Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Toronto
REAL VENTURES
CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM
Real Ventures is one of Canada’s most active early-stage venture capital firms, dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and nurturing the communities in which they thrive. In 2007, we questioned why brilliant Canadian founders should have to fly to San Francisco to raise seed capital. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
INTERNSHIP ON DEMAND
HOW INTERNSHIP ON DEMAND IS REDEFINING THE PATH TO CAREER SUCCESS
Every year, millions of college students graduate without ever having experienced the workplace firsthand. Employers demand experience, but when only 30% of college students complete an internship on an annual basis, what do those left on the outside looking in do? That’s where Internship on Demand comes in. Launched in...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Madrona
A Partner and Backer of Founders at the Innovation, Early and Acceleration Stages
Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces and more. As the tech footprint in Seattle has grown, so have we. Madrona opened a Silicon Valley...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA
The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...
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® New Jersey Vol.2
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY
Supports a robust innovation ecosystem for life sciences companies, patient access to their discoveries, and New Jersey as a leading life sciences hub
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY (HINJ): LEADING MEDICAL INNOVATION, ADVANCING GLOBAL HEALTH, DRIVING NEW JERSEY’S ECONOMY New Jersey is widely known as the “Medicine Chest of the World,” not only for its concentration of life sciences companies, but also for their historic commitment to innovation and improving global health. Founded...
INNOVATE® Detroit
LIVAQ
Building the Future of Electric Off-Road, Empowering Adventure
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Livaq is redefining the off-road vehicle industry with an innovative all-electric approach. As the first company solely dedicated to electric off-road vehicles (ORVs), Livaq is driving a critical shift away from traditional gas-powered machines and toward a cleaner, more efficient future. The company’s mission is to...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
INDIE CLUSTER
Inspiring The Untargeted, Promoting The Unseen, And Supporting The Unfunded!
The Indie Cluster is a platform providing opportunities, resources, and services centered around supporting indie game developers. We focus on quality assurance testing, discoverability, hands-on production, and curating a traveling booth for our games. As our digital future demands more interactive experiences, sustainability is crucial for these small businesses. We’ve...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
NOCTURNAL
Plan Your Night Out
That Lyfe, LLC was founded around the simple idea that having a great nightout should be easy and transparent. Our focus is on democratizing the nightlife experience through our iOS application, NOCTURNAL , This idea originated from an evening in a city none of us are from. The...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
BLUEBIST
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR NEW AGE OBSTACLES
Blue Bist is a boutique consulting company based in Chicago, IL. We specialize in change management, team dynamics, and operations transformations. We provide fractional and remote COO, CPO, and CTO support to startups and mentor first-time founders on how to scale. We are a diverse, professional, woman-owned business with a...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Breadless
Fuel Your Next Move
In a market dominated by fast-food giants, Breadless has emerged as a bold disruptor, transforming fast-casual dining with its nutrient-packed, bread-free innovation. This Detroit-born brand is redefining how Americans fuel their lives by replacing traditional bread with leafy super greens. At Breadless, meals are not just sustenance — they’re catalysts...
INNOVATE® South Florida
SEAWORTHY COLLECTIVE
EMPOWERING SEA CHANGE MAKERS & GROWING SOUTH FLORIDA’S BLUE ECONOMY
EMPOWERING SEA CHANGE MAKERS & GROWING SOUTH FLORIDA’S BLUE ECONOMY Seaworthy Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports current, aspiring, and underrepresented entrepreneurs driving innovation for ocean and climate impact (AKA BlueTech). Our mission is to make BlueTech accessible and inclusive; bringing all hands on deck via programs to co-create...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Voyager Capital
INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES WHERE INNOVATION MEETS GROWTH.
INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES WHEREINNOVATION MEETS GROWTH. Voyager Capital thrives on working with early-stage entrepreneurs who drive innovation and take risks to create new markets. Founded in 1997 in Seattle, WA, Voyager is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in B2B companies in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alberta. When you...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
INTEGER HOTSPOT
THE INNO-GRATION AGENCY
“Inno-gration”? For IntegerHotspot’s, true innovation, founded in full integration, has informed the approach and ethos since day one. And has afforded the agency an edge since before certain interpretations of “integration” infiltrated agency zeitgeist. THE INTEGRATION ARCHETYPEIntegerHotspot’s was founded in 1999 by advertising maverick, Di Wilson as Pod Communications. From...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES
BUILDING THE PORT OF THE FUTURE
Major challenges on energy transition, climate, mobility, and digital transformation are ahead of us and are closely linked to the activities of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, being the 2nd largest port in Europe and the 2nd largest integrated chemical cluster in the world. The recent merger between the ports of Antwerp...
INNOVATE® Detroit
THE SALVATION ARMY
MOBILIZING FOOD DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS IN METRO DETROIT THE SALVATION ARMY GREAT LAKES DIVISION
One Night in January 1988…One night in January 1988, a Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services truck loaded up with 75 sandwiches, soup and hot chocolate to serve Detroit’s homeless. After driving around the city’s east side, the crew couldn’t find anyone to serve. When the truck pulled into an alley...
INNOVATE® Georgia
BLACKROCK
CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD
For BlackRock, continuous innovation is key. BlackRock’s Aladdin® business—which provides an investment management platform for institutional investors and wealth managers—is at the heart of the company’s tech innovation. Aladdin provides a unified investment management platform that gives clients a full view of their portfolio, across public and private markets—and enables...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SHIPBOB
The Trusted Global Omnifulfillment Platform To Scale Your Ecommerce Business And Meet Customer Expectations Everywhere They Shop
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
New Jersey Commission on Science,Innovation, and Technology
The Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology (CSIT) is responsible for strengthening the innovation economy within New Jersey, encouraging collaboration and connectivity between industry and academia, and the translating of innovations into successful high-growth businesses. CSIT is committed to advancing innovation-based economic development and job growth, and to creating a...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
TCTC
PARTNERSHIPS TRANSFORM LIVES, BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES
The successes of Tri-County Technical College over the past 63 years area testament to the power of the strong relationships and partnerships the College shares with business, industry, and educators in the community. These relationships and partnerships transform the lives of TCTC students and help to build stronger communities. Health...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
TRIBE NETWORK
IS BUILDINGA GLOBAL NETWORK OF ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS FOR RACIALIZED PEOPLE.
Tribe Network is a community of racialized people pursuing technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. They envision a world where Black, Indigenous, and people of colour are at the forefront of these disciplines, fully armed with the knowledge, resources, skills, and connections they need to start, build, and scale thriving businesses. TRIBE...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
REAL VENTURES
CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM
Real Ventures is one of Canada’s most active early-stage venture capital firms, dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and nurturing the communities in which they thrive. In 2007, we questioned why brilliant Canadian founders should have to fly to San Francisco to raise seed capital. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
INTERNSHIP ON DEMAND
HOW INTERNSHIP ON DEMAND IS REDEFINING THE PATH TO CAREER SUCCESS
Every year, millions of college students graduate without ever having experienced the workplace firsthand. Employers demand experience, but when only 30% of college students complete an internship on an annual basis, what do those left on the outside looking in do? That’s where Internship on Demand comes in. Launched in...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Madrona
A Partner and Backer of Founders at the Innovation, Early and Acceleration Stages
Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces and more. As the tech footprint in Seattle has grown, so have we. Madrona opened a Silicon Valley...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
THIRD-i MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
NO MORE MYSTERY SHOPPERS – THIRD-i SMART POINT OF SALE DISPLAYS – A RETAIL INNOVATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA
The third eye represents intuition and insight—an inner vision and enlightenment beyond what the physical eye can see. Modern shoppers are increasingly time-starved and brand-agnostic. It is therefore imperative for brands to understand as much as they can about the people who are buying their products and how they feel...
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® New Jersey Vol.2
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY
Supports a robust innovation ecosystem for life sciences companies, patient access to their discoveries, and New Jersey as a leading life sciences hub
HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY (HINJ): LEADING MEDICAL INNOVATION, ADVANCING GLOBAL HEALTH, DRIVING NEW JERSEY’S ECONOMY New Jersey is widely known as the “Medicine Chest of the World,” not only for its concentration of life sciences companies, but also for their historic commitment to innovation and improving global health. Founded...
INNOVATE® Detroit
LIVAQ
Building the Future of Electric Off-Road, Empowering Adventure
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Livaq is redefining the off-road vehicle industry with an innovative all-electric approach. As the first company solely dedicated to electric off-road vehicles (ORVs), Livaq is driving a critical shift away from traditional gas-powered machines and toward a cleaner, more efficient future. The company’s mission is to...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
INDIE CLUSTER
Inspiring The Untargeted, Promoting The Unseen, And Supporting The Unfunded!
The Indie Cluster is a platform providing opportunities, resources, and services centered around supporting indie game developers. We focus on quality assurance testing, discoverability, hands-on production, and curating a traveling booth for our games. As our digital future demands more interactive experiences, sustainability is crucial for these small businesses. We’ve...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
NOCTURNAL
Plan Your Night Out
That Lyfe, LLC was founded around the simple idea that having a great nightout should be easy and transparent. Our focus is on democratizing the nightlife experience through our iOS application, NOCTURNAL , This idea originated from an evening in a city none of us are from. The...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
BLUEBIST
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR NEW AGE OBSTACLES
Blue Bist is a boutique consulting company based in Chicago, IL. We specialize in change management, team dynamics, and operations transformations. We provide fractional and remote COO, CPO, and CTO support to startups and mentor first-time founders on how to scale. We are a diverse, professional, woman-owned business with a...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Breadless
Fuel Your Next Move
In a market dominated by fast-food giants, Breadless has emerged as a bold disruptor, transforming fast-casual dining with its nutrient-packed, bread-free innovation. This Detroit-born brand is redefining how Americans fuel their lives by replacing traditional bread with leafy super greens. At Breadless, meals are not just sustenance — they’re catalysts...
INNOVATE® South Florida
SEAWORTHY COLLECTIVE
EMPOWERING SEA CHANGE MAKERS & GROWING SOUTH FLORIDA’S BLUE ECONOMY
EMPOWERING SEA CHANGE MAKERS & GROWING SOUTH FLORIDA’S BLUE ECONOMY Seaworthy Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports current, aspiring, and underrepresented entrepreneurs driving innovation for ocean and climate impact (AKA BlueTech). Our mission is to make BlueTech accessible and inclusive; bringing all hands on deck via programs to co-create...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Voyager Capital
INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES WHERE INNOVATION MEETS GROWTH.
INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES WHEREINNOVATION MEETS GROWTH. Voyager Capital thrives on working with early-stage entrepreneurs who drive innovation and take risks to create new markets. Founded in 1997 in Seattle, WA, Voyager is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in B2B companies in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alberta. When you...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
INTEGER HOTSPOT
THE INNO-GRATION AGENCY
“Inno-gration”? For IntegerHotspot’s, true innovation, founded in full integration, has informed the approach and ethos since day one. And has afforded the agency an edge since before certain interpretations of “integration” infiltrated agency zeitgeist. THE INTEGRATION ARCHETYPEIntegerHotspot’s was founded in 1999 by advertising maverick, Di Wilson as Pod Communications. From...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES
BUILDING THE PORT OF THE FUTURE
Major challenges on energy transition, climate, mobility, and digital transformation are ahead of us and are closely linked to the activities of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, being the 2nd largest port in Europe and the 2nd largest integrated chemical cluster in the world. The recent merger between the ports of Antwerp...
INNOVATE® Detroit
THE SALVATION ARMY
MOBILIZING FOOD DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS IN METRO DETROIT THE SALVATION ARMY GREAT LAKES DIVISION
One Night in January 1988…One night in January 1988, a Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services truck loaded up with 75 sandwiches, soup and hot chocolate to serve Detroit’s homeless. After driving around the city’s east side, the crew couldn’t find anyone to serve. When the truck pulled into an alley...
INNOVATE® Georgia
BLACKROCK
CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD
For BlackRock, continuous innovation is key. BlackRock’s Aladdin® business—which provides an investment management platform for institutional investors and wealth managers—is at the heart of the company’s tech innovation. Aladdin provides a unified investment management platform that gives clients a full view of their portfolio, across public and private markets—and enables...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SHIPBOB
The Trusted Global Omnifulfillment Platform To Scale Your Ecommerce Business And Meet Customer Expectations Everywhere They Shop
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
New Jersey Commission on Science,Innovation, and Technology
The Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology (CSIT) is responsible for strengthening the innovation economy within New Jersey, encouraging collaboration and connectivity between industry and academia, and the translating of innovations into successful high-growth businesses. CSIT is committed to advancing innovation-based economic development and job growth, and to creating a...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
TCTC
PARTNERSHIPS TRANSFORM LIVES, BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES
The successes of Tri-County Technical College over the past 63 years area testament to the power of the strong relationships and partnerships the College shares with business, industry, and educators in the community. These relationships and partnerships transform the lives of TCTC students and help to build stronger communities. Health...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
TRIBE NETWORK
IS BUILDINGA GLOBAL NETWORK OF ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS FOR RACIALIZED PEOPLE.
Tribe Network is a community of racialized people pursuing technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. They envision a world where Black, Indigenous, and people of colour are at the forefront of these disciplines, fully armed with the knowledge, resources, skills, and connections they need to start, build, and scale thriving businesses. TRIBE...