Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Nashville
SwitchPoint Ventures
We build companies around pioneering technologies.
Our journey began a decade ago, here in Nashville – a city known for creativity and reinvention. That same spirit shaped how we approach innovation: with collaboration, grit, and a builder’s mindset. At SwitchPoint Ventures, we build companies around pioneering technologies – particularly in AI, data science, and digital innovation...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THE DMZ
A World-Leading Tech Incubator
Guided by a vision of a world powered by ambitious entrepreneurs, the DMZ is a world-leading incubator on a mission to change the lives of founders both in Canada and around the globe. By equipping the next generation of leading tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, launch, and...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
HEARTRITHM
Performance With a Purpose
Today, investors want something different from their money. They want performance, but now with a purpose. More than just low-risk financial returns, but also accountability and sustainability. Our goal is for our investors, team, and the greater community to feel connected to themselves, one another, and technology by making the...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
CAPIO
CHANGE AS A RESPONSE TO HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES
Swedish healthcare is in the midst of profound change. An ageing population, rising demand for care, and persistent staff shortages mean that resources must be used differently. For the system to remain sustainable, both new organisational models and more efficient ways of working are needed. Capio, one of Sweden’s largest...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NASHVILLE INNOVATION ALLIANCE
FUELING INNOVATION FOR A THRIVING NASHVILLE
The Nashville Innovation Alliance aims to make Nashville one of America’s leading centers of technology innovation by bringing the community together to create a shared vision, set ambitious goals and advance strategic initiatives. Established by Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Vanderbilt University in 2024, and anchored by participation from LaunchTN, the...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
HIPE
INNOVATION CENTER CURITIBA DRIVING INNOVATION IN RETAIL.
HIPE Innovation Center is the only innovation ecosystem in Brazil that drives and invests in every step of the retail entrepreneuring cycle. In over 22,000 square feet of workspace, HIPE houses about 300 workers between traditional companies, startups and independent professionals using a shared space model. According to HIPE’s CCO,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CANADIAN BLOCKCHAIN CONSORTIUM
ADVOCATING FOR THE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL ASSETS SECTOR
Uniting diverse companies, individuals, and organizations from across the national innovation ecosystem, the Canadian Blockchain Consortium is the country’s advocate for the blockchain technology and cryptocurrency sector. The Consortium was launched in 2016 as the Alberta Blockchain Consortium by the late energy and technology pioneer Suzanne West, who had a...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THE MAKERSPACE
WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING, A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS CLASS & CULTURE AND THAT UPLIFTS AS IT ENLIGHTENS
By leveraging the natural generosity inherent in maker culture, the project is able to unlock a new level of efficiency in skills transfer. Creating a safe environment where anyone can learn to use new technologies, where experienced professionals can share their knowledge and help the next generation. Makers” make things,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
VIZWORX
Creating Visibly Better Enterprise Software Solutions Through Advanced Technology
Delivering enterprise-class digital experiences, VizworX is an advanced software solutions services company. Leveraging the latest in augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, complex data visualization, web and mobile technologies and techniques, VizworX supports numerous industries around the world by turning complex data into easily understandable and actionable information. We enable...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR
THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS
The “Why” of sustainability is clear for most, the “how” and “what”, unfortunately much less. For many, sustainability remains an utterly vague, complex, and confusing concept. And even without confusion, questions concerning usefulness of actions and impact arise. The Ecological Entrepreneur translates complexity to concrete guidelines, policies, and activities...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EVANS GENERAL CONTRACTORS
SHAPING SKYLINES TO BUILD TOMORROW’S FUTURE
Commercial construction is a critical part of Georgia’s economy as it creates buildings and spaces that connect communities, provide jobs, and improve society. Evans General Contractors is contributing by designing and building facilities that are home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies. Founded in Georgia in 2001,...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
EIGHT X
A TRUSTED PARTNER IN HELPING ENTREPRENEURS SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES
IN TODAY’S COMPETITIVE AND UNCERTAIN ECONOMY, ENTREPRENEURS NEED A TRUSTED PARTNER WHO CAN HELP THEM SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES WITH MORE CASH AND LESS STRESS. This is where a Fractional CFO comes into play. A notable company in this field that has made a name for itself in this space is...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
2U
A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE
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,...
INNOVATION Quebec
NEXT AI
FOR ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING TO SOLVE GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH AI-ENABLED SOLUTIONS
Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Founders can be part of the ecosystem from anywhere in Canada, following the program remotely or in-person from the Toronto or Montreal sites. Taking advantage of a renowned network of AI and business experts, Next AI...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
iTOUCH
FROM ZERO TO BILLION$
In a world where data has become the currency of our supposed future resulting in valuations of businesses from zero to billions within a relatively short while, you need to ask yourself this question; How am I benefitting from the data-sets I have in my business, if at all? And...
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® South Carolina
Sunland Logistics Solutions
Leveraging an Innovative System to create Supply Chain Value for Customers & Create Mutual Value for all Stakeholders
Sunland Logistics Solutions is a 3PL partner leveraging leading technologies and lean principles to help shippers and manufacturers improve performance, innovate, and drive value in their supply chains. Specializing in supporting companies in the chemical, industrial, automotive, beverage, and retail industries, Sunland is positioned to become a flexible extension of...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
GAME QUITTERS
Supporting The Mental Health Of Gamers And Their Families Through Content, Community And Coaching
Game Quitters provides the best tools, resources, and support for gamers of all ages to keep gaming under control and maintain their health and wellbeing. We believe there are benefits and risks associated with playing video games and individuals should be equipped to navigate that experience. We do this by...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
AXIOMCPAs
DOUG SMITH AND MELINDA D’ANTOUNO CREATED A PROGRESSIVE CUSTOMER-FOCUSED ACCOUNTING FIRM
DOUG SMITH AND MELINDA D’ANTOUNO CREATED A PROGRESSIVE CUSTOMER-FOCUSED ACCOUNTING FIRM TO UNIQUELY ADDRESS THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SMALL BUSINESSES. In 2011, Doug and Melinda set out to start a new kind of CPA firm. They wanted to take a fresh look at the industry and create a firm that really...
AI Québec
CEuMONTRÉAL
Un organisme à but non lucratif qui a pour mission de développer une culture entrepreneuriale et d’innovation à l’Université de Montréal
MissionLe Centre d’entrepreneuriat de l’Université de Montréal (CEuMONTRÉAL) est un organisme à but non lucratif qui a pour mission de développer une culture entrepreneuriale et d’innovation à l’Université de Montréal, tout en soutenant de façon concrète les entrepreneurs et la création d’entreprises scientifiques et technologiques dans divers domaines : sciences...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
BETTERFLYBOX
BIODIVERSITY RESTAURATION
Biodiversity Biodiversity, short for ‘biological diversity’, refers to the variety and variability of life forms on Earth. It encompasses the full range of species of plants, animals, micro-organisms and ecosystems, as well as the genetic differences within these species. Biodiversity encompasses not only the diversity of species, but also their...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
NEW VALMAR BV
INNOVATION BY AUTOMATION
Our core business is big distribution of baby items in- and outside the EU in a multi-channel setting. That means a lot of requirements by country legal systems and specific customer demands. Customers in more the 45 countries have different needs and requests. They must be reached to be successful....
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE
Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 2021 DV Counts Report, agencies were unable to provide emergency shelter to 1,982 adults and 1,184 children nationwide in just one day. Annualized, that’s 723,430 adults and 432,160 children who are left without access to emergency domestic violence shelters each year....
Global Innovation Spotlight
DTF Gang Sheet Builder
Where Automation Meets Innovation in Print Tech
“We built this platform to solve real-world challenges print businesses face every day.” In the high-demand world of Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, time is money—and errors are costly. Enter DTF Gang Sheet Builder, the industry’s most advanced solution for creating gang sheets, developed by Antigro Designer, the Kraków, Poland-based powerhouse behind...
INNOVATE® Nashville
SwitchPoint Ventures
We build companies around pioneering technologies.
Our journey began a decade ago, here in Nashville – a city known for creativity and reinvention. That same spirit shaped how we approach innovation: with collaboration, grit, and a builder’s mindset. At SwitchPoint Ventures, we build companies around pioneering technologies – particularly in AI, data science, and digital innovation...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THE DMZ
A World-Leading Tech Incubator
Guided by a vision of a world powered by ambitious entrepreneurs, the DMZ is a world-leading incubator on a mission to change the lives of founders both in Canada and around the globe. By equipping the next generation of leading tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, launch, and...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
HEARTRITHM
Performance With a Purpose
Today, investors want something different from their money. They want performance, but now with a purpose. More than just low-risk financial returns, but also accountability and sustainability. Our goal is for our investors, team, and the greater community to feel connected to themselves, one another, and technology by making the...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
CAPIO
CHANGE AS A RESPONSE TO HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES
Swedish healthcare is in the midst of profound change. An ageing population, rising demand for care, and persistent staff shortages mean that resources must be used differently. For the system to remain sustainable, both new organisational models and more efficient ways of working are needed. Capio, one of Sweden’s largest...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NASHVILLE INNOVATION ALLIANCE
FUELING INNOVATION FOR A THRIVING NASHVILLE
The Nashville Innovation Alliance aims to make Nashville one of America’s leading centers of technology innovation by bringing the community together to create a shared vision, set ambitious goals and advance strategic initiatives. Established by Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Vanderbilt University in 2024, and anchored by participation from LaunchTN, the...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
HIPE
INNOVATION CENTER CURITIBA DRIVING INNOVATION IN RETAIL.
HIPE Innovation Center is the only innovation ecosystem in Brazil that drives and invests in every step of the retail entrepreneuring cycle. In over 22,000 square feet of workspace, HIPE houses about 300 workers between traditional companies, startups and independent professionals using a shared space model. According to HIPE’s CCO,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CANADIAN BLOCKCHAIN CONSORTIUM
ADVOCATING FOR THE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL ASSETS SECTOR
Uniting diverse companies, individuals, and organizations from across the national innovation ecosystem, the Canadian Blockchain Consortium is the country’s advocate for the blockchain technology and cryptocurrency sector. The Consortium was launched in 2016 as the Alberta Blockchain Consortium by the late energy and technology pioneer Suzanne West, who had a...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THE MAKERSPACE
WE DRIVE SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF MAKING, A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS CLASS & CULTURE AND THAT UPLIFTS AS IT ENLIGHTENS
By leveraging the natural generosity inherent in maker culture, the project is able to unlock a new level of efficiency in skills transfer. Creating a safe environment where anyone can learn to use new technologies, where experienced professionals can share their knowledge and help the next generation. Makers” make things,...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
VIZWORX
Creating Visibly Better Enterprise Software Solutions Through Advanced Technology
Delivering enterprise-class digital experiences, VizworX is an advanced software solutions services company. Leveraging the latest in augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, complex data visualization, web and mobile technologies and techniques, VizworX supports numerous industries around the world by turning complex data into easily understandable and actionable information. We enable...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR
THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS
The “Why” of sustainability is clear for most, the “how” and “what”, unfortunately much less. For many, sustainability remains an utterly vague, complex, and confusing concept. And even without confusion, questions concerning usefulness of actions and impact arise. The Ecological Entrepreneur translates complexity to concrete guidelines, policies, and activities...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EVANS GENERAL CONTRACTORS
SHAPING SKYLINES TO BUILD TOMORROW’S FUTURE
Commercial construction is a critical part of Georgia’s economy as it creates buildings and spaces that connect communities, provide jobs, and improve society. Evans General Contractors is contributing by designing and building facilities that are home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies. Founded in Georgia in 2001,...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
EIGHT X
A TRUSTED PARTNER IN HELPING ENTREPRENEURS SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES
IN TODAY’S COMPETITIVE AND UNCERTAIN ECONOMY, ENTREPRENEURS NEED A TRUSTED PARTNER WHO CAN HELP THEM SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES WITH MORE CASH AND LESS STRESS. This is where a Fractional CFO comes into play. A notable company in this field that has made a name for itself in this space is...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
2U
A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE
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,...
INNOVATION Quebec
NEXT AI
FOR ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING TO SOLVE GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH AI-ENABLED SOLUTIONS
Next AI is a world-class founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Founders can be part of the ecosystem from anywhere in Canada, following the program remotely or in-person from the Toronto or Montreal sites. Taking advantage of a renowned network of AI and business experts, Next AI...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
iTOUCH
FROM ZERO TO BILLION$
In a world where data has become the currency of our supposed future resulting in valuations of businesses from zero to billions within a relatively short while, you need to ask yourself this question; How am I benefitting from the data-sets I have in my business, if at all? And...
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® South Carolina
Sunland Logistics Solutions
Leveraging an Innovative System to create Supply Chain Value for Customers & Create Mutual Value for all Stakeholders
Sunland Logistics Solutions is a 3PL partner leveraging leading technologies and lean principles to help shippers and manufacturers improve performance, innovate, and drive value in their supply chains. Specializing in supporting companies in the chemical, industrial, automotive, beverage, and retail industries, Sunland is positioned to become a flexible extension of...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
GAME QUITTERS
Supporting The Mental Health Of Gamers And Their Families Through Content, Community And Coaching
Game Quitters provides the best tools, resources, and support for gamers of all ages to keep gaming under control and maintain their health and wellbeing. We believe there are benefits and risks associated with playing video games and individuals should be equipped to navigate that experience. We do this by...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
AXIOMCPAs
DOUG SMITH AND MELINDA D’ANTOUNO CREATED A PROGRESSIVE CUSTOMER-FOCUSED ACCOUNTING FIRM
DOUG SMITH AND MELINDA D’ANTOUNO CREATED A PROGRESSIVE CUSTOMER-FOCUSED ACCOUNTING FIRM TO UNIQUELY ADDRESS THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SMALL BUSINESSES. In 2011, Doug and Melinda set out to start a new kind of CPA firm. They wanted to take a fresh look at the industry and create a firm that really...
AI Québec
CEuMONTRÉAL
Un organisme à but non lucratif qui a pour mission de développer une culture entrepreneuriale et d’innovation à l’Université de Montréal
MissionLe Centre d’entrepreneuriat de l’Université de Montréal (CEuMONTRÉAL) est un organisme à but non lucratif qui a pour mission de développer une culture entrepreneuriale et d’innovation à l’Université de Montréal, tout en soutenant de façon concrète les entrepreneurs et la création d’entreprises scientifiques et technologiques dans divers domaines : sciences...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
BETTERFLYBOX
BIODIVERSITY RESTAURATION
Biodiversity Biodiversity, short for ‘biological diversity’, refers to the variety and variability of life forms on Earth. It encompasses the full range of species of plants, animals, micro-organisms and ecosystems, as well as the genetic differences within these species. Biodiversity encompasses not only the diversity of species, but also their...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
NEW VALMAR BV
INNOVATION BY AUTOMATION
Our core business is big distribution of baby items in- and outside the EU in a multi-channel setting. That means a lot of requirements by country legal systems and specific customer demands. Customers in more the 45 countries have different needs and requests. They must be reached to be successful....
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE
Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 2021 DV Counts Report, agencies were unable to provide emergency shelter to 1,982 adults and 1,184 children nationwide in just one day. Annualized, that’s 723,430 adults and 432,160 children who are left without access to emergency domestic violence shelters each year....
Global Innovation Spotlight
DTF Gang Sheet Builder
Where Automation Meets Innovation in Print Tech
“We built this platform to solve real-world challenges print businesses face every day.” In the high-demand world of Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, time is money—and errors are costly. Enter DTF Gang Sheet Builder, the industry’s most advanced solution for creating gang sheets, developed by Antigro Designer, the Kraków, Poland-based powerhouse behind...