Stories of Innovation
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
Procentrix
Focused Vision, Lasting Impact
When Procentrix was founded in 2006, Microsoft technology was already deeply embedded across the federal government. Email systems, collaboration platforms, productivity tools, and emerging cloud capabilities were becoming foundational to how agencies operated. What was lacking, however, was implementation partners deeply skilled in helping government organizations unlock the full potential...
INNOVATE® South Florida
I.T. SOLUTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA
AWARD-WINNING MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH A LOT OF HEART
AWARD-WINNING MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH A LOT OF HEART There’s no need to travel to a major metropolitan city to visit one of the best Managed Service Providers in the country. Instead, point the GPS towards a quaint seaside town in Palm Beach County. Headquartered just steps from the...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ESTONIAN WEB3 CHAMBER
FROM CRYPTOCURRENCY PIONEERS TO GLOBAL WEB3 ADVOCATES
The story of the Estonian Web3 Chamber reflects the turbulent yet transformative journey of the digital asset industry in Estonia and beyond. Established more than a decade ago, the organisation has been at the heart of regulatory dialogue, industry representation, and international knowledge-sharing. Its evolution from the Estonian Cryptocurrency Association...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
SCANBIE
Bringing Ideas to Life
At Scanbie, we blend cutting-edge technology with creative vision to transform ideas into reality. From lifelike 3D visualisation, 3D scanning and Digital Twins solutions to design of stunning VR worlds, AR and resonant storytelling, editing & VFX, capturing your projects with our cinematic drones, we create solutions that are bold,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CDL ROCKIES
ACCELERATES THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF EARLY-STAGE VENTURES
There is an economic transformation underway in Alberta and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (“CDL-Rockies”) is playing an important role in that transformation. CDL-Rockies is focused on accelerating the commercial potential of the next generation of promising science- and technology-based ventures across a variety of sectors, including energy and agriculture....
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
VOLVO
ALWAYS LEADING EDGE IN INNOVATION FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Subsidiary of one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle OEMs, Volvo do Brasil has a track record marked by the development of innovative solutions in the passenger and cargo transportation sector in the country. Curitiba, the city chosen by OEM to be the location of its operations on the continent...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
BEENOCULUS
METAVERSE A NEW HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Beenoculus made its epic debut in 2015 with an innovative vision to accelerate innovation in education through disruptive solutions in extended reality. Through the development of hardware, software, and content for spatial computing, the company has evolved significantly, becoming a leading force in technological development in this sector in Latin...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
NasaClip
How NasaClip is Changing Nosebleed Treatment
How NasaClip is Changing Nosebleed Treatment In the crowded landscape of medical devices, NasaClip is making a bold statement with its novel approach to treating nosebleeds. Founded by Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne, an emergency physician with firsthand experience in the frustrations of traditional nosebleed treatments, NasaClip offers a revolutionary, practical, and...
INNOVATION Quebec
UQAT
RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MINES AND ENVIRONMENT (RIME)
RIME, Solutions for Sustainable Mining DevelopmentLocated in the heart of a world-class mining sector, the Research Institute of Mines and Environment (RIME-UQAT) has been created in 2012, a strategic decision demonstrating the institution’s commitment to sustainable development in the mining sector. With a strong and constant growth since its inception,...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CRYPTOPAYS
CRYPTO PAYMENTS MADE FIAT Simple, Secure, Swift and Seamless
About CryptoPays:CryptoPays is a blockchain based global payment solution that enables merchants to accept Cryptocurrency from their customers and receive the funds in their local currency. The headquarters are based out of Chicago, USA. About the Co-Founders:The trio-team of Nishant Tomar, Uma Viswanathan and Sanjiv Jha are immigrants from...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
Animal Health Corridor
The world depends on healthier animals and safer food
Long before high-tech accelerators and venture capital firms began racing to define the next great cluster, Kansas City staked its claim in an industry that no one else even fully recognized. What began as a web of livestock markets and veterinary schools quickly evolved into a powerhouse of scientific innovation...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
TryCycle Data Systems
Simplicity Is Our Cutting Edge
Big problems don’t always require big solutions. Sometimes the best ideas are those that are the most subtle and nuanced. That’s exactly the approach that TryCycle Data Systems took when CEO John MacBeth of Ottawa, decided to tackle the huge problems associated with Mental Health and Substance Use disorders. Deconstructing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
SwitchPoint Ventures
We build companies around pioneering technologies.
Our journey began a decade ago, here in Nashville – a city known for creativity and reinvention. That same spirit shaped how we approach innovation: with collaboration, grit, and a builder’s mindset. At SwitchPoint Ventures, we build companies around pioneering technologies – particularly in AI, data science, and digital innovation...
INNOVATION Quebec
INO
INNOVATION AS A DRIVING FORCE
INO is the largest center of expertise in optics and photonics in Canada and is among the best technological research centres in the world. For the past 35 years, it has created and developed innovative and valuable solutions to meet the needs of businesses in Quebec and throughout Canada. Through...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
RFLX
WE’RE A CREATIVE AGENCY DEDICATED TO ESPORTS, SPORTS AND LIFESTYLE MARKETING CONTENT
RFLX is an integrated suite of content marketing expertise, dedicated to the eSports, sports, and lifestyle industries in North America. Our purpose is to create online and offline experiences that are both captivating and exhilarating and allow brands to increase or establish their notoriety. RFLX was born out of a...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
NOVELYEAST
SUPERIOR YEAST AS A TARGET AND A TOOL
NovelYeast is an R&D company with world-leading expertise in the design and development of superior industrial yeast strains. Our superior yeast strains for bioethanol and isobutanol production support the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy in the sectors of automobile and aviation transport. Superior yeast strains for production of...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
THE POWER OF CONNECTION
How the Northern Virginia Technology Council Helped Build One of the World’s Most Influential Innovation Communities
“The world’s greatest innovations don’t begin with technology. They begin with people who choose to connect.” — Jennifer Taylor, President & CEO, NVTC Every great innovation has an origin story. Sometimes it begins in a laboratory. Sometimes around a whiteboard. Sometimes over coffee between two people who discover they’re trying...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
Future Health
Ten Years of Innovation at ZOL at the Crossroads of Clinical Care and Science
Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) is a large general hospital in the east of Flanders. It was established in 1995 after the merger of three hospitals and expanded in 2021 through the integration of ZOL Maas en Kempen. ZOL is currently the largest hospital in Limburg, with four sites located in Genk,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDVALLEY
REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
Mindvalley is the world’s leading personal growth education platform, serving over 20 million students across the globe. Its mission is ambitious yet profoundly simple: to transform education by teaching the skills that truly matter for human flourishing – from mindset and well-being to leadership and entrepreneurship. Founded in 2003 by...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY (JCSU)
ESPORTS AND GAMING TRIFECTA, THE FIRST AT AN HBCU
In February 2019, a mere conversation that I had with a JCSU athletics administrator about the paucity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that possessed structured on-campus esports programming became the impetus behind my development of a proposal later that day for an esports and gaming academic program. The...
INNOVATE® Miami
FinConecta
Providing the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking
FinConecta provides the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking. Through one single integration, FinConecta can easily connect Financial Institutions’ core banking systems with third-party FinTech providers worldwide. The platform that tests and integrates tech solutions 10x faster, accelerating open banking. The digital era brings new disruptive technologies, innovative business...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
The Napkin Network
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO HELP MOMS IN NEED
Headquartered in DC, the social network of moms spans all 50 states with the help of Lindsay’s specialization in social media, strategic communications, fundraising, and the natural inclination for moms to help other moms in need. Unfortunately, children are expensive and not everyone is in the same position to provide...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
Procentrix
Focused Vision, Lasting Impact
When Procentrix was founded in 2006, Microsoft technology was already deeply embedded across the federal government. Email systems, collaboration platforms, productivity tools, and emerging cloud capabilities were becoming foundational to how agencies operated. What was lacking, however, was implementation partners deeply skilled in helping government organizations unlock the full potential...
INNOVATE® South Florida
I.T. SOLUTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA
AWARD-WINNING MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH A LOT OF HEART
AWARD-WINNING MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH A LOT OF HEART There’s no need to travel to a major metropolitan city to visit one of the best Managed Service Providers in the country. Instead, point the GPS towards a quaint seaside town in Palm Beach County. Headquartered just steps from the...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ESTONIAN WEB3 CHAMBER
FROM CRYPTOCURRENCY PIONEERS TO GLOBAL WEB3 ADVOCATES
The story of the Estonian Web3 Chamber reflects the turbulent yet transformative journey of the digital asset industry in Estonia and beyond. Established more than a decade ago, the organisation has been at the heart of regulatory dialogue, industry representation, and international knowledge-sharing. Its evolution from the Estonian Cryptocurrency Association...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
SCANBIE
Bringing Ideas to Life
At Scanbie, we blend cutting-edge technology with creative vision to transform ideas into reality. From lifelike 3D visualisation, 3D scanning and Digital Twins solutions to design of stunning VR worlds, AR and resonant storytelling, editing & VFX, capturing your projects with our cinematic drones, we create solutions that are bold,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CDL ROCKIES
ACCELERATES THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF EARLY-STAGE VENTURES
There is an economic transformation underway in Alberta and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (“CDL-Rockies”) is playing an important role in that transformation. CDL-Rockies is focused on accelerating the commercial potential of the next generation of promising science- and technology-based ventures across a variety of sectors, including energy and agriculture....
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
VOLVO
ALWAYS LEADING EDGE IN INNOVATION FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Subsidiary of one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle OEMs, Volvo do Brasil has a track record marked by the development of innovative solutions in the passenger and cargo transportation sector in the country. Curitiba, the city chosen by OEM to be the location of its operations on the continent...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
BEENOCULUS
METAVERSE A NEW HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Beenoculus made its epic debut in 2015 with an innovative vision to accelerate innovation in education through disruptive solutions in extended reality. Through the development of hardware, software, and content for spatial computing, the company has evolved significantly, becoming a leading force in technological development in this sector in Latin...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
NasaClip
How NasaClip is Changing Nosebleed Treatment
How NasaClip is Changing Nosebleed Treatment In the crowded landscape of medical devices, NasaClip is making a bold statement with its novel approach to treating nosebleeds. Founded by Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne, an emergency physician with firsthand experience in the frustrations of traditional nosebleed treatments, NasaClip offers a revolutionary, practical, and...
INNOVATION Quebec
UQAT
RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MINES AND ENVIRONMENT (RIME)
RIME, Solutions for Sustainable Mining DevelopmentLocated in the heart of a world-class mining sector, the Research Institute of Mines and Environment (RIME-UQAT) has been created in 2012, a strategic decision demonstrating the institution’s commitment to sustainable development in the mining sector. With a strong and constant growth since its inception,...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CRYPTOPAYS
CRYPTO PAYMENTS MADE FIAT Simple, Secure, Swift and Seamless
About CryptoPays:CryptoPays is a blockchain based global payment solution that enables merchants to accept Cryptocurrency from their customers and receive the funds in their local currency. The headquarters are based out of Chicago, USA. About the Co-Founders:The trio-team of Nishant Tomar, Uma Viswanathan and Sanjiv Jha are immigrants from...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
Animal Health Corridor
The world depends on healthier animals and safer food
Long before high-tech accelerators and venture capital firms began racing to define the next great cluster, Kansas City staked its claim in an industry that no one else even fully recognized. What began as a web of livestock markets and veterinary schools quickly evolved into a powerhouse of scientific innovation...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
TryCycle Data Systems
Simplicity Is Our Cutting Edge
Big problems don’t always require big solutions. Sometimes the best ideas are those that are the most subtle and nuanced. That’s exactly the approach that TryCycle Data Systems took when CEO John MacBeth of Ottawa, decided to tackle the huge problems associated with Mental Health and Substance Use disorders. Deconstructing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
SwitchPoint Ventures
We build companies around pioneering technologies.
Our journey began a decade ago, here in Nashville – a city known for creativity and reinvention. That same spirit shaped how we approach innovation: with collaboration, grit, and a builder’s mindset. At SwitchPoint Ventures, we build companies around pioneering technologies – particularly in AI, data science, and digital innovation...
INNOVATION Quebec
INO
INNOVATION AS A DRIVING FORCE
INO is the largest center of expertise in optics and photonics in Canada and is among the best technological research centres in the world. For the past 35 years, it has created and developed innovative and valuable solutions to meet the needs of businesses in Quebec and throughout Canada. Through...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
RFLX
WE’RE A CREATIVE AGENCY DEDICATED TO ESPORTS, SPORTS AND LIFESTYLE MARKETING CONTENT
RFLX is an integrated suite of content marketing expertise, dedicated to the eSports, sports, and lifestyle industries in North America. Our purpose is to create online and offline experiences that are both captivating and exhilarating and allow brands to increase or establish their notoriety. RFLX was born out of a...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
NOVELYEAST
SUPERIOR YEAST AS A TARGET AND A TOOL
NovelYeast is an R&D company with world-leading expertise in the design and development of superior industrial yeast strains. Our superior yeast strains for bioethanol and isobutanol production support the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy in the sectors of automobile and aviation transport. Superior yeast strains for production of...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
THE POWER OF CONNECTION
How the Northern Virginia Technology Council Helped Build One of the World’s Most Influential Innovation Communities
“The world’s greatest innovations don’t begin with technology. They begin with people who choose to connect.” — Jennifer Taylor, President & CEO, NVTC Every great innovation has an origin story. Sometimes it begins in a laboratory. Sometimes around a whiteboard. Sometimes over coffee between two people who discover they’re trying...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
Future Health
Ten Years of Innovation at ZOL at the Crossroads of Clinical Care and Science
Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) is a large general hospital in the east of Flanders. It was established in 1995 after the merger of three hospitals and expanded in 2021 through the integration of ZOL Maas en Kempen. ZOL is currently the largest hospital in Limburg, with four sites located in Genk,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDVALLEY
REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
Mindvalley is the world’s leading personal growth education platform, serving over 20 million students across the globe. Its mission is ambitious yet profoundly simple: to transform education by teaching the skills that truly matter for human flourishing – from mindset and well-being to leadership and entrepreneurship. Founded in 2003 by...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY (JCSU)
ESPORTS AND GAMING TRIFECTA, THE FIRST AT AN HBCU
In February 2019, a mere conversation that I had with a JCSU athletics administrator about the paucity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that possessed structured on-campus esports programming became the impetus behind my development of a proposal later that day for an esports and gaming academic program. The...
INNOVATE® Miami
FinConecta
Providing the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking
FinConecta provides the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking. Through one single integration, FinConecta can easily connect Financial Institutions’ core banking systems with third-party FinTech providers worldwide. The platform that tests and integrates tech solutions 10x faster, accelerating open banking. The digital era brings new disruptive technologies, innovative business...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
The Napkin Network
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO HELP MOMS IN NEED
Headquartered in DC, the social network of moms spans all 50 states with the help of Lindsay’s specialization in social media, strategic communications, fundraising, and the natural inclination for moms to help other moms in need. Unfortunately, children are expensive and not everyone is in the same position to provide...