Stories of Innovation

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:

How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform

Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | SC Tech

South Carolina’s Technology & Cybersecurity Cluster

SC Tech sits at the center supporting South Carolina’s successful push as a tech-driven, future-focused state. An initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), the cluster helps to accelerate growth and innovation while giving the statewide technology community a unified voice. The work is deliberately broad: strengthen...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR GREATER PHILADELPHIA

BUILT ON LEGACY. DRIVEN BY WHAT’S NEXT.

For 225 years, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia has championed the idea that Philadelphia is where ambition can find footing. Where infrastructure, relationships, and the shared belief in what’s possible can align in a way that turns ideas into industry. When a company is weighing a major location...

INNOVATE® Ohio

JUMPSTART

WHEN THEY BUILD BOLDY, EVERYONE BENEFITS

JUMPSTART SUPPORTS THE ENTREPRENEURS MOVING OHIO FOWARD Innovation, the story goes, happens somewhere else besides Ohio. Somewhere with better light, louder money and a mythology that has already been optioned for a miniseries. The reality is Ohio has spent generations making things people rely on, like rubber, steel, glass, cars,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

WAKE

BORN IN CURITIBA TO REVOLUTIONIZE DIGITAL RETAIL

Founded in 2006, Fbits was born in Curitiba, the capital of the state of Paraná, located in the southern region of Brazil, as a result of the Tecnoparque program, which drives innovative local projects. Curitiba is a reference in innovation and was recently elected the Smartest City in the World....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NanoBioFAB

Pioneering the Future of Medical Sensing Technology

NanoBioFab blends nanotechnology with artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions for early infection detection and personalized healthcare. Founded by Dr. Xiaonao Liu, this medtech company is revolutionizing the medical industry with its AI-driven smart sensors and high-throughput 3D nano-printing technology. NanoBioFab is on a journey fueled by personal motivation, cutting-edge...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

CARAVELA

A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM SPECIALIZING IN EARLY-STAGE INVESTMENTS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA

CARAVELA-A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM SPECIALIZING IN EARLY-STAGE INVESTMENTS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA, FOCUSING ON PRE-SEED, SEED, AND SERIES A ROUNDS. They employ a sector-agnostic strategy, aiming to build a diverse portfolio of 25-30 companies in each of their funds. Caravela is known both for their go-to market approach, having analyzed more...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

#THISISMINING

#THISISMINING -PRESENTED BY THE ONTARIO MINING ASSOCIATION

PRESENTED BY THE ONTARIO MINING ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Mining Association is proud to represent an industry that provides the world with the building blocks of modern life and innovation. Minerals and metals are essential, irreplaceable components of everything from lifesaving medical devices to clean technologies, such as solar panels and EV batteries. We cannot have a...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SMARTSKIN TECHNOLOGIES

HARNESSING DATA TO OPTIMIZE GLOBAL PRODUCTION

Fredericton-based SmartSkin Technologies is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical and beverage manufacturing industries through innovative sensor technology and data-driven solutions. Using a combination of advanced patented sensor technology and sophisticated data analytics, SmartSkin identifies and solves issues in production and bottling lines, helping companies optimize production, reduce waste, and increase efficiency. This...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

NEXT CANADA

NEXT CANADA-BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

Founded in 2011, NEXT Canada was built on the vision of supporting the growth trajectory of aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs. With the support and leadership from NEXT Canada’s Cofounders and Founding Patrons, NEXT has grown to become one of Canada’s top entrepreneurial networks, with graduates achieving significant milestones in their...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NOWY.IO

A Vision Born from Wanderlust

People travel and take holidays for many different reasons. “Think about shoes,” says Branda Fan, Founder of Nowy. “We all have different styles and needs, and no one else can tell you if a pair is actually comfortable. Just like that, travel isn’t one-size-fits-all. We might all be heading somewhere...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

INFLUITIVE

INFLUITIVE - THE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM OF CHOICE FOR ADVOCACY

THE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM OF CHOICE FOR ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY, AND LOYALTY

Influitive helps the world’s leading brands engage with their customers to drive business value across multiple dimensions. Customer referrals, references and reviews are now recognized as the most effective way to drive business growth and Influitive enables this at scale. Since 2010, Influitive has pioneered advocate marketing and built an...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UPLING

From Adversity to Innovation

Upling LLC revolutionizes cannabis access in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, offering a swift online platform for legal cannabis purchases from local dispensaries. Its user-friendly app ensures that whether for medical or recreational purposes, cannabis delivery is just a few taps away. Adhering strictly to state and federal laws, Upling guarantees...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Stockholm Stad

Stockholm is Building Tomorrow's Innovation Leaders

Stockholm has firmly established itself as one of the world’s most dynamic innovation and technology hubs. Known for its thriving startup ecosystem, cutting-edge research, and a strong culture of collaboration, the Swedish capital consistently ranks among the top cities for entrepreneurship and technological advancement. With a highly educated workforce, a...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

CROPIFY

ELIMINATING SUBJECTIVE TESTING OF PULSE AND GRAIN CROPS

CHALLENGEGlobally, grain and pulse crops are classified to determine the grade of a crop. This grade determines the financial return to the seller / farmer. The classification process currently consists of approximately 53% subjective and 47% objective testing. Subjective testing leads to disputes and a lack of confidence in the...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

WORKWOLF

WORKWOLF -THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL

THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL

Owning one of Canada’s most successful Healthcare Recruiting Agencies, Workwolf’s Cofounder and CEO, Erik Simins, spent years working with enterprise companies to help establish more efficient ways to identify, attract and hire talent. Overseeing thousands of hiring cycles, one thing was very clear; resumes were the prominent source of data...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

TELUS POLLINATOR FUND FOR GOOD

TELUS POLLINATOR FUND FOR GOOD-INVESTING IN IMPACT

INVESTING IN IMPACT

In the spring of 2020, just as the devastating first wave of the pandemic began to hit businesses, healthcare and our communities, the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good was born. At $100 million, the Pollinator Fund is one of the world’s largest corporate impact funds. The Pollinator Fund invests in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ETT(ESTEIO TECNOLGIA EM TRANSITO)

A SMART TRAFFIC WITH LIFE PRIORITY

ETT (Esteio Tecnologia em Trânsito) has focused on technological development since 2007, with the aim of protecting lives and providing solutions tailored to the needs of its customers. As part of the Esteio Group, headquartered in Curitiba, it currently has more than 400 employees, reaching markets such as Brazil, Argentina,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LAQUILA

QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN TWO WHEELS

Laquila was founded in 1980, with a small 100m² store, focused on selling motorcycle parts, in Rio Grande do Sul. With determination and a vision of the future, they expanded to 200m² and, later, to an even larger space, adopting the wholesale model. After 12 years in the capital of...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK-TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) is to provide dignity, stability, and comfort to Chicagoans facing poverty by allowing our clients to handpick an entire home’s worth of furnishings for free. As the country’s largest furniture bank, we furnish 15 client homes per day through partnerships with our...

INNOVATE® South Florida

CODE/ART

INSPIRING GIRLS TO CODE

Code/Art is a Miami-based nonprofit on a mission to increase the number of girls in computer science by delighting and inspiring them with the creative possibilities of computer programming. Art is the secret sauce that enables Code/Art to meet girls where they are at with in-demand tech skills – fueling...

INNOVATION Quebec

OPTONIQUE

LUMIÈRE SUR L’INNOVATION

La photonique se retrouve partout : chirurgie laser, manufacture de batteries, ordinateur quantique sont parmi tant d’autres applications qui bénéficient des technologies utilisant la lumière. La présence en sols québécois de centres de recherche et d’industries a mené à un terreau fertile d’innovation chez les jeunespousses technologiques et les entreprises...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

MOTRAC

SUSTAINABLE INTRALOGISTICS AND CLEANING, IN EVERY POSSIBLE SENSE

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MOTRACSimply put: whether you’re a small starter company or an industry giant, you can expect Motrac to offer tailor-made solutions in the fields of intralogistics and cleaning. As an Antwerp-based products & services provider with over 50 years of experience, they use their expertise to assist...

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...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:

How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform

Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | SC Tech

South Carolina’s Technology & Cybersecurity Cluster

SC Tech sits at the center supporting South Carolina’s successful push as a tech-driven, future-focused state. An initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), the cluster helps to accelerate growth and innovation while giving the statewide technology community a unified voice. The work is deliberately broad: strengthen...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR GREATER PHILADELPHIA

BUILT ON LEGACY. DRIVEN BY WHAT’S NEXT.

For 225 years, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia has championed the idea that Philadelphia is where ambition can find footing. Where infrastructure, relationships, and the shared belief in what’s possible can align in a way that turns ideas into industry. When a company is weighing a major location...

INNOVATE® Ohio

JUMPSTART

WHEN THEY BUILD BOLDY, EVERYONE BENEFITS

JUMPSTART SUPPORTS THE ENTREPRENEURS MOVING OHIO FOWARD Innovation, the story goes, happens somewhere else besides Ohio. Somewhere with better light, louder money and a mythology that has already been optioned for a miniseries. The reality is Ohio has spent generations making things people rely on, like rubber, steel, glass, cars,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

WAKE

BORN IN CURITIBA TO REVOLUTIONIZE DIGITAL RETAIL

Founded in 2006, Fbits was born in Curitiba, the capital of the state of Paraná, located in the southern region of Brazil, as a result of the Tecnoparque program, which drives innovative local projects. Curitiba is a reference in innovation and was recently elected the Smartest City in the World....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NanoBioFAB

Pioneering the Future of Medical Sensing Technology

NanoBioFab blends nanotechnology with artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions for early infection detection and personalized healthcare. Founded by Dr. Xiaonao Liu, this medtech company is revolutionizing the medical industry with its AI-driven smart sensors and high-throughput 3D nano-printing technology. NanoBioFab is on a journey fueled by personal motivation, cutting-edge...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

CARAVELA

A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM SPECIALIZING IN EARLY-STAGE INVESTMENTS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA

CARAVELA-A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM SPECIALIZING IN EARLY-STAGE INVESTMENTS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA, FOCUSING ON PRE-SEED, SEED, AND SERIES A ROUNDS. They employ a sector-agnostic strategy, aiming to build a diverse portfolio of 25-30 companies in each of their funds. Caravela is known both for their go-to market approach, having analyzed more...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

#THISISMINING

#THISISMINING -PRESENTED BY THE ONTARIO MINING ASSOCIATION

PRESENTED BY THE ONTARIO MINING ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Mining Association is proud to represent an industry that provides the world with the building blocks of modern life and innovation. Minerals and metals are essential, irreplaceable components of everything from lifesaving medical devices to clean technologies, such as solar panels and EV batteries. We cannot have a...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SMARTSKIN TECHNOLOGIES

HARNESSING DATA TO OPTIMIZE GLOBAL PRODUCTION

Fredericton-based SmartSkin Technologies is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical and beverage manufacturing industries through innovative sensor technology and data-driven solutions. Using a combination of advanced patented sensor technology and sophisticated data analytics, SmartSkin identifies and solves issues in production and bottling lines, helping companies optimize production, reduce waste, and increase efficiency. This...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

NEXT CANADA

NEXT CANADA-BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

Founded in 2011, NEXT Canada was built on the vision of supporting the growth trajectory of aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs. With the support and leadership from NEXT Canada’s Cofounders and Founding Patrons, NEXT has grown to become one of Canada’s top entrepreneurial networks, with graduates achieving significant milestones in their...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NOWY.IO

A Vision Born from Wanderlust

People travel and take holidays for many different reasons. “Think about shoes,” says Branda Fan, Founder of Nowy. “We all have different styles and needs, and no one else can tell you if a pair is actually comfortable. Just like that, travel isn’t one-size-fits-all. We might all be heading somewhere...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

INFLUITIVE

INFLUITIVE - THE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM OF CHOICE FOR ADVOCACY

THE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM OF CHOICE FOR ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY, AND LOYALTY

Influitive helps the world’s leading brands engage with their customers to drive business value across multiple dimensions. Customer referrals, references and reviews are now recognized as the most effective way to drive business growth and Influitive enables this at scale. Since 2010, Influitive has pioneered advocate marketing and built an...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UPLING

From Adversity to Innovation

Upling LLC revolutionizes cannabis access in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, offering a swift online platform for legal cannabis purchases from local dispensaries. Its user-friendly app ensures that whether for medical or recreational purposes, cannabis delivery is just a few taps away. Adhering strictly to state and federal laws, Upling guarantees...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Stockholm Stad

Stockholm is Building Tomorrow's Innovation Leaders

Stockholm has firmly established itself as one of the world’s most dynamic innovation and technology hubs. Known for its thriving startup ecosystem, cutting-edge research, and a strong culture of collaboration, the Swedish capital consistently ranks among the top cities for entrepreneurship and technological advancement. With a highly educated workforce, a...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

CROPIFY

ELIMINATING SUBJECTIVE TESTING OF PULSE AND GRAIN CROPS

CHALLENGEGlobally, grain and pulse crops are classified to determine the grade of a crop. This grade determines the financial return to the seller / farmer. The classification process currently consists of approximately 53% subjective and 47% objective testing. Subjective testing leads to disputes and a lack of confidence in the...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

WORKWOLF

WORKWOLF -THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL

THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL

Owning one of Canada’s most successful Healthcare Recruiting Agencies, Workwolf’s Cofounder and CEO, Erik Simins, spent years working with enterprise companies to help establish more efficient ways to identify, attract and hire talent. Overseeing thousands of hiring cycles, one thing was very clear; resumes were the prominent source of data...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

TELUS POLLINATOR FUND FOR GOOD

TELUS POLLINATOR FUND FOR GOOD-INVESTING IN IMPACT

INVESTING IN IMPACT

In the spring of 2020, just as the devastating first wave of the pandemic began to hit businesses, healthcare and our communities, the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good was born. At $100 million, the Pollinator Fund is one of the world’s largest corporate impact funds. The Pollinator Fund invests in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ETT(ESTEIO TECNOLGIA EM TRANSITO)

A SMART TRAFFIC WITH LIFE PRIORITY

ETT (Esteio Tecnologia em Trânsito) has focused on technological development since 2007, with the aim of protecting lives and providing solutions tailored to the needs of its customers. As part of the Esteio Group, headquartered in Curitiba, it currently has more than 400 employees, reaching markets such as Brazil, Argentina,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LAQUILA

QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN TWO WHEELS

Laquila was founded in 1980, with a small 100m² store, focused on selling motorcycle parts, in Rio Grande do Sul. With determination and a vision of the future, they expanded to 200m² and, later, to an even larger space, adopting the wholesale model. After 12 years in the capital of...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK-TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) is to provide dignity, stability, and comfort to Chicagoans facing poverty by allowing our clients to handpick an entire home’s worth of furnishings for free. As the country’s largest furniture bank, we furnish 15 client homes per day through partnerships with our...

INNOVATE® South Florida

CODE/ART

INSPIRING GIRLS TO CODE

Code/Art is a Miami-based nonprofit on a mission to increase the number of girls in computer science by delighting and inspiring them with the creative possibilities of computer programming. Art is the secret sauce that enables Code/Art to meet girls where they are at with in-demand tech skills – fueling...

INNOVATION Quebec

OPTONIQUE

LUMIÈRE SUR L’INNOVATION

La photonique se retrouve partout : chirurgie laser, manufacture de batteries, ordinateur quantique sont parmi tant d’autres applications qui bénéficient des technologies utilisant la lumière. La présence en sols québécois de centres de recherche et d’industries a mené à un terreau fertile d’innovation chez les jeunespousses technologiques et les entreprises...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

MOTRAC

SUSTAINABLE INTRALOGISTICS AND CLEANING, IN EVERY POSSIBLE SENSE

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MOTRACSimply put: whether you’re a small starter company or an industry giant, you can expect Motrac to offer tailor-made solutions in the fields of intralogistics and cleaning. As an Antwerp-based products & services provider with over 50 years of experience, they use their expertise to assist...

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...

Ecosystems