Stories of Innovation
Global Innovation Spotlight
SLOVAK BUSINESS AGENCY (SBA)
Is The Oldest Specialised Non-Profit Organization In Slovakia Offering Comprehensive Support To Small And Medium-Sized Businesses (SMEs).
SBA was founded in 1993 by a common initiative of the European Union and the Government of the Slovak Republic. Its founders are the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia, and Slovak Association of Crafts. The mission of the SBA is to provide complex assistance...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VERSUS - The Rise of a Lifestyle Powerhouse
The Rise of a Lifestyle Powerhouse
VERSUS is a multi-dimensional lifestyle brand rewriting the rules of hospitality, marketing, and venture capital in Washington, D.C. Under the visionary leadership of CEO Vinoda Basnayake, VERSUS has become synonymous with innovation and disruption. This dynamic brand is not just about creating spaces but crafting experiences that resonate deeply with...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Trupanion
Medical Insurance for the life of your pet.
SUPERPOWERED PET INSURANCE On a breezy September day in 2006, Darryl Rawlings was sitting on a beach in a tent in Mexico enjoying the warm sun and crashing waves and having a chat with his wife. Trupanion, the pet medical insurance company Darryl had founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 1999,...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
NATURE'S FYND
TRANSFORMING HOW THE WORLD EATS WITH FY™, A NEW-TO-THE-WORLD, NUTRITIONAL FUNGI PROTEIN
The story of Nature’s Fynd™ begins millions of years ago, in an acidic hot spring located in what is today Yellowstone National Park when a remarkable microbe was born. In 2009, NASA-backed research on extremophiles led our co-founder to the park’s hot springs. He then isolated and discovered a remarkable...
INNOVATE® Seattle
MAVERON
BACKING TRANSFORMATIVE CONSUMERBUSINESSES FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
In the 1990s, Howard Schultz built Starbucks into one of the world’s most iconic consumer businesses. In 1998, after taking Starbucks public, Dan Levitan and Howard founded Maveron. They recognized that digital technologies would integrate into people’s lives in unprecedented ways and that great teams attacking consumer-focused problems would require...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
OSCARS ARC
DOG ADOPTION. INSPIRED ADOPTION RATES IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE LESS THAN 10%. WOOF PROJECT IS CHANGING THE STATUS QUO
WOOF Project is a dynamic ‘pop–up’ mobile dog adoption initiative by Oscars Arc, a NPO born to inspire dog adoption and to save dogs’ lives. It was founded by Joanne Lefson in honour of Oscar, the adopted dog with whom she travelled around the world, visiting 43 countries across 5...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
TERRADEPTH
Is composed of a team of ocean enthusiasts, technologists, problem solvers, and makers dedicated to advancing ocean exploration
We exist to empower humanity with full access and visibility of deep sea data that enables a deeper understanding and accountability of impact to drive better decision making. We believe that a deeper understanding of the oceans is achievable through technological advancements in robotic autonomy and data visualization —...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THOMAS MORE
From Idea To Ecosystem
IN THE HEALTH SECTOR AT THOMAS MORE: We stimulate & support innovation For years, Research @Thomas More has been actively working on innovation in the health and welfare sector with its research groups Mobilab & Care and CEBUD, and the living lab research by LiCalab. We are the driving force...
INNOVATE® Seattle
First Mode
Accelerating a Diesel-Free Future - For People and Planet
ON THE PATH TO ZERO™ Decarbonization innovator First Mode develops and manufactures clean energy solutions for heavy industry, including the mining sector, which contributes 4-7% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. In 2022, First Mode in partnership with Anglo American debuted the world’s largest zero-emissions truck by retrofitting a Komatsu...
INNOVATION Quebec
2 DEGRÉS
EST UN INCUBATEUR SPÉCIALISÉ EN TECHNOLOGIES PROPRES AU QUÉBEC
2 Degrés accompagne des startups au stade de pré-démarrage, jusqu’au démarrage, qui proposent une solution innovante démontrant un fort potentiel de croissance et d’impact dans les secteurs des énergies, des matières résiduelles et de l’eau. Basé dans la Ville de Québec, 2 Degrés est né d’un rassemblement de jeunes gens...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BOOMPLAATS
ORGANIC FARM REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Boomplaats has been in the same family for over a century, nestled in the Maluti Mountains in the south-eastern Free State. This is South Africa’s only certified organic cattle, sheep, and pasture-raised pig farm. Regenerative farming isn’t a new agricultural method. This was the traditional farming way in previous centuries...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CDL ROCKIES
ACCELERATES THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF EARLY-STAGE VENTURES
There is an economic transformation underway in Alberta and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (“CDL-Rockies”) is playing an important role in that transformation. CDL-Rockies is focused on accelerating the commercial potential of the next generation of promising science- and technology-based ventures across a variety of sectors, including energy and agriculture....
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
IMPRESA
Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence
IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime. Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
PRAKTIKAL
MAKING ABSTRACT SCIENCE TANGIBLE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Remember learning to ride a bicycle? No amount of physics equations about angular momentum or center of gravity could replace that moment when you finally felt the balance click into place. Your hands knew when to turn the handlebars, your body learned to lean into curves, and suddenly, you were...
INNOVATION Quebec
CEIM
STIMULER L’ENTREPRENEURIAT ET FAVORISER L’ESSOR D’ENTREPRISES TECHNOLOGIQUES ÉMERGENTES
Au service de l’innovation depuis plus de 25 ans, nous sommes donc particulièrement fiers d’avoir pu accompagner des entreprises qui sont depuis devenues des fleurons de notre écosystème, ou qui constituent aujourd’hui de puissants catalyseurs de progrès et de changement pour notre société. « La créativité et la capacité d’innovation...
INNOVATE® Nashville
EMIDS
NASHVILLE’S LEADER IN HEALTHCARE INNOVATION FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS
Emids was founded in 1999 and has grown to be the proven leader in digital engineering and transformation innovations to the healthcare and life sciences industry. The company’s evolution has been expertly navigated by Saurabh Sinha, Emids CEO and co founder. And while Emids has experienced tremendous success, its accomplishments...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
2KC
WHY KC, WHY NOW?
As career goals evolve and remote work becomes the norm, professionals across the country are rethinking where they genuinely want to live and work. For many, that reflection is leading them home—to Kansas City. Once drawn away by the pull of coastal opportunity, they’re now inspired by KC’s rise as...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
OPERTO
A WORLD-LEADING PROPERTY AUTOMATION PLATFORM FOR THE SHORT-TERM, MULTIFAMILY AND HOTEL INDUSTRIES
By bringing together innovative software and best-in-class hardware solutions, Operto enables property owners/managers to efficiently run, scale and monetize their business, while eliminating common friction points associated with the guest journey. Operto has built a huge global footprint in the accommodation industry, with customers ranging from single Airbnb operators, up...
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
SOL NAVITAS
SOLAR VENTILATION FOR HEALTHIER, DRIER, SMARTER HOMES
Sol Navitas is an Estonian cleantech company on a mission to make buildings healthier, smarter, and more sustainable — by harnessing solar energy to drive ventilation, moisture control, and indoor climate solutions. At the heart of its approach is a simple belief: a building should support well-being, not compromise it....
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
SSE BUSINESS LAB
CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR UNICORNS
SSE Business Lab is the startup incubator of the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), one of Europe’s top business schools. Since its founding in 2001, the incubator has supported more than 300 startups, including some of Sweden’s most recognized success stories such as Klarna, Voi, Instabee (formerly Budbee), and Legora....
INNOVATION Quebec
HYDRO-QUÉBEC
L’INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE
LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE EST EN MARCHE. LE SECTEUR DE L’ÉNERGIE CONNAÎT DE PROFONDES TRANSFORMATIONS PROVOQUÉES NOTAMMENT PAR LA RECHERCHE DE SOLUTIONS DURABLES AUX EFFETS DES CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES, AUX NOUVEAUX BESOINS ET HABITUDES DE CONSOMMATION DE NOS CLIENTS, ET PAR LA GRANDE ACCESSIBILITÉ DE NOUVELLES TECHNOLOGIES. Si l’invention du transport d’électricité...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO CO-OP
SINCE THE BEGINNING, WATERLOO’S CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUNCHING SUCCESSFUL CAREERS
Many students dream of landing a job that aligns with their passions, inspires real-world impact or even motivates them to launch their own business. For thousands of University of Waterloo students, that dream has become a reality thanks to co-operative education (co-op), which combines paid work experience with earning a...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
FALCÓN SÁNCHEZ & ASSOCIATES
40 years of excellence and leadership as a reliable business partner
The wholly owned Puerto Rican consultancy continues to make its mark by implementing a strategy rooted in constant evolution to not only address, but also anticipate its clients’ needs. In many industries, the client-supplier relationship has grown stale over the years, mired in a cookie-cutter operational model where “rocking the...
Global Innovation Spotlight
SLOVAK BUSINESS AGENCY (SBA)
Is The Oldest Specialised Non-Profit Organization In Slovakia Offering Comprehensive Support To Small And Medium-Sized Businesses (SMEs).
SBA was founded in 1993 by a common initiative of the European Union and the Government of the Slovak Republic. Its founders are the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia, and Slovak Association of Crafts. The mission of the SBA is to provide complex assistance...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VERSUS - The Rise of a Lifestyle Powerhouse
The Rise of a Lifestyle Powerhouse
VERSUS is a multi-dimensional lifestyle brand rewriting the rules of hospitality, marketing, and venture capital in Washington, D.C. Under the visionary leadership of CEO Vinoda Basnayake, VERSUS has become synonymous with innovation and disruption. This dynamic brand is not just about creating spaces but crafting experiences that resonate deeply with...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Trupanion
Medical Insurance for the life of your pet.
SUPERPOWERED PET INSURANCE On a breezy September day in 2006, Darryl Rawlings was sitting on a beach in a tent in Mexico enjoying the warm sun and crashing waves and having a chat with his wife. Trupanion, the pet medical insurance company Darryl had founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 1999,...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
NATURE'S FYND
TRANSFORMING HOW THE WORLD EATS WITH FY™, A NEW-TO-THE-WORLD, NUTRITIONAL FUNGI PROTEIN
The story of Nature’s Fynd™ begins millions of years ago, in an acidic hot spring located in what is today Yellowstone National Park when a remarkable microbe was born. In 2009, NASA-backed research on extremophiles led our co-founder to the park’s hot springs. He then isolated and discovered a remarkable...
INNOVATE® Seattle
MAVERON
BACKING TRANSFORMATIVE CONSUMERBUSINESSES FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
In the 1990s, Howard Schultz built Starbucks into one of the world’s most iconic consumer businesses. In 1998, after taking Starbucks public, Dan Levitan and Howard founded Maveron. They recognized that digital technologies would integrate into people’s lives in unprecedented ways and that great teams attacking consumer-focused problems would require...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
OSCARS ARC
DOG ADOPTION. INSPIRED ADOPTION RATES IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE LESS THAN 10%. WOOF PROJECT IS CHANGING THE STATUS QUO
WOOF Project is a dynamic ‘pop–up’ mobile dog adoption initiative by Oscars Arc, a NPO born to inspire dog adoption and to save dogs’ lives. It was founded by Joanne Lefson in honour of Oscar, the adopted dog with whom she travelled around the world, visiting 43 countries across 5...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
TERRADEPTH
Is composed of a team of ocean enthusiasts, technologists, problem solvers, and makers dedicated to advancing ocean exploration
We exist to empower humanity with full access and visibility of deep sea data that enables a deeper understanding and accountability of impact to drive better decision making. We believe that a deeper understanding of the oceans is achievable through technological advancements in robotic autonomy and data visualization —...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THOMAS MORE
From Idea To Ecosystem
IN THE HEALTH SECTOR AT THOMAS MORE: We stimulate & support innovation For years, Research @Thomas More has been actively working on innovation in the health and welfare sector with its research groups Mobilab & Care and CEBUD, and the living lab research by LiCalab. We are the driving force...
INNOVATE® Seattle
First Mode
Accelerating a Diesel-Free Future - For People and Planet
ON THE PATH TO ZERO™ Decarbonization innovator First Mode develops and manufactures clean energy solutions for heavy industry, including the mining sector, which contributes 4-7% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. In 2022, First Mode in partnership with Anglo American debuted the world’s largest zero-emissions truck by retrofitting a Komatsu...
INNOVATION Quebec
2 DEGRÉS
EST UN INCUBATEUR SPÉCIALISÉ EN TECHNOLOGIES PROPRES AU QUÉBEC
2 Degrés accompagne des startups au stade de pré-démarrage, jusqu’au démarrage, qui proposent une solution innovante démontrant un fort potentiel de croissance et d’impact dans les secteurs des énergies, des matières résiduelles et de l’eau. Basé dans la Ville de Québec, 2 Degrés est né d’un rassemblement de jeunes gens...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BOOMPLAATS
ORGANIC FARM REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Boomplaats has been in the same family for over a century, nestled in the Maluti Mountains in the south-eastern Free State. This is South Africa’s only certified organic cattle, sheep, and pasture-raised pig farm. Regenerative farming isn’t a new agricultural method. This was the traditional farming way in previous centuries...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CDL ROCKIES
ACCELERATES THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF EARLY-STAGE VENTURES
There is an economic transformation underway in Alberta and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (“CDL-Rockies”) is playing an important role in that transformation. CDL-Rockies is focused on accelerating the commercial potential of the next generation of promising science- and technology-based ventures across a variety of sectors, including energy and agriculture....
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
IMPRESA
Our Values: Commitment / Cooperation / Integrity / Innovation / Excellence
IMPRESA was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, one-time prime minister and founding member of Portuguese SocialDemocratic Party (PSD). The journey started with Expresso: the first democratic weekly newspaper published during the dictatorship regime. Now its portfolio of brands are the country’s leader in sales. Impresa then escalated with SIC,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
PRAKTIKAL
MAKING ABSTRACT SCIENCE TANGIBLE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Remember learning to ride a bicycle? No amount of physics equations about angular momentum or center of gravity could replace that moment when you finally felt the balance click into place. Your hands knew when to turn the handlebars, your body learned to lean into curves, and suddenly, you were...
INNOVATION Quebec
CEIM
STIMULER L’ENTREPRENEURIAT ET FAVORISER L’ESSOR D’ENTREPRISES TECHNOLOGIQUES ÉMERGENTES
Au service de l’innovation depuis plus de 25 ans, nous sommes donc particulièrement fiers d’avoir pu accompagner des entreprises qui sont depuis devenues des fleurons de notre écosystème, ou qui constituent aujourd’hui de puissants catalyseurs de progrès et de changement pour notre société. « La créativité et la capacité d’innovation...
INNOVATE® Nashville
EMIDS
NASHVILLE’S LEADER IN HEALTHCARE INNOVATION FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS
Emids was founded in 1999 and has grown to be the proven leader in digital engineering and transformation innovations to the healthcare and life sciences industry. The company’s evolution has been expertly navigated by Saurabh Sinha, Emids CEO and co founder. And while Emids has experienced tremendous success, its accomplishments...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
2KC
WHY KC, WHY NOW?
As career goals evolve and remote work becomes the norm, professionals across the country are rethinking where they genuinely want to live and work. For many, that reflection is leading them home—to Kansas City. Once drawn away by the pull of coastal opportunity, they’re now inspired by KC’s rise as...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
OPERTO
A WORLD-LEADING PROPERTY AUTOMATION PLATFORM FOR THE SHORT-TERM, MULTIFAMILY AND HOTEL INDUSTRIES
By bringing together innovative software and best-in-class hardware solutions, Operto enables property owners/managers to efficiently run, scale and monetize their business, while eliminating common friction points associated with the guest journey. Operto has built a huge global footprint in the accommodation industry, with customers ranging from single Airbnb operators, up...
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
SOL NAVITAS
SOLAR VENTILATION FOR HEALTHIER, DRIER, SMARTER HOMES
Sol Navitas is an Estonian cleantech company on a mission to make buildings healthier, smarter, and more sustainable — by harnessing solar energy to drive ventilation, moisture control, and indoor climate solutions. At the heart of its approach is a simple belief: a building should support well-being, not compromise it....
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
SSE BUSINESS LAB
CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR UNICORNS
SSE Business Lab is the startup incubator of the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), one of Europe’s top business schools. Since its founding in 2001, the incubator has supported more than 300 startups, including some of Sweden’s most recognized success stories such as Klarna, Voi, Instabee (formerly Budbee), and Legora....
INNOVATION Quebec
HYDRO-QUÉBEC
L’INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE
LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE EST EN MARCHE. LE SECTEUR DE L’ÉNERGIE CONNAÎT DE PROFONDES TRANSFORMATIONS PROVOQUÉES NOTAMMENT PAR LA RECHERCHE DE SOLUTIONS DURABLES AUX EFFETS DES CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES, AUX NOUVEAUX BESOINS ET HABITUDES DE CONSOMMATION DE NOS CLIENTS, ET PAR LA GRANDE ACCESSIBILITÉ DE NOUVELLES TECHNOLOGIES. Si l’invention du transport d’électricité...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO CO-OP
SINCE THE BEGINNING, WATERLOO’S CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUNCHING SUCCESSFUL CAREERS
Many students dream of landing a job that aligns with their passions, inspires real-world impact or even motivates them to launch their own business. For thousands of University of Waterloo students, that dream has become a reality thanks to co-operative education (co-op), which combines paid work experience with earning a...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
FALCÓN SÁNCHEZ & ASSOCIATES
40 years of excellence and leadership as a reliable business partner
The wholly owned Puerto Rican consultancy continues to make its mark by implementing a strategy rooted in constant evolution to not only address, but also anticipate its clients’ needs. In many industries, the client-supplier relationship has grown stale over the years, mired in a cookie-cutter operational model where “rocking the...