Stories of Innovation

Global Innovation Spotlight

SMARTHEAD

SMARTHEAD-The World’s First Platform Where 100% Of Companies Are Active In Sustainability

The World’s First Platform Where 100% Of Companies Are Active In Sustainability

SmartHead is the world’s first platform for companies of all sizes to manage and communicate their sustainability initiatives effectively through their own digital Sustainability Profile. It is based on 4 main pillars: Data management, communication, sharing best-practices, and collaboration. DIGITAL COMPANY SUSTAINABILITY PROFILE ON BESMARTHEAD.COMEffective data management and transparent sustainability...

INNOVATE® Seattle

Watson Immigration Law

Meet the Startup Visa Lawyer trying to change the law while helping startups and founders grow.

Meet the Startup Visa Lawyer trying to change the law while helping startups and founders grow. Tahmina Watson, founder of Watson Immigration Law in Seattle, fell into immigration law by chance and hasn’t looked back since. She is now a nationally acclaimed, award-winning lawyer, best-selling author, podcast host, and go-to...

United Nations Lesotho

UNESCO

The global leader in Education entrusted to lead the Global Education 2030 Agenda through Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Lesotho became a member of UNESCO in 1967, just a year after gaining independence in 1966. Since then, UNESCO has worked side by side with the Government of Lesotho to develop education systems that provide quality lifelong learning opportunities for all and empower learners to be creative and responsible global...

INNOVATION Quebec

ITMI

CCTT EN MAINTENANCE INDUSTRIELLE

Nous n’avons jamais autant parlé de transformation numérique, de maintenance prédictive, d’optimisation des opérations et d’innovation tant industrielle qu’économique dans notre écosystème de l’industrie et des PME. Et ce n’est que le début! À l’Institut technologique de maintenance industrielle (ITMI), on se réjouit de cette tendance puisqu’elle cadre avec la...

INNOVATE® Miami

Chargello

Chargello - Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Chargello makes portable phone charging kits, places them in restaurants and other venues, and uses this unique location to sell targeted ads. By doing this, they have built a highly focused new media channel while also solving the universal need for charging your phone away from home. “My phone was...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

PROEKSPERT

BUILDING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR A SMARTER WORLD

“Our engineers today are equipped with can-do attitudes and an ability to create ingenious and secure solutions and integrations.” Estonia’s reputation as a digital powerhouse owes much to its innovative companies, and Proekspert is no exception. Founded in 1993 during a time of economic uncertainty, this software development firm seized...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

DR. PEANUT

WHO SAID THAT HEALTHY FOOD HAS TO BE TASTELESS OR BORING?

Motivated by the unwavering and curious desire to respond to that question, in 2017, Lucas Castro, founder and CMO of DR PEANUT, decided to embark and find an ideal recipe that would bring an unbelievable flavor to people focused on health, sports and whoever require balanced energy. This is the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

EXOVIBE

BACK TO THE FUTURE FROM SOFT EXOSKELETON TO SAAS PLATFORM AND BACK

OriginsThe idea for ExoVibe came to founder Gabriel Samlali in 2014, while he was struggling to carry a heavy box to his attic. Gabriel wondered how an elderly or disabled person would manage to complete the same task. A cursory google search for personal equipment solutions led Gabriel to exoskeletons....

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SEARCY FINANCIAL

REDEFINING FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE MODERN ERA

In an industry often defined by numbers, Searcy Financial Services stands apart by focusing on people. Founded in 1976 and independently owned by second-generation leaders Jessica Kmetty, Marc Shaffer, John Fales, and Ryan Brooke, the firm has built a reputation not just for managing wealth, but for helping people make...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

MAHLAKO A PHAHLA

MAHLAKO A PHAHLA - AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED

AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED, MANAGED AND INSPIRED, THAT PROMOTES AFRICAN AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EXCELLENCE

Mahlako a Phahla, founded by sisters Makole Mupita and Meta Mhlarhi, is named after our mother Mahlako to pay homage to her pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit in building a successful family business at a time when it was difficult for many black people to do so.   Mahlako is an...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

New Jersey, a hub for entrepreneurs and multinationals alike, is located in the most highly connected region in the U.S., with all the assets and accessibility any business needs

Choose New Jersey is New Jersey’s leading nonprofit economic development organization. We stimulate job creation and attract capital investment with the aim of growing New Jersey’s economy. We market New Jersey globally as the most ideal state in the U.S. to live, work, and play, and we guide businesses in...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Polsinelli

What a law firm should be

Companies in Nashville and across the country turn to Polsinelli for more than skilled legal representation. With Polsinelli by their side, they have a strategic partner who brings business-first solutions. Shaped by executive perspective, Polsinelli – a national law firm with over 1,200 attorneys across 25 offices – provides commercially...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Design Core Detroit

Plays a Critical Role in Amplifying the Impact of Detroit’s Innovation Community

With over a century of innovation in automobiles, a groundbreaking music scene, amazing architecture and one-of-a-kind fashion labels, DETROIT has long been a place where technical possibility meets great design. Few creative communities truly match the diversity and depth of Detroit’s design roots: a fact well reflected by its designation...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón® (AD&V®) is the largest Architecture and Interior Design Firm in Puerto Rico. The firm is dedicated to sustainable design that enhances people’s experience and improves their lives. Cristina Villalón, Co-Founder | Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, Co-Founder | Monique Lugo López, President Throughout AD&V’s ® history, they have been reinventing...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

FORBIZ BUSINESS SOFTWARE

INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

With a history spanning over three decades, Forbiz Business Software has consistently pioneered innovation and excellence in the business landscape. Strategically located in Curitiba, the company has established itself as the Diamond Distribution Channel for the esteemed Senior Sistemas, reaffirming its dedication to delivering solutions that not only enhance productivity...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Provident Bank

Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee an

Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...

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™ Botswana Vol.1

WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES

WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES-DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT

DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT

White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

OxiWear

Revolutionizing Health Monitoring with Innovation and Perseverance

“I developed OxiWear for myself to demonstrate that I could live a normal life without letting the disease define me.” In 2019, Shavini Fernando, a visionary innovator and determined entrepreneur, founded OxiWear – a groundbreaking company dedicated to transforming how we monitor and respond to critical health metrics. Diagnosed with...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

QUIMBY

QUIMBY-KNOW HOW YOUR PEOPLE ARE FEELING AND WHY

KNOW HOW YOUR PEOPLE ARE FEELING AND WHY

Quimby encourages a more connected, present, and mentally healthier world, starting from building emotionally resilient and psychologically safe workplaces. Quimby focuses on equipping employees with emotional resilience tools, and leaders with training and insights to have more productive conversations at work. These are challenging times for people (outside of work)....

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ENVOY

ENVOY- MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees.   At Envoy...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION AT THE HEART OF HEALTHCARE

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a cornerstone of innovation and excellence in Milwaukee. Founded in 1893, we are a distinguished leader and innovator in the education and development of the next generation of physicians, scientists, pharmacists and health professionals; we discover and translate new knowledge in the biomedical...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON NUENERGY

REVOLUTIONIZING LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLINGTHE RISE OF PRINCETON NUENERGY

In the heart of innovation, within Princeton University, a remarkable journey began that will soon redefine the landscape of lithium-ion battery recycling. Founded in 2019, Princeton NuEnergy (PNE) embarked on a mission to revolutionize the way we view, handle, and recycle critical materials throughout all stages of battery production and...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

DesignPhiladelphia

From Foundation to a Future Designed For and By All

In 2009, AIA Philadelphia launched an ambitious initiative to ignite public interest in architecture and design, resulting in the creation of the Center for Architecture at 1218 Arch Street. Conceived as both a physical destination and a community resource, the Center served as a hub for exhibitions, programs, and dialogue....

Global Innovation Spotlight

SMARTHEAD

SMARTHEAD-The World’s First Platform Where 100% Of Companies Are Active In Sustainability

The World’s First Platform Where 100% Of Companies Are Active In Sustainability

SmartHead is the world’s first platform for companies of all sizes to manage and communicate their sustainability initiatives effectively through their own digital Sustainability Profile. It is based on 4 main pillars: Data management, communication, sharing best-practices, and collaboration. DIGITAL COMPANY SUSTAINABILITY PROFILE ON BESMARTHEAD.COMEffective data management and transparent sustainability...

INNOVATE® Seattle

Watson Immigration Law

Meet the Startup Visa Lawyer trying to change the law while helping startups and founders grow.

Meet the Startup Visa Lawyer trying to change the law while helping startups and founders grow. Tahmina Watson, founder of Watson Immigration Law in Seattle, fell into immigration law by chance and hasn’t looked back since. She is now a nationally acclaimed, award-winning lawyer, best-selling author, podcast host, and go-to...

United Nations Lesotho

UNESCO

The global leader in Education entrusted to lead the Global Education 2030 Agenda through Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Lesotho became a member of UNESCO in 1967, just a year after gaining independence in 1966. Since then, UNESCO has worked side by side with the Government of Lesotho to develop education systems that provide quality lifelong learning opportunities for all and empower learners to be creative and responsible global...

INNOVATION Quebec

ITMI

CCTT EN MAINTENANCE INDUSTRIELLE

Nous n’avons jamais autant parlé de transformation numérique, de maintenance prédictive, d’optimisation des opérations et d’innovation tant industrielle qu’économique dans notre écosystème de l’industrie et des PME. Et ce n’est que le début! À l’Institut technologique de maintenance industrielle (ITMI), on se réjouit de cette tendance puisqu’elle cadre avec la...

INNOVATE® Miami

Chargello

Chargello - Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Now in twenty-six countries and over 6000 restaurants and other venues

Chargello makes portable phone charging kits, places them in restaurants and other venues, and uses this unique location to sell targeted ads. By doing this, they have built a highly focused new media channel while also solving the universal need for charging your phone away from home. “My phone was...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

PROEKSPERT

BUILDING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR A SMARTER WORLD

“Our engineers today are equipped with can-do attitudes and an ability to create ingenious and secure solutions and integrations.” Estonia’s reputation as a digital powerhouse owes much to its innovative companies, and Proekspert is no exception. Founded in 1993 during a time of economic uncertainty, this software development firm seized...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

DR. PEANUT

WHO SAID THAT HEALTHY FOOD HAS TO BE TASTELESS OR BORING?

Motivated by the unwavering and curious desire to respond to that question, in 2017, Lucas Castro, founder and CMO of DR PEANUT, decided to embark and find an ideal recipe that would bring an unbelievable flavor to people focused on health, sports and whoever require balanced energy. This is the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

EXOVIBE

BACK TO THE FUTURE FROM SOFT EXOSKELETON TO SAAS PLATFORM AND BACK

OriginsThe idea for ExoVibe came to founder Gabriel Samlali in 2014, while he was struggling to carry a heavy box to his attic. Gabriel wondered how an elderly or disabled person would manage to complete the same task. A cursory google search for personal equipment solutions led Gabriel to exoskeletons....

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SEARCY FINANCIAL

REDEFINING FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE MODERN ERA

In an industry often defined by numbers, Searcy Financial Services stands apart by focusing on people. Founded in 1976 and independently owned by second-generation leaders Jessica Kmetty, Marc Shaffer, John Fales, and Ryan Brooke, the firm has built a reputation not just for managing wealth, but for helping people make...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

MAHLAKO A PHAHLA

MAHLAKO A PHAHLA - AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED

AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED, MANAGED AND INSPIRED, THAT PROMOTES AFRICAN AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EXCELLENCE

Mahlako a Phahla, founded by sisters Makole Mupita and Meta Mhlarhi, is named after our mother Mahlako to pay homage to her pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit in building a successful family business at a time when it was difficult for many black people to do so.   Mahlako is an...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

New Jersey, a hub for entrepreneurs and multinationals alike, is located in the most highly connected region in the U.S., with all the assets and accessibility any business needs

Choose New Jersey is New Jersey’s leading nonprofit economic development organization. We stimulate job creation and attract capital investment with the aim of growing New Jersey’s economy. We market New Jersey globally as the most ideal state in the U.S. to live, work, and play, and we guide businesses in...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Polsinelli

What a law firm should be

Companies in Nashville and across the country turn to Polsinelli for more than skilled legal representation. With Polsinelli by their side, they have a strategic partner who brings business-first solutions. Shaped by executive perspective, Polsinelli – a national law firm with over 1,200 attorneys across 25 offices – provides commercially...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Design Core Detroit

Plays a Critical Role in Amplifying the Impact of Detroit’s Innovation Community

With over a century of innovation in automobiles, a groundbreaking music scene, amazing architecture and one-of-a-kind fashion labels, DETROIT has long been a place where technical possibility meets great design. Few creative communities truly match the diversity and depth of Detroit’s design roots: a fact well reflected by its designation...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón® (AD&V®) is the largest Architecture and Interior Design Firm in Puerto Rico. The firm is dedicated to sustainable design that enhances people’s experience and improves their lives. Cristina Villalón, Co-Founder | Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, Co-Founder | Monique Lugo López, President Throughout AD&V’s ® history, they have been reinventing...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

FORBIZ BUSINESS SOFTWARE

INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

With a history spanning over three decades, Forbiz Business Software has consistently pioneered innovation and excellence in the business landscape. Strategically located in Curitiba, the company has established itself as the Diamond Distribution Channel for the esteemed Senior Sistemas, reaffirming its dedication to delivering solutions that not only enhance productivity...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Provident Bank

Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee an

Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...

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™ Botswana Vol.1

WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES

WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES-DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT

DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT

White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

OxiWear

Revolutionizing Health Monitoring with Innovation and Perseverance

“I developed OxiWear for myself to demonstrate that I could live a normal life without letting the disease define me.” In 2019, Shavini Fernando, a visionary innovator and determined entrepreneur, founded OxiWear – a groundbreaking company dedicated to transforming how we monitor and respond to critical health metrics. Diagnosed with...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

QUIMBY

QUIMBY-KNOW HOW YOUR PEOPLE ARE FEELING AND WHY

KNOW HOW YOUR PEOPLE ARE FEELING AND WHY

Quimby encourages a more connected, present, and mentally healthier world, starting from building emotionally resilient and psychologically safe workplaces. Quimby focuses on equipping employees with emotional resilience tools, and leaders with training and insights to have more productive conversations at work. These are challenging times for people (outside of work)....

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ENVOY

ENVOY- MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees.   At Envoy...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION AT THE HEART OF HEALTHCARE

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a cornerstone of innovation and excellence in Milwaukee. Founded in 1893, we are a distinguished leader and innovator in the education and development of the next generation of physicians, scientists, pharmacists and health professionals; we discover and translate new knowledge in the biomedical...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON NUENERGY

REVOLUTIONIZING LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLINGTHE RISE OF PRINCETON NUENERGY

In the heart of innovation, within Princeton University, a remarkable journey began that will soon redefine the landscape of lithium-ion battery recycling. Founded in 2019, Princeton NuEnergy (PNE) embarked on a mission to revolutionize the way we view, handle, and recycle critical materials throughout all stages of battery production and...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

DesignPhiladelphia

From Foundation to a Future Designed For and By All

In 2009, AIA Philadelphia launched an ambitious initiative to ignite public interest in architecture and design, resulting in the creation of the Center for Architecture at 1218 Arch Street. Conceived as both a physical destination and a community resource, the Center served as a hub for exhibitions, programs, and dialogue....

Ecosystems