Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Estonia

THREOD SYSTEMS

EYES IN THE SKY, PRECISION ON THE GROUND: HOW THREOD’S DRONES ARE CHANGING MODERN WARFARE

Estonia’s quiet high-tech success story is redefining how unmanned aircraft support precision strike missions. When Estonia regained independence three decades ago, few imagined the small Baltic nation would become a center of aerospace innovation. Yet in 2012, a group of engineers and defense specialists in a small village near Tallinn...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SAWAI FRAGRANCES USA

PERFECTING THE ART OF FRAGRANCE SINCE 1965

Born in India in 1965, Sawai Fragrances is a traditional Indian manufacturing business that is changing the way the world sees (or smells) perfume, in its new avatar in New Jersey. Sawai Fragrances was founded by Mr. Sawailal Jain in Kanauj, India – an area that is home to a...

INNOVATION Quebec

RQIS

THE BEATING HEART OF QUEBEC’S SOCIAL INNOVATION SYSTEM

The Réseau québécois en innovation sociale (RQIS) is a space for sharing and mobilizing knowledge and experience, helping to make social innovation an essential lever for sustainable development in Quebec. Created in 2005 as part of the Université du Québec network, RQIS first focused on gaining a better understanding of...

INNOVATE® Miami

ARVISL

Bridging the gap between the online world and the offline world

ARVISL FutureARVISL Future is a technology company that focuses on creating future AR and VR real-life gamification experiences. With strong location-based service apps, ARVISL Future will provide Cost Per Traffic™ marketing metrics for real physical foot traffic.Think of Pokemon Go, but with exclusive deals and perks at local businesses. My...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

GSP International Airport

Reaching New Heights

Our History Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), Upstate South Carolina’s commercial service airport, was established in October 1962. At the time of its opening, the idea of regional collaboration was not a common one among cities, counties, politicians, businesses, or economic development organizations. Without a major interstate roadway to connect the...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

DCI MARKETING

CELEBRATING ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, DCI MARKETING FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES, MAJOR RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS.

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...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BROOKSOURCE

A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED APPROACH TO BUILDING THE FUTURE OF TECH & MILWAUKEE!

Since 2000, Brooksource has established and maintained lasting relationships with its clients, consultants, and the Milwaukee community to create unparalleled experiences. Brooksource is a trusted services provider that specializes in delivering Engineering and IT initiatives for Fortune 500 organizations and the public sector through Experience-Driven Staffing, Professional Services, as well...

INNOVATE® Maryland

SoKat

Turning AI Research Into Mission-Ready Infrastructure

When Dr. Jim Kyung-Soo Liew founded SoKat in 2014, the problem he set out to solve wasn’t a shortage of AI innovation. It was separation. Research was accelerating inside the world’s leading universities. Yet much of that intelligence stalled before it reached the institutions that needed it most. Federal agencies...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SOUNDBOARD VENTURE FUND

A COLLABORATIVE FUND INVESTING IN EARLY STAGE COMPANIES

SoundBoard Venture Fund leverages the diverse perspectives of our LPs to make investments through a collaborative and facilitated process. SoundBoard Venture Fund is an early-stage fund focused on scalable, tech-enabled, and capital-efficient businesses. We value collaboration, mobilizing our LP base to join our deal flow, diligence, and decision-making processes, assembling...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

ADULT YOU

LIFE IS A GAME, LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT WELL

A LEARNING PLATFORM DESIGNED FOR REAL ADULTS NAVIGATING REAL LIVE. What does Adult You do? Adult You harnesses industry-leading gamified learning to empower adults with essential life skills, making personal growth as engaging as the best games and social platforms. We’re here to help adults thrive in their everyday lives....

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Philadelphia Youth Basketball

Bigger Than Basketball

Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) was launched in 2015 with a bold vision: to help young people build positive and powerful lives. PYB has spent the past decade leveraging the iconic game of basketball by building a holistic program, a robust organization, and a world-class Center that provides a comprehensive array...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

LEARN2ESPORT'S

LEARN2ESPORT'S MISSION IS TO HELP YOUTH LEARN VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH ESPORTS

MISSION IS TO HELP YOUTH LEARN VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH ESPORTS

Their core product, Gameplan, helps players of all ages acquire real-world skills that aid professional development, cognitive abilities, promote healthy habits, and more.   Rasmus Sandstöm and Dan Andreasson started Learn2Esport in 2016 with the vision of engaging students through esports, and teaching them valuable life skills to prepare them...

INNOVATE® Nashville

EVIDENCECARE

EVIDENCECARE

INEFFICIENT WORKFLOWS PLAGUE CLINICIANS. EVIDENCECARE HAS A CURE

The genesis of EvidenceCare came one night while Dr. Brian Fengler was working in the emergency room of Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, and a young woman presented with extreme shortness of breath and fast heart rate. She had a massive blood clot between her heart and lungs. She...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

ERICSSON

ERICSSON-Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility

Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility, It’s Possible

Ericsson has been a critical part of Canada’s innovation and R&D story for 69 years. We are committed to driving the country’s digital agenda through turning-point technologies such as 5G. This means enabling Canada’s industries and service providers to lead on the world stage, supporting major service providers on their...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

POWERUP ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

BEYOND THE HYPE: POWERUP ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES MAKES HYDROGEN A COMMERCIAL REALITY

While the concept of a “hydrogen economy” has been a topic of political discourse and future-gazing for years, one Tallinn-based company is demonstrating that for many applications, the future is already here. PowerUP Energy Technologies, founded by scientist and entrepreneur Ivar Kruusenberg, is moving beyond theoretical promise and deploying certified...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

LITTER KINGS

LITTER KINGS- AND A GREEN ECONOMY

AND A GREEN ECONOMY

With a staff complement of close to 10 employees on a full-time basis, Litter Kings is a pronounced example of a local business that started from the bottom and relentlessly worked hard to ensure growth and sustainability of the company over the years. The company started running in 2013 when...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

EXACT IMAGING

EXACT IMAGING-Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Transformed by EXACT IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

Exact Imaging was incorporated in Ontario in 2013, and is the world’s leader in high resolution micro-ultrasound systems enabling real-time imaging and biopsy guidance for the prostate.   Exact Imaging’s ExactVu™ micro-ultrasound system, operates up to 29 MHz and enables a new level of resolution compared to conventional urological ultrasound...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

TALK SHOP

ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO

Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CINEVATION

CINEVATION -ENTERTAINMENT IS OUR BUSINESS! IT BEGAN WITH A DINNER. AND A DREAM

ENTERTAINMENT IS OUR BUSINESS! IT BEGAN WITH A DINNER. AND A DREAM

Throw in some “What if…” blue sky thinking, a good dollop of youth and passion and Cinevation was born. It was 1997 and cinemas were 35mm which meant advertising took months to produce and was so expensive that it was reserved only for the big guys. Over a glass of...

INNOVATION Quebec

ExperiSens

CCTT EN EXPÉRIENCE CLIENT MULTISENSORIELLE ET ACCUEIL

ExperiSens, le Centre collégial de transfert de technologies et de pratiques sociales novatrices (CCTT) de l’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), réalise des activités de recherche appliquée, d’aide technique, de formation et de diffusion de l’information pour les acteurs de l’industrie du tourisme et de l’accueil tout en...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Caleño

Caleño-The Story SO FAR!

The Story SO FAR!

About UsCaleño is a range of distilled non-alcoholic spirits inspired by the sun-drenched spirit of Colombia that take you seamlessly from day to night. Light & Zesty is a tropical blend of Inca berry, citrus and spice botanicals and Dark & Spicy, a warming infusion of dark tropical pineapple notes...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE

A BEACON OF INNOVATION

Just minutes from downtown Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is one of the top research universities in the nation, and one of only two top-rated research universities in the state. Serving as a bridge between academia and industry, UWM does more than just ensure that all students have equitable...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

NJEDA

FACILITIES AND SPACESThe New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the state’s principal agency for driving economic growth, offers numerous resources to support emerging companies choosing to grow in the Garden State. As part of Governor Phil Murphy’s economic development strategy to reclaim New Jersey’s role as a leader in innovation,...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

COMPOSITION ID

A SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH TO HEALTH & FITNESS WITH COMPOSITION ID

Composition ID is a health and fitness company that uses science and technology to help individuals reach their health goals. It utilizes a highly accurate form of body composition testing called a DEXA scan to assess baseline body composition and track changes over time. Composition ID also offers Resting Metabolic...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

THREOD SYSTEMS

EYES IN THE SKY, PRECISION ON THE GROUND: HOW THREOD’S DRONES ARE CHANGING MODERN WARFARE

Estonia’s quiet high-tech success story is redefining how unmanned aircraft support precision strike missions. When Estonia regained independence three decades ago, few imagined the small Baltic nation would become a center of aerospace innovation. Yet in 2012, a group of engineers and defense specialists in a small village near Tallinn...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SAWAI FRAGRANCES USA

PERFECTING THE ART OF FRAGRANCE SINCE 1965

Born in India in 1965, Sawai Fragrances is a traditional Indian manufacturing business that is changing the way the world sees (or smells) perfume, in its new avatar in New Jersey. Sawai Fragrances was founded by Mr. Sawailal Jain in Kanauj, India – an area that is home to a...

INNOVATION Quebec

RQIS

THE BEATING HEART OF QUEBEC’S SOCIAL INNOVATION SYSTEM

The Réseau québécois en innovation sociale (RQIS) is a space for sharing and mobilizing knowledge and experience, helping to make social innovation an essential lever for sustainable development in Quebec. Created in 2005 as part of the Université du Québec network, RQIS first focused on gaining a better understanding of...

INNOVATE® Miami

ARVISL

Bridging the gap between the online world and the offline world

ARVISL FutureARVISL Future is a technology company that focuses on creating future AR and VR real-life gamification experiences. With strong location-based service apps, ARVISL Future will provide Cost Per Traffic™ marketing metrics for real physical foot traffic.Think of Pokemon Go, but with exclusive deals and perks at local businesses. My...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

GSP International Airport

Reaching New Heights

Our History Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), Upstate South Carolina’s commercial service airport, was established in October 1962. At the time of its opening, the idea of regional collaboration was not a common one among cities, counties, politicians, businesses, or economic development organizations. Without a major interstate roadway to connect the...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

DCI MARKETING

CELEBRATING ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, DCI MARKETING FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES, MAJOR RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS.

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...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

BROOKSOURCE

A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED APPROACH TO BUILDING THE FUTURE OF TECH & MILWAUKEE!

Since 2000, Brooksource has established and maintained lasting relationships with its clients, consultants, and the Milwaukee community to create unparalleled experiences. Brooksource is a trusted services provider that specializes in delivering Engineering and IT initiatives for Fortune 500 organizations and the public sector through Experience-Driven Staffing, Professional Services, as well...

INNOVATE® Maryland

SoKat

Turning AI Research Into Mission-Ready Infrastructure

When Dr. Jim Kyung-Soo Liew founded SoKat in 2014, the problem he set out to solve wasn’t a shortage of AI innovation. It was separation. Research was accelerating inside the world’s leading universities. Yet much of that intelligence stalled before it reached the institutions that needed it most. Federal agencies...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SOUNDBOARD VENTURE FUND

A COLLABORATIVE FUND INVESTING IN EARLY STAGE COMPANIES

SoundBoard Venture Fund leverages the diverse perspectives of our LPs to make investments through a collaborative and facilitated process. SoundBoard Venture Fund is an early-stage fund focused on scalable, tech-enabled, and capital-efficient businesses. We value collaboration, mobilizing our LP base to join our deal flow, diligence, and decision-making processes, assembling...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

ADULT YOU

LIFE IS A GAME, LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT WELL

A LEARNING PLATFORM DESIGNED FOR REAL ADULTS NAVIGATING REAL LIVE. What does Adult You do? Adult You harnesses industry-leading gamified learning to empower adults with essential life skills, making personal growth as engaging as the best games and social platforms. We’re here to help adults thrive in their everyday lives....

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Philadelphia Youth Basketball

Bigger Than Basketball

Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) was launched in 2015 with a bold vision: to help young people build positive and powerful lives. PYB has spent the past decade leveraging the iconic game of basketball by building a holistic program, a robust organization, and a world-class Center that provides a comprehensive array...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

LEARN2ESPORT'S

LEARN2ESPORT'S MISSION IS TO HELP YOUTH LEARN VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH ESPORTS

MISSION IS TO HELP YOUTH LEARN VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS THROUGH ESPORTS

Their core product, Gameplan, helps players of all ages acquire real-world skills that aid professional development, cognitive abilities, promote healthy habits, and more.   Rasmus Sandstöm and Dan Andreasson started Learn2Esport in 2016 with the vision of engaging students through esports, and teaching them valuable life skills to prepare them...

INNOVATE® Nashville

EVIDENCECARE

EVIDENCECARE

INEFFICIENT WORKFLOWS PLAGUE CLINICIANS. EVIDENCECARE HAS A CURE

The genesis of EvidenceCare came one night while Dr. Brian Fengler was working in the emergency room of Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, and a young woman presented with extreme shortness of breath and fast heart rate. She had a massive blood clot between her heart and lungs. She...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

ERICSSON

ERICSSON-Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility

Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility, It’s Possible

Ericsson has been a critical part of Canada’s innovation and R&D story for 69 years. We are committed to driving the country’s digital agenda through turning-point technologies such as 5G. This means enabling Canada’s industries and service providers to lead on the world stage, supporting major service providers on their...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

POWERUP ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

BEYOND THE HYPE: POWERUP ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES MAKES HYDROGEN A COMMERCIAL REALITY

While the concept of a “hydrogen economy” has been a topic of political discourse and future-gazing for years, one Tallinn-based company is demonstrating that for many applications, the future is already here. PowerUP Energy Technologies, founded by scientist and entrepreneur Ivar Kruusenberg, is moving beyond theoretical promise and deploying certified...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

LITTER KINGS

LITTER KINGS- AND A GREEN ECONOMY

AND A GREEN ECONOMY

With a staff complement of close to 10 employees on a full-time basis, Litter Kings is a pronounced example of a local business that started from the bottom and relentlessly worked hard to ensure growth and sustainability of the company over the years. The company started running in 2013 when...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

EXACT IMAGING

EXACT IMAGING-Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Transformed by EXACT IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

Exact Imaging was incorporated in Ontario in 2013, and is the world’s leader in high resolution micro-ultrasound systems enabling real-time imaging and biopsy guidance for the prostate.   Exact Imaging’s ExactVu™ micro-ultrasound system, operates up to 29 MHz and enables a new level of resolution compared to conventional urological ultrasound...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

TALK SHOP

ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO

Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CINEVATION

CINEVATION -ENTERTAINMENT IS OUR BUSINESS! IT BEGAN WITH A DINNER. AND A DREAM

ENTERTAINMENT IS OUR BUSINESS! IT BEGAN WITH A DINNER. AND A DREAM

Throw in some “What if…” blue sky thinking, a good dollop of youth and passion and Cinevation was born. It was 1997 and cinemas were 35mm which meant advertising took months to produce and was so expensive that it was reserved only for the big guys. Over a glass of...

INNOVATION Quebec

ExperiSens

CCTT EN EXPÉRIENCE CLIENT MULTISENSORIELLE ET ACCUEIL

ExperiSens, le Centre collégial de transfert de technologies et de pratiques sociales novatrices (CCTT) de l’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), réalise des activités de recherche appliquée, d’aide technique, de formation et de diffusion de l’information pour les acteurs de l’industrie du tourisme et de l’accueil tout en...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Caleño

Caleño-The Story SO FAR!

The Story SO FAR!

About UsCaleño is a range of distilled non-alcoholic spirits inspired by the sun-drenched spirit of Colombia that take you seamlessly from day to night. Light & Zesty is a tropical blend of Inca berry, citrus and spice botanicals and Dark & Spicy, a warming infusion of dark tropical pineapple notes...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE

A BEACON OF INNOVATION

Just minutes from downtown Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is one of the top research universities in the nation, and one of only two top-rated research universities in the state. Serving as a bridge between academia and industry, UWM does more than just ensure that all students have equitable...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

NJEDA

FACILITIES AND SPACESThe New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the state’s principal agency for driving economic growth, offers numerous resources to support emerging companies choosing to grow in the Garden State. As part of Governor Phil Murphy’s economic development strategy to reclaim New Jersey’s role as a leader in innovation,...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

COMPOSITION ID

A SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH TO HEALTH & FITNESS WITH COMPOSITION ID

Composition ID is a health and fitness company that uses science and technology to help individuals reach their health goals. It utilizes a highly accurate form of body composition testing called a DEXA scan to assess baseline body composition and track changes over time. Composition ID also offers Resting Metabolic...

Ecosystems