Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Closing Bear

Closing Bear - A fast-paced company that offers title insurance and closings

A fast-paced company that offers title insurance and closings

Closing Bear is a fast-paced title company that offers title insurance and closings for anyone buying or selling real estate. Simply put, Closing Bear does all the paperwork when someone buys or sells property … but they do it better than anyone else. , Closing Bear launched in June 2019...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economi

TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp mid 1990’s. It is committed to be an international centre of excellence for fundamental and applied academic training, research and service provision in transport economics, logistics and regional economics. Its mission is to enhance transport and logistics for...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

SIME

WHY INNOVATION STARTS WITH PEOPLE, NOT PRESSURE

In a world defined by rapid technological change, constant disruption, and ever-higher performance demands, Ola Ahlvarsson has spent nearly three decades championing a quietly radical idea: that true innovation doesn’t start with pressure or tools—it starts with people. Widely regarded as one of the Nordic region’s most influential thought leaders...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LINK MONITORAMENTO

DRIVING SUCCESS: CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF INNOVATION WITH LINK MONITORAMENTO

Founded in Curitiba, a city known for its innovation and entrepreneurship, Link Monitoramento is a pioneer in the Brazilian market for advanced monitoring and telematics, operating as the first franchisor in the sector. In 2024, the company celebrates its 15th anniversary, marking a milestone in its history of innovation and...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

ULTRA

ULTRA-GAMERS HAVE WANTED TO DO MORE WHILE GAMING. NOW THEY CAN.

GAMERS HAVE WANTED TO DO MORE WHILE GAMING. NOW THEY CAN.

READY PLAYER ONE“What if I actually owned my digital games and in-game items?” That’s been the question on most gamers’ minds.   With limited solutions and some gamers resorting to the shady secondhand grey market to make use of their content outside of the game, David Hanson and Nicolas Gilot,...

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,...

INNOVATION Quebec

NJBIA

NJBIA-RECLAIMING NEW JERSEY’S STATURE AS THE INNOVATION STATE TO RESHAPE THE ECONOMY, GROW BUSINESSES, CREATE JOBS, AND INVEST IN OUR FUTURE New Jersey has been synonymous with innovation throughout its history. The state was the workplace of Thomas Edison – universally lauded as the greatest inventor ever. It is the...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Forceget Supply Chain Logistics

Powering Innovation in Global Logistics

“At Forceget, we aim to transform supply chain management from a reactive process into a proactive, data-driven solution.” Forceget Supply Chain Logistics began its journey with a clear mission: to empower businesses by delivering more than just freight movement. Founded by Burak and Nihan Yolga, the company emerged with...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

AAX BIOTECH

PIONEERING THE NEXT WAVE OF PRECISION ANTIBODY THERAPEUTICS

In the heart of Sweden’s thriving life sciences ecosystem, a young biotechnology company is redefining how the world understands and engineers therapeutic antibodies. Founded by researchers from the prestigious Karolinska Institutet, AAX Biotech is on a mission to transform antibody-based medicine—turning scientific breakthroughs into next-generation therapies for some of the...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Hack for Earth Foundation

Unleashing Citizen-Driven Innovation with the Power of Hackathons

Hack for Earth began as an ambitious experiment to reinvent the hackathon tool, but it has since evolved into a global movement redefining innovation and democracy for the 21st century. At its core is the concept of citizen-driven innovation, which empowers citizens all over the world to co-create solutions for...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SYRIDEX-BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM

BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM SYRIDEX BIO ADDRESSES HEALTH EQUITY BY FUNDING R&D OF THERAPIES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM SYRIDEX BIO ADDRESSES HEALTH EQUITY BY FUNDING R&D OF THERAPIES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. Princeton-based Syridex Bio is a biopharma investment firm that makes early-stage, venture creation investments in innovative treatments that can bring transformative changes to diseases disproportionately affecting underserved communities. It is uniquely focused on...

United Nations Lesotho

RCO

THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR OFFICE

The Office of the Resident Coordinator’s Support to Lesotho Strategic Leadership and Coordination The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) plays a pivotal role in supporting the work of the UN Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team (UNCT) in consultation with the Government of Lesotho. Together, they define...

INNOVATE® South Florida

Premier Virtual

LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’

LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’ From the very beginning, we knew that our virtual hiring event platform was ahead of its time and that employers would have to be ‘Future Focused’ to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards,...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

A STORY OF THE FUTURE

1998. Investissement Québec is created. This organisation gave businesses and investors access to all the programs offered by the Government of Québec. Although it was never stated at the time, the aim of developing Québec’s economy and positioning it as a breeding ground for innovation, productivity and prosperity was truly...

INNOVATE® Nashville

BUILD IN SE

Is a collaborative network of startup founders, funders, and ecosystem supporters who build in the Southeast. #BuildInSE

In 2018, Build In SE was launched with a mission to increase the number of startup success stories in the Southeastern U.S. by leveraging a collaborative, cross-regional network. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Build In SE defines the Southeast as a collection of 10 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

NEWZOO

NEWZOO-TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WITH ONE BIG IDEA — THAT’S THE GIST OF NEWZOO’S BEGINNINGS

TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WITH ONE BIG IDEA — THAT’S THE GIST OF NEWZOO’S BEGINNINGS

But Newzoo wasn’t its founder’s (Peter Warman and Thijs Hagoort) first venture into the world of business. Far from it. After becoming friends playing basketball in high school, the industrious duo sold custom-designed t-shirts. Those early days taught them a valuable lesson: custom production based on manuals does not scale...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Surgo Health

Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation

Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation Surgo Health, a behavioral AI company based in Washington, DC, is transforming the healthcare landscape with its innovative approach. The company is driven by a mission to empower the healthcare ecosystem with the deepest understanding of human behavior, utilizing proprietary...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

ZAS

The leading hospital network of the City of Antwerp

Two hospital networks merged in July 2024 in order to create ZAS, the largest healthcare organization in Belgium. ZAS stands for ‘Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom’ (‘Hospital by the river’), a reference to the Schelde, the river of commercial and strategic importance that defines the city. In similar fashion, ZAS plays...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

CarpeDM

Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women

“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Driven

Ending legal debt traps with smart payments

In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

KOMMA BOARD

KOMMA BOARD -BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

In 2013, Komma Board started out as a consulting company in ICT & Finance. Our business model is atypical, as we act as a subcontractor to main ICT or Finance contractors for multinational or international Fortune 500 companies. Acting as an independent partner, this specific market position allows Komma Board...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

SAMYR QURESHI

SAMYR QURESHI

Knack

A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Closing Bear

Closing Bear - A fast-paced company that offers title insurance and closings

A fast-paced company that offers title insurance and closings

Closing Bear is a fast-paced title company that offers title insurance and closings for anyone buying or selling real estate. Simply put, Closing Bear does all the paperwork when someone buys or sells property … but they do it better than anyone else. , Closing Bear launched in June 2019...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

TPR @ UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

Your partner for research and training on transport and regional economi

TPR was founded as a research group within the University of Antwerp mid 1990’s. It is committed to be an international centre of excellence for fundamental and applied academic training, research and service provision in transport economics, logistics and regional economics. Its mission is to enhance transport and logistics for...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

SIME

WHY INNOVATION STARTS WITH PEOPLE, NOT PRESSURE

In a world defined by rapid technological change, constant disruption, and ever-higher performance demands, Ola Ahlvarsson has spent nearly three decades championing a quietly radical idea: that true innovation doesn’t start with pressure or tools—it starts with people. Widely regarded as one of the Nordic region’s most influential thought leaders...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LINK MONITORAMENTO

DRIVING SUCCESS: CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF INNOVATION WITH LINK MONITORAMENTO

Founded in Curitiba, a city known for its innovation and entrepreneurship, Link Monitoramento is a pioneer in the Brazilian market for advanced monitoring and telematics, operating as the first franchisor in the sector. In 2024, the company celebrates its 15th anniversary, marking a milestone in its history of innovation and...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

ULTRA

ULTRA-GAMERS HAVE WANTED TO DO MORE WHILE GAMING. NOW THEY CAN.

GAMERS HAVE WANTED TO DO MORE WHILE GAMING. NOW THEY CAN.

READY PLAYER ONE“What if I actually owned my digital games and in-game items?” That’s been the question on most gamers’ minds.   With limited solutions and some gamers resorting to the shady secondhand grey market to make use of their content outside of the game, David Hanson and Nicolas Gilot,...

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,...

INNOVATION Quebec

NJBIA

NJBIA-RECLAIMING NEW JERSEY’S STATURE AS THE INNOVATION STATE TO RESHAPE THE ECONOMY, GROW BUSINESSES, CREATE JOBS, AND INVEST IN OUR FUTURE New Jersey has been synonymous with innovation throughout its history. The state was the workplace of Thomas Edison – universally lauded as the greatest inventor ever. It is the...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Forceget Supply Chain Logistics

Powering Innovation in Global Logistics

“At Forceget, we aim to transform supply chain management from a reactive process into a proactive, data-driven solution.” Forceget Supply Chain Logistics began its journey with a clear mission: to empower businesses by delivering more than just freight movement. Founded by Burak and Nihan Yolga, the company emerged with...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

AAX BIOTECH

PIONEERING THE NEXT WAVE OF PRECISION ANTIBODY THERAPEUTICS

In the heart of Sweden’s thriving life sciences ecosystem, a young biotechnology company is redefining how the world understands and engineers therapeutic antibodies. Founded by researchers from the prestigious Karolinska Institutet, AAX Biotech is on a mission to transform antibody-based medicine—turning scientific breakthroughs into next-generation therapies for some of the...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Hack for Earth Foundation

Unleashing Citizen-Driven Innovation with the Power of Hackathons

Hack for Earth began as an ambitious experiment to reinvent the hackathon tool, but it has since evolved into a global movement redefining innovation and democracy for the 21st century. At its core is the concept of citizen-driven innovation, which empowers citizens all over the world to co-create solutions for...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SYRIDEX-BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM

BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM SYRIDEX BIO ADDRESSES HEALTH EQUITY BY FUNDING R&D OF THERAPIES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

BIOPHARMA INVESTMENT FIRM SYRIDEX BIO ADDRESSES HEALTH EQUITY BY FUNDING R&D OF THERAPIES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. Princeton-based Syridex Bio is a biopharma investment firm that makes early-stage, venture creation investments in innovative treatments that can bring transformative changes to diseases disproportionately affecting underserved communities. It is uniquely focused on...

United Nations Lesotho

RCO

THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR OFFICE

The Office of the Resident Coordinator’s Support to Lesotho Strategic Leadership and Coordination The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) plays a pivotal role in supporting the work of the UN Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team (UNCT) in consultation with the Government of Lesotho. Together, they define...

INNOVATE® South Florida

Premier Virtual

LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’

LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’ From the very beginning, we knew that our virtual hiring event platform was ahead of its time and that employers would have to be ‘Future Focused’ to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards,...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

A STORY OF THE FUTURE

1998. Investissement Québec is created. This organisation gave businesses and investors access to all the programs offered by the Government of Québec. Although it was never stated at the time, the aim of developing Québec’s economy and positioning it as a breeding ground for innovation, productivity and prosperity was truly...

INNOVATE® Nashville

BUILD IN SE

Is a collaborative network of startup founders, funders, and ecosystem supporters who build in the Southeast. #BuildInSE

In 2018, Build In SE was launched with a mission to increase the number of startup success stories in the Southeastern U.S. by leveraging a collaborative, cross-regional network. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Build In SE defines the Southeast as a collection of 10 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

NEWZOO

NEWZOO-TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WITH ONE BIG IDEA — THAT’S THE GIST OF NEWZOO’S BEGINNINGS

TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WITH ONE BIG IDEA — THAT’S THE GIST OF NEWZOO’S BEGINNINGS

But Newzoo wasn’t its founder’s (Peter Warman and Thijs Hagoort) first venture into the world of business. Far from it. After becoming friends playing basketball in high school, the industrious duo sold custom-designed t-shirts. Those early days taught them a valuable lesson: custom production based on manuals does not scale...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Surgo Health

Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation

Leading the Charge in Decoding Human Behavior for Healthcare Innovation Surgo Health, a behavioral AI company based in Washington, DC, is transforming the healthcare landscape with its innovative approach. The company is driven by a mission to empower the healthcare ecosystem with the deepest understanding of human behavior, utilizing proprietary...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

ZAS

The leading hospital network of the City of Antwerp

Two hospital networks merged in July 2024 in order to create ZAS, the largest healthcare organization in Belgium. ZAS stands for ‘Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom’ (‘Hospital by the river’), a reference to the Schelde, the river of commercial and strategic importance that defines the city. In similar fashion, ZAS plays...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

CarpeDM

Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women

“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Driven

Ending legal debt traps with smart payments

In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

KOMMA BOARD

KOMMA BOARD -BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

In 2013, Komma Board started out as a consulting company in ICT & Finance. Our business model is atypical, as we act as a subcontractor to main ICT or Finance contractors for multinational or international Fortune 500 companies. Acting as an independent partner, this specific market position allows Komma Board...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

SAMYR QURESHI

SAMYR QURESHI

Knack

A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...

Ecosystems