Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Detroit
Electric Outdoors
Building Sustainable Off-Grid Camping Systems for a New Era of Outdoor Adventure
Based in Detroit, Michigan, and founded in 2023, clean tech startup Electric Outdoors is on a path to transform off-grid camping and sustainability in the outdoors. Its mission is driven by what the company has identified as a huge gap in the current outdoor recreation market: Connected glamping in remote...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ADEMICON
A SPECIALIST IN CONSORTIUMS WHO LEADS THE SEGMENT AMONG INDEPENDENT MANAGERS
Over the course of its 32-years, Ademicon has become a true benchmark in consortium. It went from a company with regional operations to a brand with a national presence, earning the position of Brazil’s largest independent consortium manager in terms of active credits. Currently, according to data from the Central...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
VÄRMEVERKET
A CULTURAL POWERHOUSE REIMAGINING CREATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
In the southern outskirts of Stockholm, in a repurposed industrial facility once devoted to generating heat, something entirely different is now being produced—culture, community, and creative opportunity. Värmeverket, founded as a response to the increasingly precarious conditions for artists and cultural workers, has quickly established itself as one of Sweden’s...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
SPLINTERLANDS
THE MAGIC OF GAMING IN THE CRYPTO AGE
The game Splinterlands may evoke a world of magic and mayhem, but the wizards who built it live firmly in the realm of modern gaming technology. Splinterlands was founded in 2018 to combine two concepts that founders Matt Rosen and Dr. Jesse “Aggroed” Reich were already both passionate about: blockchain...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Youth Growth Network
Empowering the Next Generation
Founding Story: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Real-World Experience Youth Growth Network (YGN) was founded with a powerful mission: to bridge the gap between academic learning and the real-world skills students need to thrive in their future careers. Recognizing that traditional education often falls short in providing hands-on experiences,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RED-LINED INTERNATIONAL
MOTORSPORT ADVENTURE
The CEO and founder of Red-Lined International Terence Marsh had a goal of competing on the world stage at Dakar and established the business in 2013. We set out into the international market in search of a race car and returned to South Africa disillusioned at what the market had...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
INNOSTEPS
ESTONIA’S INNOVATION COMPASS
Innosteps is a tool for increasing the innovation capacity of Estonian companies and developing a common culture of innovation. Innovation steps (innosteps) is an Estonian public–private initiative designed to enhance innovation capabilities across businesses and organisations by providing a structured assessment framework, targeted guidance, and access to a network of...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CAVA
CAVA’s Recipe for Success
From Mediterranean roots to nationwide expansion, CAVA brings heart, health, and humanity to food. CAVA isn’t just another restaurant chain. It’s on a mission not just to serve food but to serve a movement. It is a beacon of innovation, health, and Mediterranean flavors, transforming the way America eats. The...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRIAQ
AT THE HEART OF AEROSPACE INNOVATION
CRIAQ plays a key role in ensuring the development of new aerospace technologies that enable the entire ecosystem to prosper. Quebec is one of the 3 main aerospace centres in the world and the effervescence of its industrial industry and research centres makes it a prime location for innovation. In...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SCHELL GAMES
MAKING EXPERIENCES WE’RE PROUD OF WITH PEOPLE WE LIKE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Founded in 2002 by award-winning game designer and author Jesse Schell, Schell Games is the largest full-service educational and entertainment game development company in the United States. We make experiences across various platforms, specializing in four vertical areas: Health and Wellness, Education, Home Entertainment, and Theme Parks and Museums. In...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOFAUNE BORÉALE
CCTT IN ECO-RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION IN THE LEATHER SECTOR, FUR AND RELATED PRODUCTS
Our mission at Écofaune boréale—Cégep de Saint-Félicien’s college centre for the transfer of technology—is to promote the development of innovative social practices through applied research, technological development, technical assistance, knowledge transfer and scientific knowledge dissemination, enabling all socio-economic players in the fur and leather industries to reposition themselves economically in...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
ACCLAIM EXPRESS
IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM
Acclaim will serve as a Virtual Business Environment (VBE) for all small businesses globally. The idea is to take small businesses to the internet and be able to create virtual offices, stalls, and markets which are manageable. This innovation was inspired by the digital transformation of the economy and the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
HOUSELL
The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market
Housell is a proptech – a company that applies information technology and the new economy to the property sector – founded in Madrid in 2017 by Guillermo Llibre, CEO of the company. Its revolutionary concept, which seeks to use technology to give autonomy and power to the user, so that...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
TAV SYSTEMS
EXPORTING HIGH-QUALITY E-BIKE TECHNOLOGIES TO THE WORLD
TAV is an E-Bike startup based in Adelaide, Australia, that was incorporated in April 2020. Supported by the Government of South Australia and Flinders University under the program called Supporting innovation in South Australia, TAV’s mission is to export Australian-built E-Bike technologies to global brands, foster local innovation, and deliver...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ENGEFOTO
COMPANY SPECIALIZED IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GEOTECHNOLOGY, OPERATING IN BRAZIL SINCE 1980.
Through the years, the company has not only established itself as a leader in the sector but has also actively shaped the field of territory mapping and modeling with a series of groundbreaking technologies. In 1990, Engefoto began developing software for georeferencing, aiming to master new geolocation technologies such as...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CITI
TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI) SEEDED IT’S VISION OF A FUTURE FIT INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, IN THE WESTERN CAPE, THEN A PREDOMINANTLY AGRARIAN ECONOMY
Using Michael Porter’s cluster theory as a cornerstone of its strategy, CiTi designed interventions to grow, transform and enable a leading digital economy on the continent. CiTi’s interventions have been acknowledged to have supported South Africa’s charge to the top of the inaugural fDi Africa “Tech Ecosystems of the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CANADA EXCELLENCE RESEARCH CHAIR IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND CITIES
We envision next-generation communities as zero-emission, livable, affordable, equitable and inclusive environments
Zero-emission communities require largescale electrification, retrofitting buildings, integrating renewable energy, developing sustainable mobility concepts, implementing green industry solutions, and transforming cities in a human-centered way. Furthermore, those next-generation communities should be affordable, mixed and inclusive, providing all essential services within walking distance. This also means easy access to green spaces,...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
BITCOIN.COM
Helping to Build and Expose the Works of Africa’s Fintech Innovators to the World
There is no question that the global financial services industry has failed to serve everyone and has for a long time not been for everyone. The fact that more than 1.5 billion people are still without a bank account or have no access to banking services is ample evidence of...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
South Australia loves a party. We are the festival state – one proud to break new ground. Innovation is crucial when delivering major events, and so too is fostering a culture in which they continue to thrive. Our place as host of the best, brightest celebrations is directly linked to...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
INNOVATE™ Alberta
ENVOY
MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE
Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees. At Envoy...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
METIQUITY
A FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS, NOT HYPE.
A CHANGE FOR THE SMALLER.Micro, in fact. Rapidly decreasing technology costs, combined with digital innovations such as artificial intelligence, data and analytics, cloud computing, SaaS, and the Internet of Things, are disrupting our existing business and operating models. This means that Alberta’s emerging-technology sector is primed to be a catalyst...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
B.EST SOLUTIONS
REDEFINING SECURE DIGITAL IDENTITY WHILE STRENGTHENING LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS
Can a digital state be built from scratch with external expertise and support? B.EST Solutions has spent the past 15 years proving that it can. Founded with the mission of adapting Estonia’s pioneering digital state experience to new contexts, the company has become a trusted developer and operator of national...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
Saunum
Revolution in Sauna Technology
SAUNUM’S UNIQUE BENEFITS SAUNUM’S UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION: HEALTH, INNOVATION, AND MARKET DIFFERENTIATION The Story of Saunum Andrus Vare, Thermal Engineer and The Creator of Saunum: “Inspired by the experience of my grandparents’ 100-year-old smoke sauna, I set out to create an innovative solution that combines the best features of a...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Electric Outdoors
Building Sustainable Off-Grid Camping Systems for a New Era of Outdoor Adventure
Based in Detroit, Michigan, and founded in 2023, clean tech startup Electric Outdoors is on a path to transform off-grid camping and sustainability in the outdoors. Its mission is driven by what the company has identified as a huge gap in the current outdoor recreation market: Connected glamping in remote...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ADEMICON
A SPECIALIST IN CONSORTIUMS WHO LEADS THE SEGMENT AMONG INDEPENDENT MANAGERS
Over the course of its 32-years, Ademicon has become a true benchmark in consortium. It went from a company with regional operations to a brand with a national presence, earning the position of Brazil’s largest independent consortium manager in terms of active credits. Currently, according to data from the Central...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
VÄRMEVERKET
A CULTURAL POWERHOUSE REIMAGINING CREATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
In the southern outskirts of Stockholm, in a repurposed industrial facility once devoted to generating heat, something entirely different is now being produced—culture, community, and creative opportunity. Värmeverket, founded as a response to the increasingly precarious conditions for artists and cultural workers, has quickly established itself as one of Sweden’s...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
SPLINTERLANDS
THE MAGIC OF GAMING IN THE CRYPTO AGE
The game Splinterlands may evoke a world of magic and mayhem, but the wizards who built it live firmly in the realm of modern gaming technology. Splinterlands was founded in 2018 to combine two concepts that founders Matt Rosen and Dr. Jesse “Aggroed” Reich were already both passionate about: blockchain...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Youth Growth Network
Empowering the Next Generation
Founding Story: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Real-World Experience Youth Growth Network (YGN) was founded with a powerful mission: to bridge the gap between academic learning and the real-world skills students need to thrive in their future careers. Recognizing that traditional education often falls short in providing hands-on experiences,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
RED-LINED INTERNATIONAL
MOTORSPORT ADVENTURE
The CEO and founder of Red-Lined International Terence Marsh had a goal of competing on the world stage at Dakar and established the business in 2013. We set out into the international market in search of a race car and returned to South Africa disillusioned at what the market had...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
INNOSTEPS
ESTONIA’S INNOVATION COMPASS
Innosteps is a tool for increasing the innovation capacity of Estonian companies and developing a common culture of innovation. Innovation steps (innosteps) is an Estonian public–private initiative designed to enhance innovation capabilities across businesses and organisations by providing a structured assessment framework, targeted guidance, and access to a network of...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
CAVA
CAVA’s Recipe for Success
From Mediterranean roots to nationwide expansion, CAVA brings heart, health, and humanity to food. CAVA isn’t just another restaurant chain. It’s on a mission not just to serve food but to serve a movement. It is a beacon of innovation, health, and Mediterranean flavors, transforming the way America eats. The...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRIAQ
AT THE HEART OF AEROSPACE INNOVATION
CRIAQ plays a key role in ensuring the development of new aerospace technologies that enable the entire ecosystem to prosper. Quebec is one of the 3 main aerospace centres in the world and the effervescence of its industrial industry and research centres makes it a prime location for innovation. In...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SCHELL GAMES
MAKING EXPERIENCES WE’RE PROUD OF WITH PEOPLE WE LIKE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Founded in 2002 by award-winning game designer and author Jesse Schell, Schell Games is the largest full-service educational and entertainment game development company in the United States. We make experiences across various platforms, specializing in four vertical areas: Health and Wellness, Education, Home Entertainment, and Theme Parks and Museums. In...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOFAUNE BORÉALE
CCTT IN ECO-RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION IN THE LEATHER SECTOR, FUR AND RELATED PRODUCTS
Our mission at Écofaune boréale—Cégep de Saint-Félicien’s college centre for the transfer of technology—is to promote the development of innovative social practices through applied research, technological development, technical assistance, knowledge transfer and scientific knowledge dissemination, enabling all socio-economic players in the fur and leather industries to reposition themselves economically in...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
ACCLAIM EXPRESS
IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM
Acclaim will serve as a Virtual Business Environment (VBE) for all small businesses globally. The idea is to take small businesses to the internet and be able to create virtual offices, stalls, and markets which are manageable. This innovation was inspired by the digital transformation of the economy and the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
HOUSELL
The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market
Housell is a proptech – a company that applies information technology and the new economy to the property sector – founded in Madrid in 2017 by Guillermo Llibre, CEO of the company. Its revolutionary concept, which seeks to use technology to give autonomy and power to the user, so that...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
TAV SYSTEMS
EXPORTING HIGH-QUALITY E-BIKE TECHNOLOGIES TO THE WORLD
TAV is an E-Bike startup based in Adelaide, Australia, that was incorporated in April 2020. Supported by the Government of South Australia and Flinders University under the program called Supporting innovation in South Australia, TAV’s mission is to export Australian-built E-Bike technologies to global brands, foster local innovation, and deliver...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
ENGEFOTO
COMPANY SPECIALIZED IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GEOTECHNOLOGY, OPERATING IN BRAZIL SINCE 1980.
Through the years, the company has not only established itself as a leader in the sector but has also actively shaped the field of territory mapping and modeling with a series of groundbreaking technologies. In 1990, Engefoto began developing software for georeferencing, aiming to master new geolocation technologies such as...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CITI
TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI) SEEDED IT’S VISION OF A FUTURE FIT INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, IN THE WESTERN CAPE, THEN A PREDOMINANTLY AGRARIAN ECONOMY
Using Michael Porter’s cluster theory as a cornerstone of its strategy, CiTi designed interventions to grow, transform and enable a leading digital economy on the continent. CiTi’s interventions have been acknowledged to have supported South Africa’s charge to the top of the inaugural fDi Africa “Tech Ecosystems of the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CANADA EXCELLENCE RESEARCH CHAIR IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND CITIES
We envision next-generation communities as zero-emission, livable, affordable, equitable and inclusive environments
Zero-emission communities require largescale electrification, retrofitting buildings, integrating renewable energy, developing sustainable mobility concepts, implementing green industry solutions, and transforming cities in a human-centered way. Furthermore, those next-generation communities should be affordable, mixed and inclusive, providing all essential services within walking distance. This also means easy access to green spaces,...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
BITCOIN.COM
Helping to Build and Expose the Works of Africa’s Fintech Innovators to the World
There is no question that the global financial services industry has failed to serve everyone and has for a long time not been for everyone. The fact that more than 1.5 billion people are still without a bank account or have no access to banking services is ample evidence of...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
South Australia loves a party. We are the festival state – one proud to break new ground. Innovation is crucial when delivering major events, and so too is fostering a culture in which they continue to thrive. Our place as host of the best, brightest celebrations is directly linked to...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
INNOVATE™ Alberta
ENVOY
MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE
Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees. At Envoy...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
METIQUITY
A FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS, NOT HYPE.
A CHANGE FOR THE SMALLER.Micro, in fact. Rapidly decreasing technology costs, combined with digital innovations such as artificial intelligence, data and analytics, cloud computing, SaaS, and the Internet of Things, are disrupting our existing business and operating models. This means that Alberta’s emerging-technology sector is primed to be a catalyst...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
B.EST SOLUTIONS
REDEFINING SECURE DIGITAL IDENTITY WHILE STRENGTHENING LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS
Can a digital state be built from scratch with external expertise and support? B.EST Solutions has spent the past 15 years proving that it can. Founded with the mission of adapting Estonia’s pioneering digital state experience to new contexts, the company has become a trusted developer and operator of national...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
Saunum
Revolution in Sauna Technology
SAUNUM’S UNIQUE BENEFITS SAUNUM’S UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION: HEALTH, INNOVATION, AND MARKET DIFFERENTIATION The Story of Saunum Andrus Vare, Thermal Engineer and The Creator of Saunum: “Inspired by the experience of my grandparents’ 100-year-old smoke sauna, I set out to create an innovative solution that combines the best features of a...