Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Maryland
Upling
Delivering Equity, One Order at a Time.
In a world that often overlooks the most vulnerable, Upling is doing more than just delivering cannabis — it’s delivering purpose, access, and social equity. This Maryland-based, AI-powered cannabis delivery platform is rewriting the rules of healthcare access and digital entrepreneurship, all while confronting long-standing injustices in the cannabis industry....
INNOVATE® Detroit
Driven
Ending legal debt traps with smart payments
In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...
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...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GENLOGS
THEY USED TO TRACK TERRORISTS… NOW THEY TRACK TRUCKS
Like many on September 11th 2001, Ryan Joyce stared in disbelief at the television screens as he watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center in New York City. But it was the next image on the screen that made his heart sink further: the gaping hole and ensuing...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
JOE PUBLIC
OUR PURPOSE IS GROWTH. TO BE THE FERTILE SOIL THAT GROWS OUR PEOPLE, OUR CLIENTS AND OUR COUNTRY.
Joe Public was established in Cape Town in 1998 by Gareth Leck and Pepe Marais. They opened the agency’s doors to the public with something completely new, Take-Away Advertising. This revolutionary model allowed hungry clients to order an ad off a menu with a price list, making Joe Public a...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ABL GROUP
INNOVATION IS PART OF OUR DNA
For over two decades, Grupo ABL, a company from Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, has stood out for its expertise in creating innovative and personalized technological solutions for several sectors. Focusing on technologies, the Group seeks to predict future demands to develop tools that solve the needs of organizations and...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
Holberton School
CHANGING THE FACE OF TECH IN PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico’s technology scene has been a prominent driver of economic growth over the last few years. The changes driven by the global pandemic have made it evident that we rely on technology for our everyday lives. These conditions are creating a higher-than-ever demand for tech skilled professionals. For Puerto...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ENLEDGER
Is a story of fortuitous serendipity and strange coincidence, a random meeting of minds and a coming together of disparate expertise, chasing wild breakthrough ideas in data science and blockchain incentives engineering
Jason Dispenza, an energy exec running a solar energy and building performance company in D.C., meets Ryan Molecke, cryptocurrency exchange technical officer, on a tour bus taking the Icelandic Southern coastal tour, Jan 2016. By the next year, they are paired up with a new blockchain energy applications company, pitching...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Holland & Knight
Service Without Boundaries
Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices throughout the world. The Firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to...
INNOVATE® Georgia
CATALYST BY WELLSTAR
LET’S DISRUPT THE STATUS QUO TO CREATE A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US.
To push Wellstar’s legacy of innovation even further, Catalyst by Wellstar was created in 2021 as the first-of-its-kind innovation company and venture firm. A team of innovators, investors, and builders was assembled to harness the decades of experience and knowledge of Wellstar and shape the future of healthcare. Grounded in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
INSEQUENCE
INDUSTRY LEADER IN AUTOMOTIVE JUST-IN-SEQUENCE MANUFACTURING FOR OVER 25 YEARS
What exactly is innovation? It’s more than a brand new way of thinking, though that is definitely a key part of the equation. Genuine innovation also must have a practical application; that is, be impactfully useful. Sometimes the combination of novel idea and usefulness reach the summit and forge a...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
STRATUS INDUSTRIES
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING: HOW STRATUS INDUSTRIES IS PIONEERING A NEW ERA
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING: HOW STRATUS INDUSTRIES IS PIONEERING A NEW ERA Stratus Industries, established in 2013, is redefining manufacturing by combining traditional strengths with a tech-driven approach. Led by co-founder Lyle Stoflet, the company embodies the motto “Make Manufacturing Cool Again,” aiming to reshape an industry often seen...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
ESPORTS AFRICA NEWS
Get coverage of the hottest and latest African esports news here!!!
OUR CULTUREAs an organization, our modus operandi is fashioned around the concept of the Adinkra symbol from Ghana, ‘Nkonsonkonson’ also known as Chain link. A symbol of unity and human relations. A reminder that in unity lies strength. Flows into the Ubuntu philosophy from southern Africa, where the word means...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
BEAMABLE
WE FREE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF GAME MAKERS TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY LOVE MOST: CREATIVITY
Trapper, Ali and I had lived through building and operating live games like Star Trek Timelines, investing millions to build up the infrastructure to enable it. We didn’t think anyone should have to do all of that again. Our team has a unique background that includes not only making games—but...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TRAILBLAZE PARTNERS
FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT
Throughout their careers as leaders in a variety of industries, Rhys and Jerry started to realize that the problems they were being asked to solve had less to do with operational work, and far more to do with people and culture. Witnessing as they became involved with these, the impact...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
V.I FITNESS
YOUR HEALTH PARTNER
V.I FITNESS IS A HOLISTIC FITNESS COMPANY FOUNDED BY COUSINS COLO TLHONG & LEBOGANG MOIPOAI, AS TEENS THEY BOTH HAD A STRONG DRIVE TO STAY ACTIVE CHALLENGE THEIR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS ALBEIT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. Lebogang was a multi-sport athlete who would try any and every sport; basketball, football, rugby...
INNOVATE® Nashville
HCA HEALTHCARE
How HCA healthcare uses data science to learn, test and deploy solutions to improve patient care
When HCA Healthcare was founded in 1968, we set out to be a different kind of healthcare system. We strived to harness the combined expertise and resources of multiple hospitals to help our frontline caregivers provide high-quality, patient-focused care in a way no single hospital could do alone. Today, that...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
NBIF
Established in 2003, NBIF continues to build on New Brunswick's history as a leading innovation hub
At the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, we’re building on a remarkable history of ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit in New Brunswick to propel the development of the next generation of global technology firms. Heading into our third decade of catapulting innovative ideas into thriving enterprises, our organization – better known by...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
BLUHAUS CAPITAL
EMPOWERING BUSINESSES TO ACCELERATE THEIR FUTURE
The one-stop shop for local businesses on the move. Whether the business is looking to expand, diversify, restructure, acquire, or a sale, Bluhaus provides the financial advice and capital solutions to execute its plans. Founded in 2014 by Eduardo Inclán, Alberto Toro and Waldemar González, Bluhaus Capital is a Puerto...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Arlington Economic Development
Beacon of Entrepreneurial Ingenuity
Beacon of Entrepreneurial Ingenuity In a rapidly evolving commercial landscape, Arlington emerges as a shining example of innovation and opportunity. As businesses grapple with shifting dynamics and challenges, Arlington stands as a beacon of confidence and growth. Let us delve into the elements that make Arlington a premier destination for...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
UNIVERSITY STARTUPS
Empowering Tomorrow
In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
Sourcetoad – Designing Software For Cruise Lines
Let’s Solve It Together
Sourcetoad is a technology and innovation company that specialises in delivering software and development services for the cruise industry. Their flagship product is Cruise Director, a platform for synchronizing and managing guest and crew systems. Designing software for cruise lines can be tricky. Cruise ships are strange beasts; they have...
INNOVATE® Maryland
Upling
Delivering Equity, One Order at a Time.
In a world that often overlooks the most vulnerable, Upling is doing more than just delivering cannabis — it’s delivering purpose, access, and social equity. This Maryland-based, AI-powered cannabis delivery platform is rewriting the rules of healthcare access and digital entrepreneurship, all while confronting long-standing injustices in the cannabis industry....
INNOVATE® Detroit
Driven
Ending legal debt traps with smart payments
In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...
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...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
GENLOGS
THEY USED TO TRACK TERRORISTS… NOW THEY TRACK TRUCKS
Like many on September 11th 2001, Ryan Joyce stared in disbelief at the television screens as he watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center in New York City. But it was the next image on the screen that made his heart sink further: the gaping hole and ensuing...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
JOE PUBLIC
OUR PURPOSE IS GROWTH. TO BE THE FERTILE SOIL THAT GROWS OUR PEOPLE, OUR CLIENTS AND OUR COUNTRY.
Joe Public was established in Cape Town in 1998 by Gareth Leck and Pepe Marais. They opened the agency’s doors to the public with something completely new, Take-Away Advertising. This revolutionary model allowed hungry clients to order an ad off a menu with a price list, making Joe Public a...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ABL GROUP
INNOVATION IS PART OF OUR DNA
For over two decades, Grupo ABL, a company from Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, has stood out for its expertise in creating innovative and personalized technological solutions for several sectors. Focusing on technologies, the Group seeks to predict future demands to develop tools that solve the needs of organizations and...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
Holberton School
CHANGING THE FACE OF TECH IN PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico’s technology scene has been a prominent driver of economic growth over the last few years. The changes driven by the global pandemic have made it evident that we rely on technology for our everyday lives. These conditions are creating a higher-than-ever demand for tech skilled professionals. For Puerto...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ENLEDGER
Is a story of fortuitous serendipity and strange coincidence, a random meeting of minds and a coming together of disparate expertise, chasing wild breakthrough ideas in data science and blockchain incentives engineering
Jason Dispenza, an energy exec running a solar energy and building performance company in D.C., meets Ryan Molecke, cryptocurrency exchange technical officer, on a tour bus taking the Icelandic Southern coastal tour, Jan 2016. By the next year, they are paired up with a new blockchain energy applications company, pitching...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Holland & Knight
Service Without Boundaries
Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices throughout the world. The Firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to...
INNOVATE® Georgia
CATALYST BY WELLSTAR
LET’S DISRUPT THE STATUS QUO TO CREATE A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US.
To push Wellstar’s legacy of innovation even further, Catalyst by Wellstar was created in 2021 as the first-of-its-kind innovation company and venture firm. A team of innovators, investors, and builders was assembled to harness the decades of experience and knowledge of Wellstar and shape the future of healthcare. Grounded in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
INSEQUENCE
INDUSTRY LEADER IN AUTOMOTIVE JUST-IN-SEQUENCE MANUFACTURING FOR OVER 25 YEARS
What exactly is innovation? It’s more than a brand new way of thinking, though that is definitely a key part of the equation. Genuine innovation also must have a practical application; that is, be impactfully useful. Sometimes the combination of novel idea and usefulness reach the summit and forge a...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
STRATUS INDUSTRIES
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING: HOW STRATUS INDUSTRIES IS PIONEERING A NEW ERA
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING: HOW STRATUS INDUSTRIES IS PIONEERING A NEW ERA Stratus Industries, established in 2013, is redefining manufacturing by combining traditional strengths with a tech-driven approach. Led by co-founder Lyle Stoflet, the company embodies the motto “Make Manufacturing Cool Again,” aiming to reshape an industry often seen...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
ESPORTS AFRICA NEWS
Get coverage of the hottest and latest African esports news here!!!
OUR CULTUREAs an organization, our modus operandi is fashioned around the concept of the Adinkra symbol from Ghana, ‘Nkonsonkonson’ also known as Chain link. A symbol of unity and human relations. A reminder that in unity lies strength. Flows into the Ubuntu philosophy from southern Africa, where the word means...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
BEAMABLE
WE FREE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF GAME MAKERS TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY LOVE MOST: CREATIVITY
Trapper, Ali and I had lived through building and operating live games like Star Trek Timelines, investing millions to build up the infrastructure to enable it. We didn’t think anyone should have to do all of that again. Our team has a unique background that includes not only making games—but...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TRAILBLAZE PARTNERS
FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT
Throughout their careers as leaders in a variety of industries, Rhys and Jerry started to realize that the problems they were being asked to solve had less to do with operational work, and far more to do with people and culture. Witnessing as they became involved with these, the impact...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
V.I FITNESS
YOUR HEALTH PARTNER
V.I FITNESS IS A HOLISTIC FITNESS COMPANY FOUNDED BY COUSINS COLO TLHONG & LEBOGANG MOIPOAI, AS TEENS THEY BOTH HAD A STRONG DRIVE TO STAY ACTIVE CHALLENGE THEIR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS ALBEIT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. Lebogang was a multi-sport athlete who would try any and every sport; basketball, football, rugby...
INNOVATE® Nashville
HCA HEALTHCARE
How HCA healthcare uses data science to learn, test and deploy solutions to improve patient care
When HCA Healthcare was founded in 1968, we set out to be a different kind of healthcare system. We strived to harness the combined expertise and resources of multiple hospitals to help our frontline caregivers provide high-quality, patient-focused care in a way no single hospital could do alone. Today, that...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
NBIF
Established in 2003, NBIF continues to build on New Brunswick's history as a leading innovation hub
At the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, we’re building on a remarkable history of ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit in New Brunswick to propel the development of the next generation of global technology firms. Heading into our third decade of catapulting innovative ideas into thriving enterprises, our organization – better known by...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
BLUHAUS CAPITAL
EMPOWERING BUSINESSES TO ACCELERATE THEIR FUTURE
The one-stop shop for local businesses on the move. Whether the business is looking to expand, diversify, restructure, acquire, or a sale, Bluhaus provides the financial advice and capital solutions to execute its plans. Founded in 2014 by Eduardo Inclán, Alberto Toro and Waldemar González, Bluhaus Capital is a Puerto...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Arlington Economic Development
Beacon of Entrepreneurial Ingenuity
Beacon of Entrepreneurial Ingenuity In a rapidly evolving commercial landscape, Arlington emerges as a shining example of innovation and opportunity. As businesses grapple with shifting dynamics and challenges, Arlington stands as a beacon of confidence and growth. Let us delve into the elements that make Arlington a premier destination for...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
UNIVERSITY STARTUPS
Empowering Tomorrow
In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
Sourcetoad – Designing Software For Cruise Lines
Let’s Solve It Together
Sourcetoad is a technology and innovation company that specialises in delivering software and development services for the cruise industry. Their flagship product is Cruise Director, a platform for synchronizing and managing guest and crew systems. Designing software for cruise lines can be tricky. Cruise ships are strange beasts; they have...