Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Toronto

VENTURE FOR CANADA

VENTURE FOR CANADA-ACCELERATING THE IMPACT OF CANADA’S FUTURE LEADERS

ACCELERATING THE IMPACT OF CANADA’S FUTURE LEADERS

Venture for Canada is a national charity that fosters the entrepreneurial skills and mindset of young Canadians. We recruit, train, and support young people to work for innovative Canadian small businesses and startups. Participants develop the network, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills to have more impactful careers through our programs. In...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Paradox of Innovation: Balancing Risk and Reward in New Ventures

Innovation is often romanticized as a series of lightbulb moments, where visionary thinkers disrupt industries with sheer creativity. But behind every successful moonshot lies a less glamorous, deeply pragmatic reality: the rigorous balancing of risk and reward. The paradox of modern innovation is that the boldest, most creative ideas often...

Global Innovation Spotlight

US Gaming Evolves Into a Multi-Platform Industry

For decades, U.S. gaming growth was driven mainly by physical casinos. Today, mobile sports betting and iGaming are among the fastest-growing revenue streams, reshaping how operators engage customers and generate value. In this context, it is important to note “gaming” refers to the U.S. commercial gambling industry, not video games....

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™ Vancouver Vol.2

GCT GLOBAL CONTAINER TERMINALS INC

SYNCHRONIZING CONTAINER LOGISTICS THROUGH INNOVATION, PRECISION,

GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. (GCT) is Vancouver’s homegrown success story in marine container terminal operations and innovation. GCT is among the most advanced operators on the continent and boasts the largest semi-automated on-dock rail facility in North America. Shipping line customers and cargo owners benefit from easy access to...

INNOVATE® Seattle

FOUNDERS LIVE

FOUNDERS LIVE POWERS THE PULSE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AROUND THE WORLD

Founders Live is a global ecosystem for early-stage founders, startups, and entrepreneurs. They are on a mission to elevate entrepreneurship around the world, connecting entrepreneurs to the people, resources, capital, and exposure they need to truly become successful. The vast (and quickly growing) global platform, spanning 120 cities across more...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

AVIA GIS

SOFT WARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD

“OUR RESEARCH DOESN’T STOP AFTER WRITING THE CONCLUSION.” – GUY HENDRICKX, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AVIA-GIS Ever heard of the proverb “better safe than sorry”? Well, Avia-GIS sure has. Even better: they built their entire business around it. Founder and CEO Guy Hendrickx started Avia-GIS in 2001 as a company with...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Innovate Calgary

Bridging the gap between discovery and creating economic and societal impact

We are the innovation engine for UCalgary, one of the top research universities in Canada. We support existing business models while nurturing innovative and disruptive thinking through a plethora of services such as providing IP/patent support for University of Calgary (UCalgary) faculty, managing an investment fund, managing unique facilities for...

INNOVATE® Miami

Penpal Schools

Helping teachers connect their students to learn with penpals around the world and from different backgrounds

PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...

INNOVATE® Nashville

BOS FRAMEWORK

BOS FRAMEWORK-Cloud Enablement

Cloud Enablement, Simplified

Tech-enabled companies and enterprises save 30-50% of their Cloud development and modernization cost and time with BOS. After building over 200 software products across industries spanning Clinical Research, HealthCare, Finance, Departments of Corrections, Defense, and Education in multiple geographies including North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, BOS CEO and Founder...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

TURTLE

Envisioning the Future Through a Century of Excellence

Founded in 1923, Turtle stands tall as a beacon of enduring success in the US market, marking its presence as one of the largest independent electrical and industrial distribution companies. Having amassed a century of experience, Turtle doesn’t just rest on its past laurels. Instead, it envisions a future illuminated...

INNOVATION Quebec

ExperiSens

CCTT IN THE MULTISENSORY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND HOSPITALITY

ExperiSens is a college centre for the transfer of technologies and innovative social practices (CCTT) at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) that performs applied research and provides technical assistance, training, and information to tourismand hospitality organizations and professionals while enriching the ITHQ’s educational mission. Optimizing hospitality...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AZALEA HEALTH

COMMITTED TO IMPROVING CARE IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Azalea Health delivers electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management (RCM), and integrated telehealth solutions for rural community practices and hospitals, especially those focused on underserved populations. EHR systems unify clinical documentation and practice management software to seamlessly handle charting, scheduling, billing, and patient engagement. Azalea helps healthcare providers improve...

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™ Curitiba

NTT DATA

A TRUSTED GLOBAL INNOVATOR

Between the Top 10 Global IT Services Providers NTT DATA helps your clients to transform their businesses and society for the digital future. As a part of NTT Group, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, NTT DATA leverages its global reach and local expertise to serve clients in over...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

Imagine Chaleur

Driving Innovation in the Chaleur Region

Something exciting is happening in northeastern New Brunswick. A new wave of economic development is taking shape, blending the region’s traditional strengths with fresh, forward-thinking initiatives. At the heart of this transformation is Imagine Chaleur, the regional economic development agency for the Chaleur Region, working to create a thriving business...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LOGGERHEAD TOOLS

LOGGERHEAD TOOLS- Award-Winning American Innovation

Award-Winning American Innovation

LoggerHead Tools’ mission is to create innovative hand tools manufactured in America. The company’s flagship product is the Bionic Wrench™, a tool that combines the convenience of pliers with the performance of a wrench. The company launched the Bionic Wrench at the National Hardware Show in 2005 and has since...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Top 5 challenges in managing employee absences and how to overcome them

Keeping organisational productivity high can be difficult, particularly when managing employee absences.  Manual methods of time recording (e.g., spreadsheets) are famously unreliable, and this is without considering the wealth of issues that come with employee absences!  From unclear policies to imbalanced workloads, overcoming these challenges requires a structured approach to...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

FLOX

THE WILDLIFE INTELLIGENCE COMPANY

FROM A SWEDISH RESEARCH LAB TO A GLOBAL MISSION FOR HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE Flox is redefining how humans and wildlife share the planet. Founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the AI research lab at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the company has built the world’s first adaptive system...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

NUCLEUS NETWORKS

NUCLEUS SUPERCHARGES YOUR TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT

Nucleus Networks isn’t just a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP). They are a supercharging, no-holds-barred, elite crew of technology superheroes laser-focused on nothing less than the pure, unadulterated success of small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). Founded in Kitsilano in 2001, Nucleus is a team of 85+ with its Head...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Holmes Custom

Creating Personalised Products

Now celebrating its 65th year in business, Jacksonville-based Holmes Custom designs, manufactures, and retails personalized products across 8 web brands. How does a business that was started in the 1950s stand the test of time? There’s only one way: Innovation. What began as a rubber stamp manufacturer in a garage...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

New Jersey, a hub for entrepreneurs and multinationals alike, is located in the most highly connected region in the U.S., with all the assets and accessibility any business needs

Choose New Jersey is New Jersey’s leading nonprofit economic development organization. We stimulate job creation and attract capital investment with the aim of growing New Jersey’s economy. We market New Jersey globally as the most ideal state in the U.S. to live, work, and play, and we guide businesses in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VIASOFT

AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION IN CURITIBA

A Vision for the Future Visionary Beginnings and National Expansion of VIASOFTSince 1990, VIASOFT has been a pillar of innovation in Brazil, born from the vision of Itamir Viola and Roberto Elias da Silva. Originating in Pato Branco, a small city in Paraná, and initially focused on enterprise systems, the...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

THE INDUS ENTREPRENEUR

ABOUT THE INDUS ENTREPRENEUR (TiE) ORGANIZATIONTiE ranks among the world’s largest ecosystems for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. With a global reach and a local focus, the heart of TiE’s efforts lies in its five foundational programs, – Mentoring, Networking, Education, Funding, and Incubation. With a focus on giving back...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

VENTURE FOR CANADA

VENTURE FOR CANADA-ACCELERATING THE IMPACT OF CANADA’S FUTURE LEADERS

ACCELERATING THE IMPACT OF CANADA’S FUTURE LEADERS

Venture for Canada is a national charity that fosters the entrepreneurial skills and mindset of young Canadians. We recruit, train, and support young people to work for innovative Canadian small businesses and startups. Participants develop the network, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills to have more impactful careers through our programs. In...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Paradox of Innovation: Balancing Risk and Reward in New Ventures

Innovation is often romanticized as a series of lightbulb moments, where visionary thinkers disrupt industries with sheer creativity. But behind every successful moonshot lies a less glamorous, deeply pragmatic reality: the rigorous balancing of risk and reward. The paradox of modern innovation is that the boldest, most creative ideas often...

Global Innovation Spotlight

US Gaming Evolves Into a Multi-Platform Industry

For decades, U.S. gaming growth was driven mainly by physical casinos. Today, mobile sports betting and iGaming are among the fastest-growing revenue streams, reshaping how operators engage customers and generate value. In this context, it is important to note “gaming” refers to the U.S. commercial gambling industry, not video games....

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™ Vancouver Vol.2

GCT GLOBAL CONTAINER TERMINALS INC

SYNCHRONIZING CONTAINER LOGISTICS THROUGH INNOVATION, PRECISION,

GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. (GCT) is Vancouver’s homegrown success story in marine container terminal operations and innovation. GCT is among the most advanced operators on the continent and boasts the largest semi-automated on-dock rail facility in North America. Shipping line customers and cargo owners benefit from easy access to...

INNOVATE® Seattle

FOUNDERS LIVE

FOUNDERS LIVE POWERS THE PULSE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AROUND THE WORLD

Founders Live is a global ecosystem for early-stage founders, startups, and entrepreneurs. They are on a mission to elevate entrepreneurship around the world, connecting entrepreneurs to the people, resources, capital, and exposure they need to truly become successful. The vast (and quickly growing) global platform, spanning 120 cities across more...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

AVIA GIS

SOFT WARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD

“OUR RESEARCH DOESN’T STOP AFTER WRITING THE CONCLUSION.” – GUY HENDRICKX, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AVIA-GIS Ever heard of the proverb “better safe than sorry”? Well, Avia-GIS sure has. Even better: they built their entire business around it. Founder and CEO Guy Hendrickx started Avia-GIS in 2001 as a company with...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Innovate Calgary

Bridging the gap between discovery and creating economic and societal impact

We are the innovation engine for UCalgary, one of the top research universities in Canada. We support existing business models while nurturing innovative and disruptive thinking through a plethora of services such as providing IP/patent support for University of Calgary (UCalgary) faculty, managing an investment fund, managing unique facilities for...

INNOVATE® Miami

Penpal Schools

Helping teachers connect their students to learn with penpals around the world and from different backgrounds

PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...

INNOVATE® Nashville

BOS FRAMEWORK

BOS FRAMEWORK-Cloud Enablement

Cloud Enablement, Simplified

Tech-enabled companies and enterprises save 30-50% of their Cloud development and modernization cost and time with BOS. After building over 200 software products across industries spanning Clinical Research, HealthCare, Finance, Departments of Corrections, Defense, and Education in multiple geographies including North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, BOS CEO and Founder...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

TURTLE

Envisioning the Future Through a Century of Excellence

Founded in 1923, Turtle stands tall as a beacon of enduring success in the US market, marking its presence as one of the largest independent electrical and industrial distribution companies. Having amassed a century of experience, Turtle doesn’t just rest on its past laurels. Instead, it envisions a future illuminated...

INNOVATION Quebec

ExperiSens

CCTT IN THE MULTISENSORY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND HOSPITALITY

ExperiSens is a college centre for the transfer of technologies and innovative social practices (CCTT) at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) that performs applied research and provides technical assistance, training, and information to tourismand hospitality organizations and professionals while enriching the ITHQ’s educational mission. Optimizing hospitality...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AZALEA HEALTH

COMMITTED TO IMPROVING CARE IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Azalea Health delivers electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management (RCM), and integrated telehealth solutions for rural community practices and hospitals, especially those focused on underserved populations. EHR systems unify clinical documentation and practice management software to seamlessly handle charting, scheduling, billing, and patient engagement. Azalea helps healthcare providers improve...

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™ Curitiba

NTT DATA

A TRUSTED GLOBAL INNOVATOR

Between the Top 10 Global IT Services Providers NTT DATA helps your clients to transform their businesses and society for the digital future. As a part of NTT Group, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, NTT DATA leverages its global reach and local expertise to serve clients in over...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

Imagine Chaleur

Driving Innovation in the Chaleur Region

Something exciting is happening in northeastern New Brunswick. A new wave of economic development is taking shape, blending the region’s traditional strengths with fresh, forward-thinking initiatives. At the heart of this transformation is Imagine Chaleur, the regional economic development agency for the Chaleur Region, working to create a thriving business...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LOGGERHEAD TOOLS

LOGGERHEAD TOOLS- Award-Winning American Innovation

Award-Winning American Innovation

LoggerHead Tools’ mission is to create innovative hand tools manufactured in America. The company’s flagship product is the Bionic Wrench™, a tool that combines the convenience of pliers with the performance of a wrench. The company launched the Bionic Wrench at the National Hardware Show in 2005 and has since...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Top 5 challenges in managing employee absences and how to overcome them

Keeping organisational productivity high can be difficult, particularly when managing employee absences.  Manual methods of time recording (e.g., spreadsheets) are famously unreliable, and this is without considering the wealth of issues that come with employee absences!  From unclear policies to imbalanced workloads, overcoming these challenges requires a structured approach to...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

FLOX

THE WILDLIFE INTELLIGENCE COMPANY

FROM A SWEDISH RESEARCH LAB TO A GLOBAL MISSION FOR HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE Flox is redefining how humans and wildlife share the planet. Founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the AI research lab at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the company has built the world’s first adaptive system...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

NUCLEUS NETWORKS

NUCLEUS SUPERCHARGES YOUR TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT

Nucleus Networks isn’t just a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP). They are a supercharging, no-holds-barred, elite crew of technology superheroes laser-focused on nothing less than the pure, unadulterated success of small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). Founded in Kitsilano in 2001, Nucleus is a team of 85+ with its Head...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Holmes Custom

Creating Personalised Products

Now celebrating its 65th year in business, Jacksonville-based Holmes Custom designs, manufactures, and retails personalized products across 8 web brands. How does a business that was started in the 1950s stand the test of time? There’s only one way: Innovation. What began as a rubber stamp manufacturer in a garage...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

New Jersey, a hub for entrepreneurs and multinationals alike, is located in the most highly connected region in the U.S., with all the assets and accessibility any business needs

Choose New Jersey is New Jersey’s leading nonprofit economic development organization. We stimulate job creation and attract capital investment with the aim of growing New Jersey’s economy. We market New Jersey globally as the most ideal state in the U.S. to live, work, and play, and we guide businesses in...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VIASOFT

AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION IN CURITIBA

A Vision for the Future Visionary Beginnings and National Expansion of VIASOFTSince 1990, VIASOFT has been a pillar of innovation in Brazil, born from the vision of Itamir Viola and Roberto Elias da Silva. Originating in Pato Branco, a small city in Paraná, and initially focused on enterprise systems, the...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

THE INDUS ENTREPRENEUR

ABOUT THE INDUS ENTREPRENEUR (TiE) ORGANIZATIONTiE ranks among the world’s largest ecosystems for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. With a global reach and a local focus, the heart of TiE’s efforts lies in its five foundational programs, – Mentoring, Networking, Education, Funding, and Incubation. With a focus on giving back...

Ecosystems