Stories of Innovation

If you’re serious about building a startup in Nashville, meet your secret weapon: the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Founded in 2010, EC is a nonprofit built by business leaders to be—literally—Nashville’s “home to entrepreneurship.” What sets it apart? It’s not just talk: EC has helped over 14,000 entrepreneurs, including more...

FOUNDED IN 2008 IN MARYLAND WASHINGTON DC, 2U, INC. SET OUT TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST ONLINE EDUCATION AND THEY’VE BEEN DEFYING THE ODDS EVER SINCE. ALSO AROUND THE EXACT SAME TIME AND COINCIDING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE MOOC REVOLUTION, GETSMARTER WAS ALSO FOUNDED. Early on in the industry,...

A leader in digital medicine, dedicated to generating real-time health insight via physiological data and patented artificial intelligence (AI) analytics, physIQ is on a mission to transform healthcare. The physIQ enterprise-ready cloud platform is designed to continuously collect and process data from any wearable biosensor using an expanding portfolio of...

Flamehawk Studios is a “games for good” startup that focuses on three main themes: e-learning, diversity and inclusion, and charity. Flamehawk’s first effort is The Mechanical World of Dr. Gearbox. Teachers may consider it a remote learning tool but students consider it a fun game that is clearly inspired by...

It’s no secret that healthcare has become excessively complex for both providers and patients. Medplus Solutions builds innovative service programs that deliver a simpler, better experience for patients and superior outcomes for facilities, employers, and payors. Medplus Solutions’ purpose is to provoke changes in the healthcare system by innovating in...

It was initially known as the University of Paraná, and it has been since then a national reference when it comes to teaching, research, and outreach services. Therefore, the UFPR historic building, located at Praça Santos Andrade, was chosen by Curitiba residents as the very symbol of the city. Initially,...

Timbeter is an Estonian company whose digital solutions bring transparency, traceability, and efficiency to timber measurement from the forest to the factory. Its core products include a mobile app for logs and lumber measurement, a cloud platform for data management, and a dashboard for traceability and reporting. By applying AI,...

Innovation as Civic Infrastructure in America’s First World Heritage City In a global landscape where cities compete for visibility, talent, and influence, innovation is often defined narrowly—through technology, startups, or commercial growth. The Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) offers a broader, more civic-minded model. Rather than innovating through a single product...

Born in the year of the millennium, Step Ahead Consulting, headquartered in Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, quickly asserted itself in two aspects: Despite a very strong presence in Angola, the company remained committed to several outstanding national projects, such as the Nationality Process, and other management projects, in clients...

As American forces crossed the English Channel to liberate France in June 1944, Milwaukee native Lloyd A. Sauer was thinking forward to a post-war era. Sauer purchased a small company called ColorPrint Products Printing and began producing window signage for shoe stores. But it was Cadillac and Harley-Davidson that propelled...

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...

It began as a lightbulb moment during the pandemic, when Earthware Reusables Inc. founder, John MacInnes, was moved to do something about the waste he and his family generated during a typical takeout meal. It has now turned into a worldwide first, in reusable systems. No stranger to entrepreneurship, having...

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...

Fashion’s Pollution ProblemThe $2.5 trillion fashion industry is one of the top-most polluting industries in the world, generating 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, the heavy reliance by the industry on synthetic, petroleum-derived, fabrics such as polyester, is projected to create over a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions...

“Grassroots physician leadership will be vital for patient-centered transformative innovation.” – Dr. Moira Schieke Cubismi is redefining the frontiers of healthcare through the synergy of AI, cloud, and physician-led human-centered design. Guided by the visionary leadership of Dr. Moira Schieke, Cubismi is leading transformative innovation to usher in a new...

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is an independent state agency serving Jacksonville (Duval County), with limited services in Clay, Nassau, and Baker counties. In addition to providing public transportation options in Jacksonville, the JTA designs and constructs bridges, sidewalks, and highways through the JTAMobilityWorks and Safe Routes to School program....

Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...

Founded in 1995, Media Office has evolved and grown into a System Integrator. Our aim is to offer our clients a ‘one-stop-shopping’ experience, where we design and integrate audio-visual solutions not only for meeting rooms and training classrooms, but for any area in your building. Over the years, we have...

Disruption on the Drive: How Mobile Tire Services is Solving the $30 Billion Fragmentation Problem The automotive aftermarket has long been a bastion of traditionalism. For decades, the consumer experience has remained unchanged: a slow drive to a brick-and-mortar shop, a three-hour wait in a stale room, and a bill...

Established in the 1970s, RAVAS Mobile Weighing (RAVAS) is a pioneering organization at the forefront of revolutionizing efficiency and accuracy in mobile weighing in material handling. RAVAS started as a small-scale operation in the Netherlands. The company’s founder recognized the need for mobile weighing solutions that could enhance productivity and...

L’INRS est constitué de quatre centres de recherche et de formation thématique et interdisciplinaire situés à Québec, à Montréal, à Laval et à Varennes : Eau Terre Environnement, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Urbanisation Culture Société, Santé Biotechnologie. Les programmes de recherche et de formation mise sur l’innovation et l’excellence depuis sa...

SYNDIO HELPS HR LEADERS NAVIGATE THIS NEW WORLD WITH TECHNOLOGY Companies with great cultures win in the market. Yet today, vital  elements that define culture — like how a company values its employees through pay and advancement — are on full display. In this environment of growing transparency requirements, it’s...

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS Welcome to Planet Hatch, a vibrant entrepreneurial hub, incubator, and collaborative workplace. We empower startups across diverse sectors by providing the essential resources to turn bold ideas into successful ventures. In partnership with Ignite, Planet Hatch is dedicated to nurturing first-time entrepreneurs and newcomers, shaping the future...

Container Quick-Lock develops semi – and fully automatic locking systems for locking boxes and containers on Van’s and Trailers. All our locks have the following advantages, regardless of their purpose: SAFER | QUICKER | EASIER | SMARTER | CONNECTED The locking systems of Container Quick-Lock are game changers in the...