Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Los Angeles

WAVEMAKER THREE-SIXTY HEALTH

LA’s Go-To Health-tech Venture Capital Firm

The WHY L.A.’s healthcare innovation ecosystem is so incredibly strong thanks to remarkable institutions like UCLA Medical Center, CedarsSinai Medical Center, City of Hope, Keck Hospital of USC, SCAN, Amgen, and many more, plus world-class universities including Caltech, UCLA and USC. Yet for decades, the city was missing a venture...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE

YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE FROM HERE

150+ Programs Eight Schools of Study make up a curriculum that is continously reviewed and optimized to meet workforce demand. Students are known by their name, not a number, with an average class size of 17. Over $150,000 in Scholarships Affordable tuition ensures students can complete their programs without substantial...

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™ Stockholm

FROM MEMORY TO MASTERPIECE

MARIA WESTERBERG’S T-SHIRT CHAIR WEAVES STORIES INTO SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Swedish designer Maria Westerberg has long been a pioneer in upcycling and sustainable design, but it was a single chair — woven from worn-out T-shirts — that propelled her into the global spotlight. Known as the “Queen of ReMake design,” Westerberg blends narrative, memory, and sustainability in a way that...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

MadeiraMadeira

GET TO KNOW THE CURITIBA UNICORN THAT TRANSFORMED THE FURNITURE AND DECORATION MARKET IN THE COUNTRY

Established in 2009, MadeiraMadeira is now the largest online furniture and decoration platform in Latin America. Prior to its foundation, the company’s story began with brothers Daniel Scandian and Marcelo Scandian. Coming from an entrepreneurial family background, they grew up with the same values. During a challenging period in both...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA

BUILDING COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING TECH SECTOR GROWTH

Technology Alberta is an industry-business association that supports the growth of Alberta’s tech sector, by building community. With an entrepreneur-led approach, we coordinate efforts and collaborate with key stakeholders – so that together, we deliver greater value for all of Alberta’s advanced technology growth companies. As a province-wide organization, our...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BAIRD

DRIVING INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND BEYOND

Founded in 1919 in Milwaukee, Baird’s financial advice and expertise has helped guide clients through changing market cycles and unexpected events across generations. Today, Baird is actively investing in many initiatives throughout Wisconsin to position the state as a center for innovation. These activities are part of the firm’s ongoing...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Top Software Comparison Platforms for Discovering Innovative SaaS Solutions in 2026

Take one look at the software industry today, and you’ll see it’s no longer a quiet library and more like a bustling, fast-paced digital carnival. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global Software as a Service (SaaS) market is hitting a staggering $375 billion in 2026. Every single day, software...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

SW BIO CARE, LLC

BRIDGING THE GAP

A New Paradigm for Equitable Life Science Innovation in Southwest Philadelphia The establishment of the SW Biotech Park in Southwest Philadelphia represents a transformative shift in urban development, moving beyond traditional real estate to a mission-driven model of “equitable bio-innovation.” Spearheaded by SW BIO CARE, LLC—a strategic joint venture between...

INNOVATE® Seattle

WYZE

REVOLUTIONIZING SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY WITH INNOVATION AND AFFORDABILITY

In an era where technology is advancing at breakneck speed, Wyze has emerged as a leader in the smart home revolution. Since 2017, the company has been committed to making cutting-edge products that allow more people to experience the benefits of modern technology in their everyday lives. With an array...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

HEX 20

BRINGING SPACE CLOSER

HEX20 is an Australian space company that specializes in providing cost-effective platforms, advanced sensor technologies, and customized hardware for the SmallSat and CubeSat markets. The company aims to design and develop state-of-the-art, scalable platforms and subsystems for small satellites. Their products are derived from flight heritage programs, focusing on creating...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

WE ARE CISCO

WE ARE CISCO- Cisco Helps Seize The Opportunities Of Tomorrow By Proving That Amazing Things Can Happen When You Connect The Unconnected

Cisco Helps Seize The Opportunities Of Tomorrow By Proving That Amazing Things Can Happen When You Connect The Unconnected

An integral part of our DNA is creating long-lasting customer partnerships, working together to identify our customers’ needs and provide solutions that fuel their success. We have preserved this keen focus on solving business challenges since our founding in 1984. Len Bosack and wife Sandy Lerner, both working for Stanford...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

AHRENS

120 YEARS FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Proudly, Ahrens is a 120-year-old family-owned SA company, spanning five generations, delivering a diverse range of high-quality and cost-effective products, projects and services. Beginning in 1902 as a one-dimensional business in Sheaoak Log, on the edge of the Barossa Valley, and offering blacksmithing services of its time, the business has...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DAUGHERTY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

WE PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO OUR CLIENTS, AN INCREDIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.

Ranked 5th in the nation by USA Today’s Top Workplaces USA, Daugherty Business Solutions is a leading advisory services and technology consulting firm. Founded by Ron and Jan Daugherty, the company currently employs over 1,500 consultants worldwide with a focus on AI, tech modernization, and business agility. For over 40...

INNOVATION Quebec

AXELYS

DÉVELOPPEMENT ET TRANSFERT DE L’INNOVATION DU QUÉBEC

UNE MISSION ESSENTIELLE POUR L’AVENIR DU QUÉBECAxelys intègre l’innovation issue de la recherche publique du Québec dans la société. Notre mission se retrouve d’ailleurs au cœur de la Stratégie québécoise de recherche et d’investissement en innovation 2022-2027, lancée en mai 2022 par le gouvernement du Québec. Chez Axelys, notre métier...

INNOVATE® Maryland

The Agora Intiative - FUELING FEMALE FOUNDERS Spotlight on WISE Connect and CurieDx

Breakthrough healthcare companies rarely succeed on the strength of an innovative idea alone. Behind many founders stands a network of mentors, investors, and experienced entrepreneurs willing to open doors long before the wider market recognizes their potential. Creating those connections became the reason The Agora Initiative was founded. Led by...

Global Innovation Spotlight

DTF Gang Sheet Builder

Where Automation Meets Innovation in Print Tech

“We built this platform to solve real-world challenges print businesses face every day.” In the high-demand world of Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, time is money—and errors are costly. Enter DTF Gang Sheet Builder, the industry’s most advanced solution for creating gang sheets, developed by Antigro Designer, the Kraków, Poland-based powerhouse behind...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RESPEK NATURE

RESPEK NATURE-PLANTS SPEKBOOM

PLANTS SPEKBOOM, A CO2 CAPTURING INDIGENOUS SUCCULENT, ON TRACTS OF DENUDED LAND NEAR GRAAFF-REINET AND IN THE LARGER KAROO REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA. LAUNCHED IN AUGUST OF 2020, RESPEK IS A BLENDED DIGITAL AND BOTANICAL CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMME.

The hardy spekboom is considered a pioneer species within the Karoo thicket biome. This means that the plant itself can assist in the regeneration of the indigenous brush, with many other species benefitting from its shade and the nutrients it brings into the soil. As a succulent, spekboom is the...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

KING PRICE INSURANCE

KING OF INSURANCE- MAKING A DIFFERENCE

MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE DECREASING PREMIUM AT A TIME

King Price Insurance launched with a world-first innovation – premiums that automatically decrease monthly as cars depreciate in value – and hasn’t stopped since. When they opened their doors in 2012, South Africa’s conservative insurance industry didn’t think they’d last three months. But, a decade later, the R100 million start-up...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Software Projects Consulting

Driving Excellence Through ERP: The Story of a Visionary Company

Founded in 2000 and officially incorporated in 2005, Software Projects Consulting is the realization of an ambitious vision by its founder, Frank Muehlenkamp. Frank sought to create something unique—a company driven by an innovative symbiosis of Engineering and Business principles and methodologies to yield innovative and highly effective results to...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Nashville Health

Building a Healthier City, Together

NashvilleHealth’s story begins with a paradox. In 2015, Nashville was rising rapidly as one of America’s most dynamic economic engines, an “it city” defined by innovation, creativity, and growth. Yet beneath this momentum lay an alarming truth: Nashville’s residents were among the least healthy in the nation. Former U.S. Senate...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS-CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

NFT Studios’ primary goal is to build a chain of: games, media, and real life events – based on the colorful characters and universes produced through their debut Play To Earn game “ChiFiBots.” And to also make 100 million players earn 100K USD a year playing our games.   The...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

IT-oLogy

Promote. Teach. Grow.

USC and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina partnered with IBM in December 2008 to form the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management. The Consortium was formed in part to encourage young people to learn the skills needed to manage enterprise systems, large-scale computers that process high volume transactions. Since its inception,...

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

The rootsFor nearly 20 years, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean – a region of more than 275,000 inhabitants located 500 km northeast of Montréal – concerted initiatives have been deployed to stimulate innovation among SMEs. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), then Innovation 02 (2011-2019) generated activities in turn to support innovation. It was when...

INNOVATE® Los Angeles

WAVEMAKER THREE-SIXTY HEALTH

LA’s Go-To Health-tech Venture Capital Firm

The WHY L.A.’s healthcare innovation ecosystem is so incredibly strong thanks to remarkable institutions like UCLA Medical Center, CedarsSinai Medical Center, City of Hope, Keck Hospital of USC, SCAN, Amgen, and many more, plus world-class universities including Caltech, UCLA and USC. Yet for decades, the city was missing a venture...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE

YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE FROM HERE

150+ Programs Eight Schools of Study make up a curriculum that is continously reviewed and optimized to meet workforce demand. Students are known by their name, not a number, with an average class size of 17. Over $150,000 in Scholarships Affordable tuition ensures students can complete their programs without substantial...

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™ Stockholm

FROM MEMORY TO MASTERPIECE

MARIA WESTERBERG’S T-SHIRT CHAIR WEAVES STORIES INTO SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Swedish designer Maria Westerberg has long been a pioneer in upcycling and sustainable design, but it was a single chair — woven from worn-out T-shirts — that propelled her into the global spotlight. Known as the “Queen of ReMake design,” Westerberg blends narrative, memory, and sustainability in a way that...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

MadeiraMadeira

GET TO KNOW THE CURITIBA UNICORN THAT TRANSFORMED THE FURNITURE AND DECORATION MARKET IN THE COUNTRY

Established in 2009, MadeiraMadeira is now the largest online furniture and decoration platform in Latin America. Prior to its foundation, the company’s story began with brothers Daniel Scandian and Marcelo Scandian. Coming from an entrepreneurial family background, they grew up with the same values. During a challenging period in both...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA

BUILDING COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING TECH SECTOR GROWTH

Technology Alberta is an industry-business association that supports the growth of Alberta’s tech sector, by building community. With an entrepreneur-led approach, we coordinate efforts and collaborate with key stakeholders – so that together, we deliver greater value for all of Alberta’s advanced technology growth companies. As a province-wide organization, our...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BAIRD

DRIVING INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND BEYOND

Founded in 1919 in Milwaukee, Baird’s financial advice and expertise has helped guide clients through changing market cycles and unexpected events across generations. Today, Baird is actively investing in many initiatives throughout Wisconsin to position the state as a center for innovation. These activities are part of the firm’s ongoing...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Top Software Comparison Platforms for Discovering Innovative SaaS Solutions in 2026

Take one look at the software industry today, and you’ll see it’s no longer a quiet library and more like a bustling, fast-paced digital carnival. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global Software as a Service (SaaS) market is hitting a staggering $375 billion in 2026. Every single day, software...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

SW BIO CARE, LLC

BRIDGING THE GAP

A New Paradigm for Equitable Life Science Innovation in Southwest Philadelphia The establishment of the SW Biotech Park in Southwest Philadelphia represents a transformative shift in urban development, moving beyond traditional real estate to a mission-driven model of “equitable bio-innovation.” Spearheaded by SW BIO CARE, LLC—a strategic joint venture between...

INNOVATE® Seattle

WYZE

REVOLUTIONIZING SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY WITH INNOVATION AND AFFORDABILITY

In an era where technology is advancing at breakneck speed, Wyze has emerged as a leader in the smart home revolution. Since 2017, the company has been committed to making cutting-edge products that allow more people to experience the benefits of modern technology in their everyday lives. With an array...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

HEX 20

BRINGING SPACE CLOSER

HEX20 is an Australian space company that specializes in providing cost-effective platforms, advanced sensor technologies, and customized hardware for the SmallSat and CubeSat markets. The company aims to design and develop state-of-the-art, scalable platforms and subsystems for small satellites. Their products are derived from flight heritage programs, focusing on creating...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

WE ARE CISCO

WE ARE CISCO- Cisco Helps Seize The Opportunities Of Tomorrow By Proving That Amazing Things Can Happen When You Connect The Unconnected

Cisco Helps Seize The Opportunities Of Tomorrow By Proving That Amazing Things Can Happen When You Connect The Unconnected

An integral part of our DNA is creating long-lasting customer partnerships, working together to identify our customers’ needs and provide solutions that fuel their success. We have preserved this keen focus on solving business challenges since our founding in 1984. Len Bosack and wife Sandy Lerner, both working for Stanford...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

AHRENS

120 YEARS FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Proudly, Ahrens is a 120-year-old family-owned SA company, spanning five generations, delivering a diverse range of high-quality and cost-effective products, projects and services. Beginning in 1902 as a one-dimensional business in Sheaoak Log, on the edge of the Barossa Valley, and offering blacksmithing services of its time, the business has...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DAUGHERTY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

WE PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO OUR CLIENTS, AN INCREDIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY.

Ranked 5th in the nation by USA Today’s Top Workplaces USA, Daugherty Business Solutions is a leading advisory services and technology consulting firm. Founded by Ron and Jan Daugherty, the company currently employs over 1,500 consultants worldwide with a focus on AI, tech modernization, and business agility. For over 40...

INNOVATION Quebec

AXELYS

DÉVELOPPEMENT ET TRANSFERT DE L’INNOVATION DU QUÉBEC

UNE MISSION ESSENTIELLE POUR L’AVENIR DU QUÉBECAxelys intègre l’innovation issue de la recherche publique du Québec dans la société. Notre mission se retrouve d’ailleurs au cœur de la Stratégie québécoise de recherche et d’investissement en innovation 2022-2027, lancée en mai 2022 par le gouvernement du Québec. Chez Axelys, notre métier...

INNOVATE® Maryland

The Agora Intiative - FUELING FEMALE FOUNDERS Spotlight on WISE Connect and CurieDx

Breakthrough healthcare companies rarely succeed on the strength of an innovative idea alone. Behind many founders stands a network of mentors, investors, and experienced entrepreneurs willing to open doors long before the wider market recognizes their potential. Creating those connections became the reason The Agora Initiative was founded. Led by...

Global Innovation Spotlight

DTF Gang Sheet Builder

Where Automation Meets Innovation in Print Tech

“We built this platform to solve real-world challenges print businesses face every day.” In the high-demand world of Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, time is money—and errors are costly. Enter DTF Gang Sheet Builder, the industry’s most advanced solution for creating gang sheets, developed by Antigro Designer, the Kraków, Poland-based powerhouse behind...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RESPEK NATURE

RESPEK NATURE-PLANTS SPEKBOOM

PLANTS SPEKBOOM, A CO2 CAPTURING INDIGENOUS SUCCULENT, ON TRACTS OF DENUDED LAND NEAR GRAAFF-REINET AND IN THE LARGER KAROO REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA. LAUNCHED IN AUGUST OF 2020, RESPEK IS A BLENDED DIGITAL AND BOTANICAL CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMME.

The hardy spekboom is considered a pioneer species within the Karoo thicket biome. This means that the plant itself can assist in the regeneration of the indigenous brush, with many other species benefitting from its shade and the nutrients it brings into the soil. As a succulent, spekboom is the...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

KING PRICE INSURANCE

KING OF INSURANCE- MAKING A DIFFERENCE

MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE DECREASING PREMIUM AT A TIME

King Price Insurance launched with a world-first innovation – premiums that automatically decrease monthly as cars depreciate in value – and hasn’t stopped since. When they opened their doors in 2012, South Africa’s conservative insurance industry didn’t think they’d last three months. But, a decade later, the R100 million start-up...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Software Projects Consulting

Driving Excellence Through ERP: The Story of a Visionary Company

Founded in 2000 and officially incorporated in 2005, Software Projects Consulting is the realization of an ambitious vision by its founder, Frank Muehlenkamp. Frank sought to create something unique—a company driven by an innovative symbiosis of Engineering and Business principles and methodologies to yield innovative and highly effective results to...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Nashville Health

Building a Healthier City, Together

NashvilleHealth’s story begins with a paradox. In 2015, Nashville was rising rapidly as one of America’s most dynamic economic engines, an “it city” defined by innovation, creativity, and growth. Yet beneath this momentum lay an alarming truth: Nashville’s residents were among the least healthy in the nation. Former U.S. Senate...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS-CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

NFT Studios’ primary goal is to build a chain of: games, media, and real life events – based on the colorful characters and universes produced through their debut Play To Earn game “ChiFiBots.” And to also make 100 million players earn 100K USD a year playing our games.   The...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

IT-oLogy

Promote. Teach. Grow.

USC and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina partnered with IBM in December 2008 to form the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management. The Consortium was formed in part to encourage young people to learn the skills needed to manage enterprise systems, large-scale computers that process high volume transactions. Since its inception,...

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

The rootsFor nearly 20 years, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean – a region of more than 275,000 inhabitants located 500 km northeast of Montréal – concerted initiatives have been deployed to stimulate innovation among SMEs. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), then Innovation 02 (2011-2019) generated activities in turn to support innovation. It was when...

Ecosystems