Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MATRIX COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
IS AN INTEGRATED MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS HOLDING COMPANY WITH A FOOTPRINT IN PRETORIA, JOHANNESBURG, CAPE TOWN AND DURBAN IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH COLLABORATIONS WITH AGENCIES IN KENYA AND NIGERIA
We partner with entrepreneurs across Africa who are experts in their fields, supporting them in an enabling, energising collaborative environment. We have partnered with agencies that operate independently and have their own P&L, however, our philosophy is built on principles of seamless collaboration. As such our solutions are agnostic and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
JTEKT North America
Looking for Trouble, Delivering Solutions
At JTEKT North America, innovation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an invitation. An invitation to businesses facing their toughest challenges. When it comes to solving the problems that seem unsolvable, JTEKT isn’t shy about one thing: we’re actively “looking for trouble.” Not the kind of trouble that comes with poor...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
TECHNOLOGIA OBRA PRIMA
A PERSONAL NEED CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT REVOLUTIONIZES AN INDUSTRY
The story of Obra Prima is an account of how a personal need can be transformed into an innovative solution that revolutionizes an industry. It all began when Wilson, the founder and director of the company, embarked on the journey of building his own house. Faced with challenges from the...
INNOVATE® South Florida
VETERANS FLORIDA
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY A Decade of Innovation and Veteran Success The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Atlantic University is a transformative initiative designed to equip veterans with the skills, resources, and support needed to launch and grow successful businesses. Now entering...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Madrona
A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES
A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES. Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces, and more. As the tech...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thrive Health
Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone
Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
WILLIAM BLAIR
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...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
AUSHEALTH
BRINGING MEDICAL INNOVATION TO LIFE!
AusHealth® is an Australian-owned health and wellbeing organisation that provides workplace drug and alcohol testing and debt collection services to hospitals, while turning its profits wholly to locally led, globally recognised medical research. Since establishing in 1985, AusHealth® has contributed more than $47 million into South-Australian led research towards pain...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
FOUR & FIVE
Business Advisors Disguised as Lawyers
In a rapidly evolving world where technology consistently outpaces the law, bridging the divide between legal frameworks and innovation has become more critical than ever. At the heart of this intersection lies Four & Five, a boutique law firm founded six years ago by Dimitri Coun and Anneleen Vander Elstraeten...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
REVOOU
Searching For Product Information On The Internet In Spanish Isn’t Easy, But Revoou Wants To Change That, At Least For Online Shopping
Revoou is a product review and product recommendation content producer and website that provides Spanish-language online shoppers with independent and trustworthy, easy-to-digest information and comparison tables about products and services to make the most informed online purchasing decisions. It’s a model English-speakers have seen dozens of times, but the team...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SOUTHERN COMPANY
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
Plant Vogtle, co-owned and operated by Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power, is the largest producer of carbon-free energy in the United States. Southern Company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers and communities, through its electric utilities in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
One Interface, One Billion Blockchain Data Points How Covalent is Using Programming Tools to Build a Reliable Future. If you have a crypto wallet or NFT, you have likely benefited from Covalent’s data services. Everything from current token pricing to streaming depends on a reliable, programmatic data retrieval process, simplified...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
FREELY PAYMENTS
HARNESSING INNOVATION TO TRANSFORM FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
“We are not just facilitating transactions; we are redefining them to create tangible benefits for our clients.” In the bustling city of Washington, D.C., a pioneering force is reshaping the financial contours of the food and beverage industry. freely Payments, a visionary B2B payments gateway, has not just entered the...
INNOVATION Quebec
Québec VITAE
The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster
Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...
INNOVATION Quebec
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA INDUSTRIAL CHAIR
ÉCOLE DE TECHNOLOGIE SUPÉRIEURE ON PROPULSION SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND OPTIMIZATION (2011-2028)
Canada’s first NSERC-P&WC Executive Industrial Chair in Aerospace Research on Propulsion System Integration and Optimization (2011-2016). These projects filled a significant lack of data and criteria in the literature on the preliminary design phase of aircraft engines. The goal was to develop an automated and integrated turbine design system that...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
GESTRAN
LEADING FLEET MANAGEMENT IN INNOVATIVE CURITIBA
Gestran, headquartered in the innovative and progressive city of Curitiba, stands as a remarkable example of innovation and efficiency in the fleet management sector. Founded in the vibrant capital of Paraná, the company has made its mark in both the Brazilian and international markets. Since its inception in 1999, Gestran...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Education 2025-2026: new formats, key trends, and the role of Lectera
The field of education is evolving at an unprecedented rate. Technology, new methods, and societal changes are shaping a completely different approach to learning. All of this makes knowledge more accessible and the process itself more flexible and tailored to the needs of each student. This approach is being implemented...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
POLYGHOST
YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY TO UNDERSTAND THE INDUSTRIAL FUTURE
Hands-on experience is the key to create and open new opportunities that others don’t see and are not willing to seize the moment. Mixing, dosing and separation technologies are crucial for all worldwide industries. These industries are: water, wastewater, energy, oil, gas, pharma, mining, marine power; as well as, food...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DC BLOX
PIONEERING THE SOUTHEAST DIGITAL FRONTIER
In the rapidly evolving landscape of the Southeastern United States, DC BLOX has positioned itself as a linchpin in the accelerating digital transformation that is sweeping across industries. The urgency of this transformation is underscored by several key factors, each playing a crucial role in shaping the digital future of...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
DEALERSITES
LEADS DIGITALIZATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET.
Ensuring competitive advantages, fostering business opportunities, introducing new products and optimizing processes. When it comes to innovation, startups serve as crucial partners for propelling progress in the automotive sector. In this scenario, those who stand out are the ones helping dealerships identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience while adapting...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA
The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SOLVIS
PIONEERING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MEASUREMENT FROM ‘PSST’ TO TOUCHSCREEN
Solvis provides customized devices, kiosks, and a customer feedback and experience management platform. Solvis’ story has a unique start: In the late 90s, a customer voiced dissatisfaction with a toy shop in Curitiba. Initially dismissed as gossip, the complaint prompted the CEO of Solvis, Leonardo Vilas Boas Badotti, the former...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL
IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE
HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL -IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE IN SHAPING THE REGION’S STARTUP ECOSYSTEM. Established in 2015 by the co-founders of EBANX, a cross-border payments startup that achieved unicorn status with presence in more than 20 countries in less than a...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MATRIX COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
IS AN INTEGRATED MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS HOLDING COMPANY WITH A FOOTPRINT IN PRETORIA, JOHANNESBURG, CAPE TOWN AND DURBAN IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH COLLABORATIONS WITH AGENCIES IN KENYA AND NIGERIA
We partner with entrepreneurs across Africa who are experts in their fields, supporting them in an enabling, energising collaborative environment. We have partnered with agencies that operate independently and have their own P&L, however, our philosophy is built on principles of seamless collaboration. As such our solutions are agnostic and...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
JTEKT North America
Looking for Trouble, Delivering Solutions
At JTEKT North America, innovation isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an invitation. An invitation to businesses facing their toughest challenges. When it comes to solving the problems that seem unsolvable, JTEKT isn’t shy about one thing: we’re actively “looking for trouble.” Not the kind of trouble that comes with poor...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
TECHNOLOGIA OBRA PRIMA
A PERSONAL NEED CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT REVOLUTIONIZES AN INDUSTRY
The story of Obra Prima is an account of how a personal need can be transformed into an innovative solution that revolutionizes an industry. It all began when Wilson, the founder and director of the company, embarked on the journey of building his own house. Faced with challenges from the...
INNOVATE® South Florida
VETERANS FLORIDA
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY A Decade of Innovation and Veteran Success The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Atlantic University is a transformative initiative designed to equip veterans with the skills, resources, and support needed to launch and grow successful businesses. Now entering...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Madrona
A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES
A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES. Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces, and more. As the tech...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thrive Health
Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone
Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
WILLIAM BLAIR
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...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
AUSHEALTH
BRINGING MEDICAL INNOVATION TO LIFE!
AusHealth® is an Australian-owned health and wellbeing organisation that provides workplace drug and alcohol testing and debt collection services to hospitals, while turning its profits wholly to locally led, globally recognised medical research. Since establishing in 1985, AusHealth® has contributed more than $47 million into South-Australian led research towards pain...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
FOUR & FIVE
Business Advisors Disguised as Lawyers
In a rapidly evolving world where technology consistently outpaces the law, bridging the divide between legal frameworks and innovation has become more critical than ever. At the heart of this intersection lies Four & Five, a boutique law firm founded six years ago by Dimitri Coun and Anneleen Vander Elstraeten...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
REVOOU
Searching For Product Information On The Internet In Spanish Isn’t Easy, But Revoou Wants To Change That, At Least For Online Shopping
Revoou is a product review and product recommendation content producer and website that provides Spanish-language online shoppers with independent and trustworthy, easy-to-digest information and comparison tables about products and services to make the most informed online purchasing decisions. It’s a model English-speakers have seen dozens of times, but the team...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SOUTHERN COMPANY
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
Plant Vogtle, co-owned and operated by Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power, is the largest producer of carbon-free energy in the United States. Southern Company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers and communities, through its electric utilities in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
One Interface, One Billion Blockchain Data Points How Covalent is Using Programming Tools to Build a Reliable Future. If you have a crypto wallet or NFT, you have likely benefited from Covalent’s data services. Everything from current token pricing to streaming depends on a reliable, programmatic data retrieval process, simplified...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
FREELY PAYMENTS
HARNESSING INNOVATION TO TRANSFORM FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
“We are not just facilitating transactions; we are redefining them to create tangible benefits for our clients.” In the bustling city of Washington, D.C., a pioneering force is reshaping the financial contours of the food and beverage industry. freely Payments, a visionary B2B payments gateway, has not just entered the...
INNOVATION Quebec
Québec VITAE
The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster
Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...
INNOVATION Quebec
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA INDUSTRIAL CHAIR
ÉCOLE DE TECHNOLOGIE SUPÉRIEURE ON PROPULSION SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND OPTIMIZATION (2011-2028)
Canada’s first NSERC-P&WC Executive Industrial Chair in Aerospace Research on Propulsion System Integration and Optimization (2011-2016). These projects filled a significant lack of data and criteria in the literature on the preliminary design phase of aircraft engines. The goal was to develop an automated and integrated turbine design system that...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
GESTRAN
LEADING FLEET MANAGEMENT IN INNOVATIVE CURITIBA
Gestran, headquartered in the innovative and progressive city of Curitiba, stands as a remarkable example of innovation and efficiency in the fleet management sector. Founded in the vibrant capital of Paraná, the company has made its mark in both the Brazilian and international markets. Since its inception in 1999, Gestran...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Education 2025-2026: new formats, key trends, and the role of Lectera
The field of education is evolving at an unprecedented rate. Technology, new methods, and societal changes are shaping a completely different approach to learning. All of this makes knowledge more accessible and the process itself more flexible and tailored to the needs of each student. This approach is being implemented...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
POLYGHOST
YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY TO UNDERSTAND THE INDUSTRIAL FUTURE
Hands-on experience is the key to create and open new opportunities that others don’t see and are not willing to seize the moment. Mixing, dosing and separation technologies are crucial for all worldwide industries. These industries are: water, wastewater, energy, oil, gas, pharma, mining, marine power; as well as, food...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DC BLOX
PIONEERING THE SOUTHEAST DIGITAL FRONTIER
In the rapidly evolving landscape of the Southeastern United States, DC BLOX has positioned itself as a linchpin in the accelerating digital transformation that is sweeping across industries. The urgency of this transformation is underscored by several key factors, each playing a crucial role in shaping the digital future of...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
DEALERSITES
LEADS DIGITALIZATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET.
Ensuring competitive advantages, fostering business opportunities, introducing new products and optimizing processes. When it comes to innovation, startups serve as crucial partners for propelling progress in the automotive sector. In this scenario, those who stand out are the ones helping dealerships identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience while adapting...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA
The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SOLVIS
PIONEERING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MEASUREMENT FROM ‘PSST’ TO TOUCHSCREEN
Solvis provides customized devices, kiosks, and a customer feedback and experience management platform. Solvis’ story has a unique start: In the late 90s, a customer voiced dissatisfaction with a toy shop in Curitiba. Initially dismissed as gossip, the complaint prompted the CEO of Solvis, Leonardo Vilas Boas Badotti, the former...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL
IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE
HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL -IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE IN SHAPING THE REGION’S STARTUP ECOSYSTEM. Established in 2015 by the co-founders of EBANX, a cross-border payments startup that achieved unicorn status with presence in more than 20 countries in less than a...