Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | Palmeto AI Corridor

Advancing AI Excellence Through Research, Collaboration, and Infrastructure

Artificial intelligence is one of SC Competes’ priority “critical technologies” for growing South Carolina’s economy and talent base. With the launch of its Palmetto AI Corridor in 2021, SC Competes acts as a connector and catalyst: we convene industry–academic–government partners, map opportunities and gaps, seed pilot programs, and translate AI...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

TECHNORI

TECHNORI-Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago

Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago, Our Mission Has Been Simple; Help Founders More Easily Raise Startup Funds By Building a Community Around Tech And Investing

Before Chicago became a tech hub featuring world-renowned incubators like 1871 and more than a dozen unicorns, there was Technori – a small group of early adopters and startup founders on a mission to turn Chicago into the largest and most diverse tech community in the world. And, what began...

INNOVATION Quebec

TransBIOTech

CCTT EN BIOTECHNOLOGIES

TransBIOTech, centre collégial de transfert en Biotechnologie, a été fondé en 1999 à la demande du Cégep de Lévis et s’appuie sur ses programmes techniques en biotechnologies et chimie analytique. Organisme à but non lucratif, TransBIOTech se spécialise en démonstrations d’efficacité et d’innocuité sur des composés actifs naturels destinés aux...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Can Online Mapping Software Beat Traditional GIS?

Reviewing 4 Platforms

Can Online Mapping Software Beat Traditional GIS? Reviewing 4 Platforms Geographic information systems used to belong to specialists. You needed a license, a training course, and a workstation that could handle the processing load. That was the cost of doing spatial analysis for a long time, and plenty of organizations...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

UTFPR

TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION TEAM BY UTFPR

The Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) – Brazil, is a century-old center for technological education, founded in 1909. In 2005, it became the first Technological University in Brazil. In 2023, it has approximately 35,000 students in various undergraduate courses across 13 campuses distributed throughout the state of Paraná. The...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

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™ Toronto

CIFAR

CIFAR-ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE TO CHANGE THE WORLD

ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE TO CHANGE THE WORLD

INNOVATORS, SCHOLARS & EXPERTSCIFAR is a global leader in the research community, bringing together top researchers across disciplines to advance our understanding of the most complex and far-reaching questions. Our researchers establish new fields of inquiry — reimagining our health, our understanding of the Universe, the prosperity of our societies,...

INNOVATION Quebec

IREQ, HYDRO-QUÉBEC’S

RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The energy transition is in full swing. The energy industry is undergoing profound transformations prompted by the search for sustainable solutions to address the impacts of climate change, meet our customers’ evolving needs and consumption habits and reap the benefits of the broad accessibility of new technologies. The invention of...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

IMPRESA

IMPRESA-Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence

Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence

IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime.   Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Signature Transportation Services

Because the Experience Matters

Founded in January 2001, Signature Transportation Services – originally known as Nashville Livery, Inc. – has become synonymous with luxury, professionalism, and reliability. From its beginnings on Music Row, the company has grown into Nashville’s premier limousine and chauffeured transportation provider, now operating nationwide through an extensive affiliate network. “We’re...

United Nations Lesotho

UNFPA

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency INTRODUCTION UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, established its presence in Lesotho in the 1970s, focusing on improving the quality of life for all Basotho through various programs and initiatives. The Fund has been working closely with the Government and other stakeholders to address...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SUPERNOVA

SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY: EMPOWERING ATLANTIC CANADA’S YOUTH THROUGH STEM EDUCATION

SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education Across Atlantic Canada SuperNOVA, a non-profit organization based at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a network member of Actua, has gained widespread recognition for providing high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming across Atlantic Canada. Founded in 1996, SuperNOVA provides hands-on...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

LEIDOS AUSTRALIA

Leading the way in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems engineering

Leidos Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune 500 company Leidos, has been a trusted partner to the Australian Government for over 25 years, having delivered some of the most complex software and systems integration projects in Australia. Led by a local leadership team, Leidos delivers projects and services through...

INNOVATION Quebec

COLAB

EN ACTIVITÉ DEPUIS 2019, COLAB EST UN CENTRE DE RECHERCHE ET D’INNOVATION

QUATRE AXES DE RECHERCHETerritoires numériquesFavoriser le développement des compétences numériques, collaboratives et entrepreneuriales des acteur·trice·s de l’écosystème. Transition numérique des PMESupporter la transition numérique des PME en développant les compétences numériques des leaders, des gestionnaires et des employé·e·s, en les accompagnant dans une démarche de transformation numérique. Entrepreneuriat et apprentissages...

INNOVATE® Nashville

MOTUS DRIVE

PRACTICAL MOBILITY SOLUTIONS

Motus Drive was founded by Ferhan Jemal after seeing firsthand the challenges his uncle faced due to limited mobility and the high costs associated with powered wheelchairs. Motivated by this experience, Ferhan spent eight years studying the wheelchair market, talking with industry experts, prototyping, and gathering direct feedback from wheelchair...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE

THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE- NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA

NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA

The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...

INNOVATE® Seattle

Path Ahead Ventures

Path Ahead Ventures (PAV) is focused on ensuring the outdoor industry reflects the true diversity of the people who love, protect, and share life outside.

REI Co-op believes the vibrancy of the outdoor industry depends on the economic mobility and contributions of diverse communities as customers and creators. In 2020, we accelerated our efforts to advance racial equity across every piece of our business and wanted to set bold goals towards diversifying our supplier base,...

INNOVATION Quebec

PRIMA

Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce auxmatériaux avancés et… à PRIMA Québec

Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce aux matériaux avancés et… Prima Quebec

PRIMA Québec, le Pôle de recherche et d’innovation en matériaux avancés, anime et soutient l’écosystème des matériaux avancés en privilégiant l’innovation collaborative pour le développement économique du Québec   Il est le catalyseur privilégié entre les milieux industriel et la recherche. En tant que regroupement sectoriel de recherche industrielle (RSRI),...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PINATI

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, SO HAVE THE SNACKS

Not wanting to conform with the snack industry, Waldemiro Pereira founded Pinati Snacks in 2013. But the beginning was not easy. With little financial resources, he would buy healthy homemade cereal bars from a local couple in the metropolitan area in Curitiba and, with personalized packaging, sell them on to...

INNOVATION Quebec

CTS

QUEBEC’S MOST SPECIALIZED HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY GROWTH ACCELERATOR

The Health Technology Catalyst (CTS), founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit organization, is an à la carte growth accelerator which responds to the challenges and needs of each startup. Its mission: catalyze the growth of life sciences startups, particularly in medical technology and digital health, by offering customized acceleration services....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY

MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY- Closing The Canadian Investment Gap

Closing The Canadian Investment Gap

Currently amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are witnessing unprecedented technological change triggered by a multitude of disruptive forces. These changes have shaken Canada’s business ecosystem, causing new players to rise and existing leaders to fall.   Consequently, incumbents are faced with a harsh reality where constant innovation and technological...

INNOVATION Quebec

Entrepreneuriat ULaval (« EUL »)

Est l’incubateur d’entreprises innovantes et responsables de l’Université Laval, à Québec

EUL propulse vers le succès les entrepreneures et entrepreneurs de la communauté universitaire qui rêvent grand et dont l’entreprise a des potentiels de croissance et d’impact sociétal élevés. Louis-Philippe Pleau, CEO & Co-Founder of LumIR Lasers EUL accompagne des jeunes pousses dans le domaine de la haute technologie appliquée principalement...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CGI

Addressing new energy markets with agility and insight

Changing Demands and the Energy Transition Changing demands and the energy transition are driving utilities to reinvent operations. We help clients continually sense and respond to dynamic change to improve organizational resilience. Modernizing Utilities to Support the Health, Safety, and Economic Productivity of Industries and Communities CGI works across a...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | Palmeto AI Corridor

Advancing AI Excellence Through Research, Collaboration, and Infrastructure

Artificial intelligence is one of SC Competes’ priority “critical technologies” for growing South Carolina’s economy and talent base. With the launch of its Palmetto AI Corridor in 2021, SC Competes acts as a connector and catalyst: we convene industry–academic–government partners, map opportunities and gaps, seed pilot programs, and translate AI...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

TECHNORI

TECHNORI-Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago

Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago, Our Mission Has Been Simple; Help Founders More Easily Raise Startup Funds By Building a Community Around Tech And Investing

Before Chicago became a tech hub featuring world-renowned incubators like 1871 and more than a dozen unicorns, there was Technori – a small group of early adopters and startup founders on a mission to turn Chicago into the largest and most diverse tech community in the world. And, what began...

INNOVATION Quebec

TransBIOTech

CCTT EN BIOTECHNOLOGIES

TransBIOTech, centre collégial de transfert en Biotechnologie, a été fondé en 1999 à la demande du Cégep de Lévis et s’appuie sur ses programmes techniques en biotechnologies et chimie analytique. Organisme à but non lucratif, TransBIOTech se spécialise en démonstrations d’efficacité et d’innocuité sur des composés actifs naturels destinés aux...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Can Online Mapping Software Beat Traditional GIS?

Reviewing 4 Platforms

Can Online Mapping Software Beat Traditional GIS? Reviewing 4 Platforms Geographic information systems used to belong to specialists. You needed a license, a training course, and a workstation that could handle the processing load. That was the cost of doing spatial analysis for a long time, and plenty of organizations...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

UTFPR

TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION TEAM BY UTFPR

The Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR) – Brazil, is a century-old center for technological education, founded in 1909. In 2005, it became the first Technological University in Brazil. In 2023, it has approximately 35,000 students in various undergraduate courses across 13 campuses distributed throughout the state of Paraná. The...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

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™ Toronto

CIFAR

CIFAR-ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE TO CHANGE THE WORLD

ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE TO CHANGE THE WORLD

INNOVATORS, SCHOLARS & EXPERTSCIFAR is a global leader in the research community, bringing together top researchers across disciplines to advance our understanding of the most complex and far-reaching questions. Our researchers establish new fields of inquiry — reimagining our health, our understanding of the Universe, the prosperity of our societies,...

INNOVATION Quebec

IREQ, HYDRO-QUÉBEC’S

RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The energy transition is in full swing. The energy industry is undergoing profound transformations prompted by the search for sustainable solutions to address the impacts of climate change, meet our customers’ evolving needs and consumption habits and reap the benefits of the broad accessibility of new technologies. The invention of...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

IMPRESA

IMPRESA-Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence

Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence

IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime.   Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Signature Transportation Services

Because the Experience Matters

Founded in January 2001, Signature Transportation Services – originally known as Nashville Livery, Inc. – has become synonymous with luxury, professionalism, and reliability. From its beginnings on Music Row, the company has grown into Nashville’s premier limousine and chauffeured transportation provider, now operating nationwide through an extensive affiliate network. “We’re...

United Nations Lesotho

UNFPA

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency INTRODUCTION UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, established its presence in Lesotho in the 1970s, focusing on improving the quality of life for all Basotho through various programs and initiatives. The Fund has been working closely with the Government and other stakeholders to address...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SUPERNOVA

SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY: EMPOWERING ATLANTIC CANADA’S YOUTH THROUGH STEM EDUCATION

SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education Across Atlantic Canada SuperNOVA, a non-profit organization based at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a network member of Actua, has gained widespread recognition for providing high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming across Atlantic Canada. Founded in 1996, SuperNOVA provides hands-on...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

LEIDOS AUSTRALIA

Leading the way in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems engineering

Leidos Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune 500 company Leidos, has been a trusted partner to the Australian Government for over 25 years, having delivered some of the most complex software and systems integration projects in Australia. Led by a local leadership team, Leidos delivers projects and services through...

INNOVATION Quebec

COLAB

EN ACTIVITÉ DEPUIS 2019, COLAB EST UN CENTRE DE RECHERCHE ET D’INNOVATION

QUATRE AXES DE RECHERCHETerritoires numériquesFavoriser le développement des compétences numériques, collaboratives et entrepreneuriales des acteur·trice·s de l’écosystème. Transition numérique des PMESupporter la transition numérique des PME en développant les compétences numériques des leaders, des gestionnaires et des employé·e·s, en les accompagnant dans une démarche de transformation numérique. Entrepreneuriat et apprentissages...

INNOVATE® Nashville

MOTUS DRIVE

PRACTICAL MOBILITY SOLUTIONS

Motus Drive was founded by Ferhan Jemal after seeing firsthand the challenges his uncle faced due to limited mobility and the high costs associated with powered wheelchairs. Motivated by this experience, Ferhan spent eight years studying the wheelchair market, talking with industry experts, prototyping, and gathering direct feedback from wheelchair...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE

THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE- NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA

NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA

The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...

INNOVATE® Seattle

Path Ahead Ventures

Path Ahead Ventures (PAV) is focused on ensuring the outdoor industry reflects the true diversity of the people who love, protect, and share life outside.

REI Co-op believes the vibrancy of the outdoor industry depends on the economic mobility and contributions of diverse communities as customers and creators. In 2020, we accelerated our efforts to advance racial equity across every piece of our business and wanted to set bold goals towards diversifying our supplier base,...

INNOVATION Quebec

PRIMA

Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce auxmatériaux avancés et… à PRIMA Québec

Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce aux matériaux avancés et… Prima Quebec

PRIMA Québec, le Pôle de recherche et d’innovation en matériaux avancés, anime et soutient l’écosystème des matériaux avancés en privilégiant l’innovation collaborative pour le développement économique du Québec   Il est le catalyseur privilégié entre les milieux industriel et la recherche. En tant que regroupement sectoriel de recherche industrielle (RSRI),...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PINATI

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, SO HAVE THE SNACKS

Not wanting to conform with the snack industry, Waldemiro Pereira founded Pinati Snacks in 2013. But the beginning was not easy. With little financial resources, he would buy healthy homemade cereal bars from a local couple in the metropolitan area in Curitiba and, with personalized packaging, sell them on to...

INNOVATION Quebec

CTS

QUEBEC’S MOST SPECIALIZED HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY GROWTH ACCELERATOR

The Health Technology Catalyst (CTS), founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit organization, is an à la carte growth accelerator which responds to the challenges and needs of each startup. Its mission: catalyze the growth of life sciences startups, particularly in medical technology and digital health, by offering customized acceleration services....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY

MAVERIX PRIVATE EQUITY- Closing The Canadian Investment Gap

Closing The Canadian Investment Gap

Currently amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are witnessing unprecedented technological change triggered by a multitude of disruptive forces. These changes have shaken Canada’s business ecosystem, causing new players to rise and existing leaders to fall.   Consequently, incumbents are faced with a harsh reality where constant innovation and technological...

INNOVATION Quebec

Entrepreneuriat ULaval (« EUL »)

Est l’incubateur d’entreprises innovantes et responsables de l’Université Laval, à Québec

EUL propulse vers le succès les entrepreneures et entrepreneurs de la communauté universitaire qui rêvent grand et dont l’entreprise a des potentiels de croissance et d’impact sociétal élevés. Louis-Philippe Pleau, CEO & Co-Founder of LumIR Lasers EUL accompagne des jeunes pousses dans le domaine de la haute technologie appliquée principalement...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CGI

Addressing new energy markets with agility and insight

Changing Demands and the Energy Transition Changing demands and the energy transition are driving utilities to reinvent operations. We help clients continually sense and respond to dynamic change to improve organizational resilience. Modernizing Utilities to Support the Health, Safety, and Economic Productivity of Industries and Communities CGI works across a...

Ecosystems