Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

HARD ROCK CAFE

AN A UNIQUE AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

All over the world, anyone who visits a Hard Rock Cafe location knows that they will embark on an immersive journey through the universe of music and pop culture. From iconic autographed guitars to music legend’s most iconic outfits, each location transforms into a living art gallery. On the walls,...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Flutterwave’s Olugbenga Agboola

What It Takes To Found a Successful Tech Firm

Take it from someone who knows: Scaling a firm from simple startup to unicorn status isn’t for the faint of heart. For Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, the founder and CEO of the African e-payments platform Flutterwave, earning a valuation of more than $1 billion wasn’t about having the best idea or...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

OUT OF THE LAB, INTO THE WORLD

Temple University researchers are expanding the frontiers of knowledge and turning breakthroughs into solutions that hold the power to change lives. Every day at Temple University, faculty researchers are translating groundbreaking discoveries into innovations that improve lives, strengthen communities and drive economic growth in Philadelphia and beyond. “A vital anchor...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA

INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

NUTRIGMR

NUTRIGMR-TO EQUIP GAMERS WITH “BETTER FOR YOU” PERFORMANCE BACKED BY INNOVATIVE NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE

TO EQUIP GAMERS WITH “BETTER FOR YOU” PERFORMANCE BACKED BY INNOVATIVE NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE

Innovative, science-backed product portfolio with cognitive health ingredients for esport athletes, gamers and streamers to consume before and during games and streams, designed to meet the needs of the gaming community.     Our team started studying esports athletes in 2018 and quickly saw a need to provide a healthy...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

C2GRID

TURNING VIDEO INTO REAL-TIME 3D INTELLIGENCE

C2GRID didn’t start life as a company with a polished business plan or venture capital pitch. It began at Estonia’s Darkstar Defence Hackathon – an event uniting innovators, veterans, and investors to build technologies that strengthen NATO and its allies. The founders, originally exploring human–robot integration at Tallinn University of...

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® Nashville

Holland & Knight

Service Without Boundaries

Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices throughout the world. The Firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to...

INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo

THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

INNOVATION ARENA TRANSFORMS RESEARCH INTO IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS

NEW FACILITY ACCELERATES COMMERCIALIZATION BY EMPOWERING UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO RESEARCHERS AND STARTUPS THROUGH COLLABORATION AND RESOURCES The University of Waterloo is transforming research into tangible impact through the Innovation Arena, a new space situated within the Health Sciences Campus in downtown Kitchener designed to accelerate the commercialization of research. Waterloo’s...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

INVARY

PROTECTING OUR NATION’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE HEARTLAND

PROTECTING OUR NATION’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE HEARTLAND Invary is a cybersecurity company focused on ensuring the security and confidentiality of public and private critical infrastructure. Founded on a technology license from the NSA’s Laboratory for Advanced Cybersecurity Research, Invary validates that systems are functioning as intended, safeguarding them from...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Eatible Delights

Working Tirelessly to Bring Customers’ Visions to Life

You may not find “Humble Beginnings” or “soul-searing passion” in the nutrition facts of any label – on any product – in all the world; but at 1540 E Wadsworth Avenue in Philadelphia, it’s been a key ingredient. June 26, 2026 will make 30 years of business for David Simms....

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SPOON

SPOON-CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE

CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE

Founded in 2012 by Paulina Salach and Gustavo Antonetti, Spoon is Puerto Rico’s leading tour operator and travel planning & logistics company with a specialization in culinary experiences. We craft immersive, authentic, and educational gastronomic & cultural experiences for the leisure and corporate markets. On the leisure segment we service...

INNOVATE™ Ottawa

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL-SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...

INNOVATION Quebec

Agrinova

CCTT EN AGRICULTURE

Centre collégial de transfert de technologie en agriculture créé en 1996, Agrinova est dédié à la recherche appliquée menée en partenariat avec les entreprises et les organisations. Nous réalisons des travaux de recherche concrets dans un but ou un objectif pratique déterminé et répondant aux besoins des entreprises. Agrinova est...

AI Québec

LOTO QUEBEC

LOTO QUEBEC-BY ENCOURAGING THE MONTREAL-BASED STARTUP— WHICH SPECIALIZES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE—LOTOQUÉBEC IS HELPING TO PROMOTE THE CREATIVITY AND KNOW-HOW OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

ENCOURAGER CETTE ENTREPRISE MONTRÉALAISE SPÉCIALISÉE EN INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE EST UNE BELLE OCCASION POUR LOTO-QUÉBEC DE VALORISER LA CRÉATIVITÉ ET LE SAVOIR-FAIRE D’ICI

Loto-Québec est fière de s’impliquer dans l’écosystème de l’innovation québécoise, notamment grâce à ses alliances avec des partenaires clés tels que Centech. Cet incubateur universitaire du domaine des hautes technologies propulse de jeunes pousses prometteuses, dont HookMotion. Encourager cette entreprise montréalaise spécialisée en intelligence artificielle est une belle occasion pour...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

MICROSOFT SOUTH AFRICA

MICROSOFT SOUTH AFRICA - Unlocking The Value Of Mixed Reality In Manufacturing

Unlocking The Value Of Mixed Reality In Manufacturing

Mixed reality continues to grow exponentially because of its ability to help businesses and their employees complete crucial tasks faster, safer, and more efficiently. It also creates new ways to connect to customers and partners by blending the physical and digital worlds so that they coexist and interact in real-time....

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

bioLytical’s

CHANGING THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE – ONE DROP AT A TIME

bioLytical’s story starts with an idea to create equitable access to a safe, affordable, and accurate HIV rapid test that helps connect more people to care. We noticed that access to tests and the waiting period to know your results took far too long and increased patient anxiety. We wanted...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Brand Protection Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Modern Consumer Brands

For years, brand protection was viewed primarily as a defensive function. Companies invested in trademarks, monitored counterfeit activity, and occasionally addressed unauthorized sellers when issues became impossible to ignore. Most leadership teams considered brand protection a necessary but largely reactive part of doing business. That mindset is changing. As ecommerce...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Tyler York

Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same.

“Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same” – this was the vision of Founder and CEO Charlie Peterson when launching Tyler York Real Estate Brokers at the beginning of 2018. After a meteoric rise in Nashville real estate beginning in 2013, Charlie quickly...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Newlab

Building the Future of Sustainable Mobility at Michigan Central

Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...

INNOVATION Quebec

BAS-SAINT-LAURENT

THE ESPACE D’ACCÉLÉRATION ET DE CROISSANCE DU BAS-SAINT-LAURENT FACILITATES INNOVATION PROJECTS

Our interventions include networking, collaboration and referral of experts who offer entrepreneurs technical and business support services. Exemplary regional cooperationThe EAC BSL is led by the Collectif régional de développement (CRD). Created by the eight MRCs of Bas-Saint-Laurent, this consultation and planning organization’s mission is to promote and support the...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VALMET

MARKET LEADER, VALMET OFFERS UNIQUE AND INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS FOR PAPER, PULP AND ENERGY INDUSTRIES

With more than 220-years of industrial history and 63-years of presence in Brazil, the Finnish multinational provides integrated technologies, reaffirming its commitment to constant improvement and renewal. Valmet is a global leader in the development and supply of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries....

INNOVATE® Nashville

MINDFUL

MINDFUL-Add kindness to your tech stack

Add kindness to your tech stack.

Revitalizing a 25-year-old software company is no small task, but can be a pathway towards innovation and compelling value creation for employees, customers, and investors. That’s the story of Mindful, a contact center software company that relocated to Nashville in 2018, which was acquired by Medallia in 2022 after an...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

AIR PROMO FULL EXPERIENCE

SIMPLICITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVOLUTION

When there is an understanding of the essence of words and terms, it is possible for one to achieve what he or she intends to achieve. Thus, supported by the concept of simple, Air Promo embarked on its journey of evolution and expansion. The secret to evolve through simplicity comes...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

HARD ROCK CAFE

AN A UNIQUE AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

All over the world, anyone who visits a Hard Rock Cafe location knows that they will embark on an immersive journey through the universe of music and pop culture. From iconic autographed guitars to music legend’s most iconic outfits, each location transforms into a living art gallery. On the walls,...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Flutterwave’s Olugbenga Agboola

What It Takes To Found a Successful Tech Firm

Take it from someone who knows: Scaling a firm from simple startup to unicorn status isn’t for the faint of heart. For Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, the founder and CEO of the African e-payments platform Flutterwave, earning a valuation of more than $1 billion wasn’t about having the best idea or...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

OUT OF THE LAB, INTO THE WORLD

Temple University researchers are expanding the frontiers of knowledge and turning breakthroughs into solutions that hold the power to change lives. Every day at Temple University, faculty researchers are translating groundbreaking discoveries into innovations that improve lives, strengthen communities and drive economic growth in Philadelphia and beyond. “A vital anchor...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA

INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

NUTRIGMR

NUTRIGMR-TO EQUIP GAMERS WITH “BETTER FOR YOU” PERFORMANCE BACKED BY INNOVATIVE NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE

TO EQUIP GAMERS WITH “BETTER FOR YOU” PERFORMANCE BACKED BY INNOVATIVE NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE

Innovative, science-backed product portfolio with cognitive health ingredients for esport athletes, gamers and streamers to consume before and during games and streams, designed to meet the needs of the gaming community.     Our team started studying esports athletes in 2018 and quickly saw a need to provide a healthy...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

C2GRID

TURNING VIDEO INTO REAL-TIME 3D INTELLIGENCE

C2GRID didn’t start life as a company with a polished business plan or venture capital pitch. It began at Estonia’s Darkstar Defence Hackathon – an event uniting innovators, veterans, and investors to build technologies that strengthen NATO and its allies. The founders, originally exploring human–robot integration at Tallinn University of...

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® Nashville

Holland & Knight

Service Without Boundaries

Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices throughout the world. The Firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to...

INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo

THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

INNOVATION ARENA TRANSFORMS RESEARCH INTO IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS

NEW FACILITY ACCELERATES COMMERCIALIZATION BY EMPOWERING UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO RESEARCHERS AND STARTUPS THROUGH COLLABORATION AND RESOURCES The University of Waterloo is transforming research into tangible impact through the Innovation Arena, a new space situated within the Health Sciences Campus in downtown Kitchener designed to accelerate the commercialization of research. Waterloo’s...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

INVARY

PROTECTING OUR NATION’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE HEARTLAND

PROTECTING OUR NATION’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE HEARTLAND Invary is a cybersecurity company focused on ensuring the security and confidentiality of public and private critical infrastructure. Founded on a technology license from the NSA’s Laboratory for Advanced Cybersecurity Research, Invary validates that systems are functioning as intended, safeguarding them from...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Eatible Delights

Working Tirelessly to Bring Customers’ Visions to Life

You may not find “Humble Beginnings” or “soul-searing passion” in the nutrition facts of any label – on any product – in all the world; but at 1540 E Wadsworth Avenue in Philadelphia, it’s been a key ingredient. June 26, 2026 will make 30 years of business for David Simms....

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SPOON

SPOON-CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE

CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE

Founded in 2012 by Paulina Salach and Gustavo Antonetti, Spoon is Puerto Rico’s leading tour operator and travel planning & logistics company with a specialization in culinary experiences. We craft immersive, authentic, and educational gastronomic & cultural experiences for the leisure and corporate markets. On the leisure segment we service...

INNOVATE™ Ottawa

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL-SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...

INNOVATION Quebec

Agrinova

CCTT EN AGRICULTURE

Centre collégial de transfert de technologie en agriculture créé en 1996, Agrinova est dédié à la recherche appliquée menée en partenariat avec les entreprises et les organisations. Nous réalisons des travaux de recherche concrets dans un but ou un objectif pratique déterminé et répondant aux besoins des entreprises. Agrinova est...

AI Québec

LOTO QUEBEC

LOTO QUEBEC-BY ENCOURAGING THE MONTREAL-BASED STARTUP— WHICH SPECIALIZES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE—LOTOQUÉBEC IS HELPING TO PROMOTE THE CREATIVITY AND KNOW-HOW OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

ENCOURAGER CETTE ENTREPRISE MONTRÉALAISE SPÉCIALISÉE EN INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE EST UNE BELLE OCCASION POUR LOTO-QUÉBEC DE VALORISER LA CRÉATIVITÉ ET LE SAVOIR-FAIRE D’ICI

Loto-Québec est fière de s’impliquer dans l’écosystème de l’innovation québécoise, notamment grâce à ses alliances avec des partenaires clés tels que Centech. Cet incubateur universitaire du domaine des hautes technologies propulse de jeunes pousses prometteuses, dont HookMotion. Encourager cette entreprise montréalaise spécialisée en intelligence artificielle est une belle occasion pour...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

MICROSOFT SOUTH AFRICA

MICROSOFT SOUTH AFRICA - Unlocking The Value Of Mixed Reality In Manufacturing

Unlocking The Value Of Mixed Reality In Manufacturing

Mixed reality continues to grow exponentially because of its ability to help businesses and their employees complete crucial tasks faster, safer, and more efficiently. It also creates new ways to connect to customers and partners by blending the physical and digital worlds so that they coexist and interact in real-time....

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

bioLytical’s

CHANGING THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE – ONE DROP AT A TIME

bioLytical’s story starts with an idea to create equitable access to a safe, affordable, and accurate HIV rapid test that helps connect more people to care. We noticed that access to tests and the waiting period to know your results took far too long and increased patient anxiety. We wanted...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Brand Protection Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Modern Consumer Brands

For years, brand protection was viewed primarily as a defensive function. Companies invested in trademarks, monitored counterfeit activity, and occasionally addressed unauthorized sellers when issues became impossible to ignore. Most leadership teams considered brand protection a necessary but largely reactive part of doing business. That mindset is changing. As ecommerce...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Tyler York

Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same.

“Relationship-centered real estate, valuing people over profit, and inspiring others to do the same” – this was the vision of Founder and CEO Charlie Peterson when launching Tyler York Real Estate Brokers at the beginning of 2018. After a meteoric rise in Nashville real estate beginning in 2013, Charlie quickly...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Newlab

Building the Future of Sustainable Mobility at Michigan Central

Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...

INNOVATION Quebec

BAS-SAINT-LAURENT

THE ESPACE D’ACCÉLÉRATION ET DE CROISSANCE DU BAS-SAINT-LAURENT FACILITATES INNOVATION PROJECTS

Our interventions include networking, collaboration and referral of experts who offer entrepreneurs technical and business support services. Exemplary regional cooperationThe EAC BSL is led by the Collectif régional de développement (CRD). Created by the eight MRCs of Bas-Saint-Laurent, this consultation and planning organization’s mission is to promote and support the...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VALMET

MARKET LEADER, VALMET OFFERS UNIQUE AND INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS FOR PAPER, PULP AND ENERGY INDUSTRIES

With more than 220-years of industrial history and 63-years of presence in Brazil, the Finnish multinational provides integrated technologies, reaffirming its commitment to constant improvement and renewal. Valmet is a global leader in the development and supply of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries....

INNOVATE® Nashville

MINDFUL

MINDFUL-Add kindness to your tech stack

Add kindness to your tech stack.

Revitalizing a 25-year-old software company is no small task, but can be a pathway towards innovation and compelling value creation for employees, customers, and investors. That’s the story of Mindful, a contact center software company that relocated to Nashville in 2018, which was acquired by Medallia in 2022 after an...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

AIR PROMO FULL EXPERIENCE

SIMPLICITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVOLUTION

When there is an understanding of the essence of words and terms, it is possible for one to achieve what he or she intends to achieve. Thus, supported by the concept of simple, Air Promo embarked on its journey of evolution and expansion. The secret to evolve through simplicity comes...

Ecosystems