quebec

CPA

CCTT IN AUTOMATED PRODUCTION

Since 1984, Cégep de Jonquière’s Centre de production automatisée (CPA) has been working closely with approximately 200 organizations each year, both locally and internationally. Our mission has expanded with the creation of our Centre en technologies des énergies renouvelables et du rendement énergétique (Centre TERRE) through the NSERC. Working together...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FinEst Centre

Creating Smarter Cities Through Collaborative Innovation

FinEst Centre for Smart Cities is a research and development centre driven by the passion to enhance the quality of life in urban areas. It brings together cities, researchers and entrepreneurs to co-create scalable, research-based solutions for the most pressing urban challenges. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, the centre serves as...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CSG LAW

FULL-SERVICE LAW FIRM ANSWERING CLIENT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION

For more than 50 years, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law) has assisted a broad spectrum of clients in achieving their objectives by offering a comprehensive array of legal services. Our more than 185 attorneys play a key role on clients’ advisory teams, providing strategic guidance to private enterprises, public...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SOUNDBOARD VENTURE FUND

A COLLABORATIVE FUND INVESTING IN EARLY STAGE COMPANIES

SoundBoard Venture Fund leverages the diverse perspectives of our LPs to make investments through a collaborative and facilitated process. SoundBoard Venture Fund is an early-stage fund focused on scalable, tech-enabled, and capital-efficient businesses. We value collaboration, mobilizing our LP base to join our deal flow, diligence, and decision-making processes, assembling...

INNOVATE® Miami

Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig - Entrepreneur Focused Legal Counsel at the Center of Miami’s Innovation Ecosystem

Entrepreneur Focused Legal Counsel at the Center of Miami’s Innovation Ecosystem

At Greenberg Traurig, innovation is more than just talk. It’s in our DNA. Our global law firm utilizes a systemic, holistic approach to innovation, helping clients cut through the noise and pursue their most business-critical goals and growth objectives. Greenberg Traurig’s Emerging Technology Practice is a multidisciplinary legal team representing...

INNOVATE® South Florida

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ALLIANCE

WORK IN THE CLOUD. LIVE IN THE SUN.™

Greater Fort Lauderdale has played an important role as a birthplace of global technology and innovation. This is evident in the products, services, and devices people use daily, including personal computers, mobile phones, mixed reality, satellite radio, and even pet products. Greater Fort Lauderdale is the launchpad for such household...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE MAKERSPACE

THE MAKERSPACE- WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING

WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING, A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS CLASS & CULTURE AND THAT UPLIFTS AS IT ENLIGHTENS

By leveraging the natural generosity inherent in maker culture, the project is able to unlock a new level of efficiency in skills transfer. Creating a safe environment where anyone can learn to use new technologies, where experienced professionals can share their knowledge and help the next generation. Makers” make things,...

INNOVATE® Georgia

UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

INNOVATING TOMORROW: UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA’S CUTTING-EDGE APPROACH TO EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Nestled in the heart of Georgia, the University of West Georgia (UWG) stands as a beacon of innovation and research, setting the stage for a future in which creativity and entrepreneurial spirit thrive. As the seventh-largest public university in the state, UWG is not just an institution of higher learning;...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

First Class Recruiting

Elevating Talent, Powering Industry

In the heart of South Carolina’s booming Upstate region, where aerospace, manufacturing, and technology sectors thrive, First Class Recruiting is building more than just careers – it’s building futures. Helmed by U.S. Air Force veteran and industry trailblazer Lindsay Hansel, this boutique executive search firm has become synonymous with precision...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AETOS

COME SOAR WITH US

“Our vision is to revolutionize the built environment by using3D scanning technology to enhance how facilities train their staff, manage their assets, and collaborate online.” Named after the Greek word for “eagle” (αετός) we believe that clear sight is the medium through which learning, navigation, safety, and collaboration are most...

Global Innovation Spotlight

How Soft2Bet Uses Data and Analytics for Product Development

Soft2Bet is an international B2B technology company that develops software solutions and digital platforms for the iGaming industry. Creating in-demand digital services requires effective management of information flows and data. Soft2Bet uses analytical approaches to the collection, processing, and interpretation of information, helping to improve digital products and user experience....

Ecosystems