Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
FCT
Igniting innovation across high temperature processing industries worldwide
South Australian-owned FCT is a global engineering group with three specialist divisions: Combustion, Flames, and ACTech. Incorporated in 1984, the Group’s Head Office is based in Thebarton, while additional key offices are located in Austria, Brazil, China, and the USA. While FCT Flames has in the past enjoyed prominent publicity...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GUNKII
REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE
It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...
INNOVATE® Miami
SmartBarrel
The ultimate construction workforce management solution
SmartBarrel is the ultimate construction workforce management solution. Solar powered, self connected and loaded with the latest computer vision technologies, it’s able to manage labor workforces from anywhere. SmartBarrel was founded by Albert Bou Fadel, a glazing (glass) project manager with years of experience in construction. The concept sprouted from...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CAVRNUS
OFFERS A BLOCKCHAIN AND NFT-READY DESTINATION METAVERSE BUILDER PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS TRUE TO-LIFE EXPERIENCES TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ON ANY DEVICE
Cavrnus, Inc. is an innovative technology startup that enables every enterprise, brand and creator to intuitively design, build and share their vision of immersive reality with anyone, anywhere, and on any device. The Cavrnus metaverse builder platform delivers highly realistic visuals and interactions that bring any experience–from virtual product showrooms...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
PSS PATHFINDERS, INC
We Work Best-When We Work Together
For over 35 years, two generations, and over 100 years of combined leadership experience, PSS Pathfinders, Inc. is one of the leading workforce management and development companies in Puerto Rico. PSS provides a full range of human resources consulting, permanent and temporary employee recruitment solutions. Our leadership staff constantly monitors...
INNOVATE® Nashville
MCVANTAGE
ROOTED IN LEGACY, BRANCHING INTO INNOVATION
McVantage Packaging stands as a testament to resilience and forward-thinking in the wood pallet, crate, industrial lumber, and supply chain industry. Founded nearly 75 years ago in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the company has evolved from a family-run lumber operation into a regional powerhouse serving the Central-Southeastern United States. With plants in...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
LI-CYCLE
THE SHIFT TOWARDS CLEAN ENERGY HAS CREATED TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANCEMENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE
One notable development is the move from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs). The lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries used in EVs are becoming more prevalent everywhere. These days, they are the go-to choice when it comes to powering everything from mobile phones to power tools, drones, EVs, and more....
Global Innovation Spotlight
HILCO CONSUMER - RETAIL
INNOVATING FOR THE RETAIL LIFECYCLE – FROM BEGINNING TO END AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Can a business founded as a retail liquidation firm innovate to save retail? Hilco Consumer-Retail (HCR) is undoubtedly trying – and succeeding in BIG WAYS! Retail – and the consumer product businesses that feed them inventory – is among the most troubled sectors in the United States and worldwide. This...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
CASORO GROUP
Advancing Diversity and Closing the Generational Wealth Gap
THE WORLD STOOD STILLThe global pandemic in 2020 brought the world to a halt. Lives were lost. Businesses were forced to pivot quickly and those who couldn’t suffered. Jobs disappeared. The world stood still in uncertainty and fear; and then the death of George Floyd occurred. That became the catalyst...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Plug and Play Detroit
Driving the Future of Mobility
A city synonymous with automotive innovation, Plug and Play’s Detroit operation is making waves with its groundbreaking approach to mobility. As a global leader in fostering innovation, Plug and Play has established itself as a critical player in the tech ecosystem. However, in Detroit, the organization is doing more than...
INNOVATION Quebec
GREENUXLAB
UTILISER UN LABORATOIRE QUI CRÉE UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE VENTE AU DÉTAIL FICTIF POUR PRÉDIRE
Ouvert depuis l’automne 2018, le GreenUXlab est un écosystème d’évaluation des dispositifs, de cocréation, de recherche et d’innovation du point de vente axé sur la consommation à impact positif. Il sert d’infrastructure de recherche principale à l’Observatoire de la consommation responsable de l’ESG UQAM, une cellule d’études et de veille...
INNOVATION Quebec
ARTENSO
CCTT IN ART AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Artenso—a French acronym for art and social engagement—strongly believes that culture can be a vehicle for economic and social development within communities. Affiliated with Montreal’s Cégep de Saint-Laurent, our CCTT boasts cross-disciplinary expertise in the fields of public policy, artistic practices, digital culture and social innovation. Our interdisciplinary team carries...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE
IS A CREATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SPACE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN ATLANTIC CANADA
Students come to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre from all disciplines and for many reasons. Some come with an idea they want to test. Others come to learn the habits and skills of an entrepreneurial mindset – skills like agility, resiliency, design thinking, and leadership. Some come looking for...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
BLUEBIST
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR NEW AGE OBSTACLES
Blue Bist is a boutique consulting company based in Chicago, IL. We specialize in change management, team dynamics, and operations transformations. We provide fractional and remote COO, CPO, and CTO support to startups and mentor first-time founders on how to scale. We are a diverse, professional, woman-owned business with a...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
ALTUS ASSESSMENTS
USING DATA AND TECH TO BRING THE HUMAN SIDE OF HEALTH CARE EDUCATION BACK INTO FOCUS
Over 33,000 Canadians have died of Covid-19, most of whom were alone in the hospital or in long-term care homes known for poor conditions and mistreatment of residents. Against the backdrop of a long-existing labour shortage, health care workers’ resilience and compassion are being tested, and many are quitting. It’s...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Where to Get South African Goodies in Canada
The South African Shop Delivers Nationwide
Craving a taste of home like Mrs. Ball’s chutney, Peppermint Crisp, or Iwisa Mealy Meal? For South African expats in Canada, finding where to get South African goodies in Canada can feel like a mission—until you discover The South African Shop (The South African Shop). Based in Vancouver, this online...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC)
Driving Growth to Every Corner of Philadelphia
PIDC is Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation founded by the City of Philadelphia and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia in 1958. Its mission is to create quality jobs and grow a global economy through economic development that ultimately achieves a high quality of life for all who live...
INNOVATE® Detroit
LIVAQ
Building the Future of Electric Off-Road, Empowering Adventure
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Livaq is redefining the off-road vehicle industry with an innovative all-electric approach. As the first company solely dedicated to electric off-road vehicles (ORVs), Livaq is driving a critical shift away from traditional gas-powered machines and toward a cleaner, more efficient future. The company’s mission is to...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
TechniTextile Québec
Since 2017, TechniTextile Québec has been working in conjunction with companies and other key members of the textile industry. Serving as a vehicle for collaboration, this textile cluster promotes innovation, enhanced opportunities, commercialization and companies’ competitiveness
Supported by the Québec Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s ACCORD approach, the TechniTextile team assists industry leaders with implementing innovative, collaborative projects driven by their own needs. Innovation-Focused Cluster ProjectsThe projects backed or managed by TechniTextile provide a springboard for companies to reduce the risks involved in collaboration,...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
KNAPP
MAKING COMPLEXITY SIMPLE INNOVATION AND KNAPP ARE INSEPARABLY LINKED
In a world where everything is constantly changing, strong values and trust matter. Partnerships matter. The KNAPP Group provides intelligent logistics solutions for data-driven value chains, uniting technological know-how with its long-established experience in diverse industries. KNAPP brings new technology to warehouse logistics, working with its customers globally to develop...
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® Nashville
Gresham Smith
Pioneering Innovation in Design
Gresham Smith, a leading architecture, engineering, design and consulting firm that has called Nashville home for more than 50 years, is an industry leader in innovation. At Gresham Smith, innovation is not just about adopting emerging technologies—it’s about transforming the design and planning process to create healthier, more connected communities....
INNOVATE™ South Africa
iTOUCH
FROM ZERO TO BILLION$
In a world where data has become the currency of our supposed future resulting in valuations of businesses from zero to billions within a relatively short while, you need to ask yourself this question; How am I benefitting from the data-sets I have in my business, if at all? And...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
FCT
Igniting innovation across high temperature processing industries worldwide
South Australian-owned FCT is a global engineering group with three specialist divisions: Combustion, Flames, and ACTech. Incorporated in 1984, the Group’s Head Office is based in Thebarton, while additional key offices are located in Austria, Brazil, China, and the USA. While FCT Flames has in the past enjoyed prominent publicity...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
GUNKII
REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE
It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...
INNOVATE® Miami
SmartBarrel
The ultimate construction workforce management solution
SmartBarrel is the ultimate construction workforce management solution. Solar powered, self connected and loaded with the latest computer vision technologies, it’s able to manage labor workforces from anywhere. SmartBarrel was founded by Albert Bou Fadel, a glazing (glass) project manager with years of experience in construction. The concept sprouted from...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CAVRNUS
OFFERS A BLOCKCHAIN AND NFT-READY DESTINATION METAVERSE BUILDER PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS TRUE TO-LIFE EXPERIENCES TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ON ANY DEVICE
Cavrnus, Inc. is an innovative technology startup that enables every enterprise, brand and creator to intuitively design, build and share their vision of immersive reality with anyone, anywhere, and on any device. The Cavrnus metaverse builder platform delivers highly realistic visuals and interactions that bring any experience–from virtual product showrooms...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
PSS PATHFINDERS, INC
We Work Best-When We Work Together
For over 35 years, two generations, and over 100 years of combined leadership experience, PSS Pathfinders, Inc. is one of the leading workforce management and development companies in Puerto Rico. PSS provides a full range of human resources consulting, permanent and temporary employee recruitment solutions. Our leadership staff constantly monitors...
INNOVATE® Nashville
MCVANTAGE
ROOTED IN LEGACY, BRANCHING INTO INNOVATION
McVantage Packaging stands as a testament to resilience and forward-thinking in the wood pallet, crate, industrial lumber, and supply chain industry. Founded nearly 75 years ago in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the company has evolved from a family-run lumber operation into a regional powerhouse serving the Central-Southeastern United States. With plants in...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
LI-CYCLE
THE SHIFT TOWARDS CLEAN ENERGY HAS CREATED TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANCEMENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE
One notable development is the move from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs). The lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries used in EVs are becoming more prevalent everywhere. These days, they are the go-to choice when it comes to powering everything from mobile phones to power tools, drones, EVs, and more....
Global Innovation Spotlight
HILCO CONSUMER - RETAIL
INNOVATING FOR THE RETAIL LIFECYCLE – FROM BEGINNING TO END AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Can a business founded as a retail liquidation firm innovate to save retail? Hilco Consumer-Retail (HCR) is undoubtedly trying – and succeeding in BIG WAYS! Retail – and the consumer product businesses that feed them inventory – is among the most troubled sectors in the United States and worldwide. This...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
CASORO GROUP
Advancing Diversity and Closing the Generational Wealth Gap
THE WORLD STOOD STILLThe global pandemic in 2020 brought the world to a halt. Lives were lost. Businesses were forced to pivot quickly and those who couldn’t suffered. Jobs disappeared. The world stood still in uncertainty and fear; and then the death of George Floyd occurred. That became the catalyst...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Plug and Play Detroit
Driving the Future of Mobility
A city synonymous with automotive innovation, Plug and Play’s Detroit operation is making waves with its groundbreaking approach to mobility. As a global leader in fostering innovation, Plug and Play has established itself as a critical player in the tech ecosystem. However, in Detroit, the organization is doing more than...
INNOVATION Quebec
GREENUXLAB
UTILISER UN LABORATOIRE QUI CRÉE UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE VENTE AU DÉTAIL FICTIF POUR PRÉDIRE
Ouvert depuis l’automne 2018, le GreenUXlab est un écosystème d’évaluation des dispositifs, de cocréation, de recherche et d’innovation du point de vente axé sur la consommation à impact positif. Il sert d’infrastructure de recherche principale à l’Observatoire de la consommation responsable de l’ESG UQAM, une cellule d’études et de veille...
INNOVATION Quebec
ARTENSO
CCTT IN ART AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Artenso—a French acronym for art and social engagement—strongly believes that culture can be a vehicle for economic and social development within communities. Affiliated with Montreal’s Cégep de Saint-Laurent, our CCTT boasts cross-disciplinary expertise in the fields of public policy, artistic practices, digital culture and social innovation. Our interdisciplinary team carries...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE
IS A CREATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SPACE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN ATLANTIC CANADA
Students come to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre from all disciplines and for many reasons. Some come with an idea they want to test. Others come to learn the habits and skills of an entrepreneurial mindset – skills like agility, resiliency, design thinking, and leadership. Some come looking for...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
BLUEBIST
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR NEW AGE OBSTACLES
Blue Bist is a boutique consulting company based in Chicago, IL. We specialize in change management, team dynamics, and operations transformations. We provide fractional and remote COO, CPO, and CTO support to startups and mentor first-time founders on how to scale. We are a diverse, professional, woman-owned business with a...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
ALTUS ASSESSMENTS
USING DATA AND TECH TO BRING THE HUMAN SIDE OF HEALTH CARE EDUCATION BACK INTO FOCUS
Over 33,000 Canadians have died of Covid-19, most of whom were alone in the hospital or in long-term care homes known for poor conditions and mistreatment of residents. Against the backdrop of a long-existing labour shortage, health care workers’ resilience and compassion are being tested, and many are quitting. It’s...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Where to Get South African Goodies in Canada
The South African Shop Delivers Nationwide
Craving a taste of home like Mrs. Ball’s chutney, Peppermint Crisp, or Iwisa Mealy Meal? For South African expats in Canada, finding where to get South African goodies in Canada can feel like a mission—until you discover The South African Shop (The South African Shop). Based in Vancouver, this online...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC)
Driving Growth to Every Corner of Philadelphia
PIDC is Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation founded by the City of Philadelphia and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia in 1958. Its mission is to create quality jobs and grow a global economy through economic development that ultimately achieves a high quality of life for all who live...
INNOVATE® Detroit
LIVAQ
Building the Future of Electric Off-Road, Empowering Adventure
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Livaq is redefining the off-road vehicle industry with an innovative all-electric approach. As the first company solely dedicated to electric off-road vehicles (ORVs), Livaq is driving a critical shift away from traditional gas-powered machines and toward a cleaner, more efficient future. The company’s mission is to...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
TechniTextile Québec
Since 2017, TechniTextile Québec has been working in conjunction with companies and other key members of the textile industry. Serving as a vehicle for collaboration, this textile cluster promotes innovation, enhanced opportunities, commercialization and companies’ competitiveness
Supported by the Québec Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s ACCORD approach, the TechniTextile team assists industry leaders with implementing innovative, collaborative projects driven by their own needs. Innovation-Focused Cluster ProjectsThe projects backed or managed by TechniTextile provide a springboard for companies to reduce the risks involved in collaboration,...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
KNAPP
MAKING COMPLEXITY SIMPLE INNOVATION AND KNAPP ARE INSEPARABLY LINKED
In a world where everything is constantly changing, strong values and trust matter. Partnerships matter. The KNAPP Group provides intelligent logistics solutions for data-driven value chains, uniting technological know-how with its long-established experience in diverse industries. KNAPP brings new technology to warehouse logistics, working with its customers globally to develop...
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® Nashville
Gresham Smith
Pioneering Innovation in Design
Gresham Smith, a leading architecture, engineering, design and consulting firm that has called Nashville home for more than 50 years, is an industry leader in innovation. At Gresham Smith, innovation is not just about adopting emerging technologies—it’s about transforming the design and planning process to create healthier, more connected communities....
INNOVATE™ South Africa
iTOUCH
FROM ZERO TO BILLION$
In a world where data has become the currency of our supposed future resulting in valuations of businesses from zero to billions within a relatively short while, you need to ask yourself this question; How am I benefitting from the data-sets I have in my business, if at all? And...