Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

JLABS @ WASHINGTON, DC

Accelerating Innovation in the Capital Region

Where the corridors of power intersect with groundbreaking research, JLABS @ Washington DC is a haven of innovation. As part of the global Johnson & Johnson Innovation network, JLABS is more than just a state-of-the-art facility; it’s a thriving ecosystem designed to accelerate life sciences innovation. Since its inception, JLABS...

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

HYDRO-QUÉBEC

L’INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE

LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE EST EN MARCHE. LE SECTEUR DE L’ÉNERGIE CONNAÎT DE PROFONDES TRANSFORMATIONS PROVOQUÉES NOTAMMENT PAR LA RECHERCHE DE SOLUTIONS DURABLES AUX EFFETS DES CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES, AUX NOUVEAUX BESOINS ET HABITUDES DE CONSOMMATION DE NOS CLIENTS, ET PAR LA GRANDE ACCESSIBILITÉ DE NOUVELLES TECHNOLOGIES. Si l’invention du transport d’électricité...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Brock Family Center

Accelerating the translation of Vanderbilt discoveries through commercialization and industry partnerships

The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation was established at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2023 through a $10 million gift from the Brock family, including John F. Brock III, his wife, Mary, and their three adult children – Rebecca Brock Dixon, John F. Brock IV and Major Brock. The...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AFLAC

REIMAGINING THE WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE

Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING

THE HUNTER FAMILY & THE CREATION OF THE HUNTER HUB

THE HISTORY OF THE HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKINGThe Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking was founded in 2017 with a $40 million donation from the Hunter Family Foundation, marking one of the largest donations in the University of Calgary’s history. The Hunter Hub’s purpose is to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LEVEL EX

Playing Is Training: Chicago’s Gaming And Healthcare Legacies Meet At Level Ex

Today, Level Ex has 750,000 medical professionals playing its games to advance their skills and earn Continuing Medical Education (CME). The story of how it changed the way medicine is learned and practiced is as much an ode to Chicago as it is a start-up success story....

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

CONQUER BUSINESS SCHOOL

THE BRAZILIAN BUSINESS SCHOOL THAT HAS ALREADY IMPACTED MORE THAN 5 MILLION STUDENTS AND OVER 1000 C

CONQUER BUSINESS SCHOOL-THE BRAZILIAN BUSINESS SCHOOL THAT HAS ALREADY IMPACTED MORE THAN 5 MILLION STUDENTS AND OVER 1000 COMPANIES Conquer Business School is a Brazilian Business School based in the city of Curitiba, which has already transformed the lives of more than 5 million students in over 100 countries. The...

INNOVATION Quebec

Aliments Santé

Aliments Santé-Health Foods Niche of Excellence-Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé is a group of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders who work closely together to foster innovation. Their goal is to develop and market healthy, innovative, and value added food products

Aliments Santé is supported by the ACCORD arm of Québec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie and by the City of Québec. The organization helps food processors implement collaborative knowledge building projects and facilitates networking activities to create business opportunities and promote industry expertise. In June 2021, through...

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® Chicago Vol.1

AZUMO

AZUMO-Manufacturer of LCD 2.0

Manufacturer of LCD 2.0, A Breakthrough Display Technology Revolutionizing A $130B Industry

Displays have become ubiquitous in our society. We find them in smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, drive through restaurants, ATM machines, thermostats, gas station pumps…the list is endless. Even still, there are notable negative impacts of displays which we have become accustomed to – excessive power consumption, subpar viewability in bright...

INNOVATE® Georgia

SPLITIT

REVOLUTIONIZING INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS

In a world dominated by ever-evolving financial technology, Splitit emerged as a beacon of innovation, ushering in a new era of responsible shopping. While the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) industry surged forward, Splitit stood out as a trailblazer, transforming the landscape through their merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. Their mission was...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON CONSULTANTS

To innovate through AI and Optimization, many of the best managed organizations in North America trust Princeton Consultants

Founded by CEO Steve Sashihara in 1980 and still headquartered in Princeton, we help clients improve performance through the successful deployment of AI and Optimization. Blending world-class technical expertise and deep business insight, our consultants work in small, agile teams to provide transformational solutions and services that drive innovation. Our...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Sparkle & Sabre

Sparkle & Sabre - Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being

Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being

ELEVATOR PITCH “Every woman deserves to feel beautiful; every woman deserves to feel safe; every woman deserves to feel happy.” is the motto at Sparkle & Sabre, a small jewelry company specializing in stylish pieces that boost wearers’ sense of security and well-being. With a majority of available self-defense products...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

ADLUCENT

ADLUCENT-CREATING A COMPANY FRAMEWORK

CREATING A COMPANY FRAMEWORK

The great management consultant, educator, and author Peter Drucker said it best: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”. As the CEO of Adlucent, a performance marketing agency, I find this quote resonates with me on a deep level. But, while there are many inspiring quotes out there that help leaders set...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Building a Web3 Artist Portfolio:

From NFTs to Decentralized Fan Communities

The digital revolution in music continues to evolve at a dizzying pace. While traditional online presence remains crucial, as detailed in Online Reputation for Artists: Building Your Digital Legacy, we’re witnessing a seismic shift toward Web3 technologies that promises to reshape how artists connect with their audiences and monetize their work....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

PEACE OF MEAT

PEACE OF MEAT - RETHINKING MEAT FOR TOMORROW

RETHINKING MEAT FOR TOMORROW

The messy story behind meatBy 2030, we’ll reach a global population of almost 10 billion. Worldwide demand for food is soaring, and so is the demand for meat. Despite the growing popularity of plant-based diets, meat is still an important part of the daily menu across the globe. With good...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MARS

MARS-Toronto’s Home Of Meaningful Innovation

Toronto’s Home Of Meaningful Innovation

MaRS helps promising ventures become world-leading companies. The anchor of Canada’s tech ecosystem, MaRS connects all players in the innovation economy to turn breakthrough ideas into products and services with global impact. MaRS was founded on the philosophy that innovators require more than labs and offices. They need a platform...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

Driving Economic Growth and Career Success Through Innovative Education

In today’s rapidly evolving workforce landscape, the need for skilled, job-ready employees has never been greater. Industries are facing critical labor shortages and actively seeking workers who can contribute from day one. At the same time, students and job seekers are increasingly looking for fast, flexible training that leads directly...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SHIPBOB

The Trusted Global Omnifulfillment Platform To Scale Your Ecommerce Business And Meet Customer Expectations Everywhere They Shop

ShipBob provides fulfillment services across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia for orders placed on ecommerce websites, online marketplaces, social media platforms, and through B2B partnerships (in physical stores and retailers’ online stores)....

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NICEHASH

From the tiny country of Slovenia to a global crypto platform for mining and trading hashpower, NiceHash redefined the mining space and makes Bitcoin accessible to everyone

From a simple idea 10 years ago, to a global platform enabling millions of people to mine cryptocurrency, NiceHash is a familiar name in the mining world. NiceHash has battled with controversy, survived nation state attackers, and still solidified its unique position in the crypto space as the world’s largest...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

FARM SANCTUARY SA

FARM SANCTUARY SA: PIGCASSO INSPIRING A KINDER

PIGCASSO INSPIRING A KINDER, MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD

A painting pig from Farm Sanctuary SA is hogging the limelight and inspiring animal lovers to make the connection between what they eat and the industries that they support.   When South African Joanne Lefson rescued a small piglet from a local industrialized hog facility in 2016, she knew this...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ABARTYS HEALTH

Healthcare Data, Simplified

What we do: AbartysHealth focuses on improving healthcare by creating patient centric solutions that streamline data, communication, and services for the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry confronts several difficulties in developing interoperable solutions that reliably and accurately collect and communicate data in a complex, dispersed, and unconnected healthcare environment. Founded...

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® Washington DMV Edition

JLABS @ WASHINGTON, DC

Accelerating Innovation in the Capital Region

Where the corridors of power intersect with groundbreaking research, JLABS @ Washington DC is a haven of innovation. As part of the global Johnson & Johnson Innovation network, JLABS is more than just a state-of-the-art facility; it’s a thriving ecosystem designed to accelerate life sciences innovation. Since its inception, JLABS...

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

HYDRO-QUÉBEC

L’INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE

LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE EST EN MARCHE. LE SECTEUR DE L’ÉNERGIE CONNAÎT DE PROFONDES TRANSFORMATIONS PROVOQUÉES NOTAMMENT PAR LA RECHERCHE DE SOLUTIONS DURABLES AUX EFFETS DES CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES, AUX NOUVEAUX BESOINS ET HABITUDES DE CONSOMMATION DE NOS CLIENTS, ET PAR LA GRANDE ACCESSIBILITÉ DE NOUVELLES TECHNOLOGIES. Si l’invention du transport d’électricité...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Brock Family Center

Accelerating the translation of Vanderbilt discoveries through commercialization and industry partnerships

The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation was established at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2023 through a $10 million gift from the Brock family, including John F. Brock III, his wife, Mary, and their three adult children – Rebecca Brock Dixon, John F. Brock IV and Major Brock. The...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AFLAC

REIMAGINING THE WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE

Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING

THE HUNTER FAMILY & THE CREATION OF THE HUNTER HUB

THE HISTORY OF THE HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKINGThe Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking was founded in 2017 with a $40 million donation from the Hunter Family Foundation, marking one of the largest donations in the University of Calgary’s history. The Hunter Hub’s purpose is to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LEVEL EX

Playing Is Training: Chicago’s Gaming And Healthcare Legacies Meet At Level Ex

Today, Level Ex has 750,000 medical professionals playing its games to advance their skills and earn Continuing Medical Education (CME). The story of how it changed the way medicine is learned and practiced is as much an ode to Chicago as it is a start-up success story....

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

CONQUER BUSINESS SCHOOL

THE BRAZILIAN BUSINESS SCHOOL THAT HAS ALREADY IMPACTED MORE THAN 5 MILLION STUDENTS AND OVER 1000 C

CONQUER BUSINESS SCHOOL-THE BRAZILIAN BUSINESS SCHOOL THAT HAS ALREADY IMPACTED MORE THAN 5 MILLION STUDENTS AND OVER 1000 COMPANIES Conquer Business School is a Brazilian Business School based in the city of Curitiba, which has already transformed the lives of more than 5 million students in over 100 countries. The...

INNOVATION Quebec

Aliments Santé

Aliments Santé-Health Foods Niche of Excellence-Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé is a group of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders who work closely together to foster innovation. Their goal is to develop and market healthy, innovative, and value added food products

Aliments Santé is supported by the ACCORD arm of Québec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie and by the City of Québec. The organization helps food processors implement collaborative knowledge building projects and facilitates networking activities to create business opportunities and promote industry expertise. In June 2021, through...

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® Chicago Vol.1

AZUMO

AZUMO-Manufacturer of LCD 2.0

Manufacturer of LCD 2.0, A Breakthrough Display Technology Revolutionizing A $130B Industry

Displays have become ubiquitous in our society. We find them in smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, drive through restaurants, ATM machines, thermostats, gas station pumps…the list is endless. Even still, there are notable negative impacts of displays which we have become accustomed to – excessive power consumption, subpar viewability in bright...

INNOVATE® Georgia

SPLITIT

REVOLUTIONIZING INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS

In a world dominated by ever-evolving financial technology, Splitit emerged as a beacon of innovation, ushering in a new era of responsible shopping. While the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) industry surged forward, Splitit stood out as a trailblazer, transforming the landscape through their merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. Their mission was...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON CONSULTANTS

To innovate through AI and Optimization, many of the best managed organizations in North America trust Princeton Consultants

Founded by CEO Steve Sashihara in 1980 and still headquartered in Princeton, we help clients improve performance through the successful deployment of AI and Optimization. Blending world-class technical expertise and deep business insight, our consultants work in small, agile teams to provide transformational solutions and services that drive innovation. Our...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Sparkle & Sabre

Sparkle & Sabre - Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being

Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being

ELEVATOR PITCH “Every woman deserves to feel beautiful; every woman deserves to feel safe; every woman deserves to feel happy.” is the motto at Sparkle & Sabre, a small jewelry company specializing in stylish pieces that boost wearers’ sense of security and well-being. With a majority of available self-defense products...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

ADLUCENT

ADLUCENT-CREATING A COMPANY FRAMEWORK

CREATING A COMPANY FRAMEWORK

The great management consultant, educator, and author Peter Drucker said it best: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”. As the CEO of Adlucent, a performance marketing agency, I find this quote resonates with me on a deep level. But, while there are many inspiring quotes out there that help leaders set...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Building a Web3 Artist Portfolio:

From NFTs to Decentralized Fan Communities

The digital revolution in music continues to evolve at a dizzying pace. While traditional online presence remains crucial, as detailed in Online Reputation for Artists: Building Your Digital Legacy, we’re witnessing a seismic shift toward Web3 technologies that promises to reshape how artists connect with their audiences and monetize their work....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

PEACE OF MEAT

PEACE OF MEAT - RETHINKING MEAT FOR TOMORROW

RETHINKING MEAT FOR TOMORROW

The messy story behind meatBy 2030, we’ll reach a global population of almost 10 billion. Worldwide demand for food is soaring, and so is the demand for meat. Despite the growing popularity of plant-based diets, meat is still an important part of the daily menu across the globe. With good...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MARS

MARS-Toronto’s Home Of Meaningful Innovation

Toronto’s Home Of Meaningful Innovation

MaRS helps promising ventures become world-leading companies. The anchor of Canada’s tech ecosystem, MaRS connects all players in the innovation economy to turn breakthrough ideas into products and services with global impact. MaRS was founded on the philosophy that innovators require more than labs and offices. They need a platform...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

Driving Economic Growth and Career Success Through Innovative Education

In today’s rapidly evolving workforce landscape, the need for skilled, job-ready employees has never been greater. Industries are facing critical labor shortages and actively seeking workers who can contribute from day one. At the same time, students and job seekers are increasingly looking for fast, flexible training that leads directly...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SHIPBOB

The Trusted Global Omnifulfillment Platform To Scale Your Ecommerce Business And Meet Customer Expectations Everywhere They Shop

ShipBob provides fulfillment services across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia for orders placed on ecommerce websites, online marketplaces, social media platforms, and through B2B partnerships (in physical stores and retailers’ online stores)....

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NICEHASH

From the tiny country of Slovenia to a global crypto platform for mining and trading hashpower, NiceHash redefined the mining space and makes Bitcoin accessible to everyone

From a simple idea 10 years ago, to a global platform enabling millions of people to mine cryptocurrency, NiceHash is a familiar name in the mining world. NiceHash has battled with controversy, survived nation state attackers, and still solidified its unique position in the crypto space as the world’s largest...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

FARM SANCTUARY SA

FARM SANCTUARY SA: PIGCASSO INSPIRING A KINDER

PIGCASSO INSPIRING A KINDER, MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD

A painting pig from Farm Sanctuary SA is hogging the limelight and inspiring animal lovers to make the connection between what they eat and the industries that they support.   When South African Joanne Lefson rescued a small piglet from a local industrialized hog facility in 2016, she knew this...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ABARTYS HEALTH

Healthcare Data, Simplified

What we do: AbartysHealth focuses on improving healthcare by creating patient centric solutions that streamline data, communication, and services for the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry confronts several difficulties in developing interoperable solutions that reliably and accurately collect and communicate data in a complex, dispersed, and unconnected healthcare environment. Founded...

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...

Ecosystems