Stories of Innovation

The Beacon is a leading innovation community of forward-thinking tech companies, most of which focus on the challenges faced by our cities, ports, and industries. Located between the city and the port in Antwerp, The Beacon offers not only flexible office spaces, event- and meeting rooms, but also plenty of...

SOSV’S HAX is the world’s most active early stage investor in hard tech – the difficult to build physical tech at the forefront of science and engineering in disciplines like robotics, material science, and chemistry. Many investors have shied away from hard tech, and the last 30 years of the...

The University of Antwerp serves as a gateway for future innovations, playing a pivotal role within Antwerp’s thriving innovation ecosystem and beyond. It contributes significantly to driving innovation and fostering societal and economic impact, further solidifying its position as a pioneer in cutting-edge research and innovation. A key driver in...

In today’s fast-paced business world, knowledge inefficiency is a silent drain on resources, costing businesses an astonishing $35M annually per 1,000 employees. Knowledge-efficient enterprises’ average returns on revenues are nearly three times that of median Fortune 500 companies. Amidst this backdrop, Enquire AI emerges as a revolutionary force, spearheaded by...

Amid Washington, D.C.’s vibrant food scene and entrepreneurial spirit, a game-changer is revolutionizing the landscape for mobile vendors. Meet Goodfynd, a cutting-edge payments platform and marketplace transforming how food trucks and mobile vendors operate. Founded by Sofiat Abdulrazaaq, Kyle Miller, and Lemaire Stewart, Goodfynd epitomizes thoughtful innovation and simplicity, harnessing...

EvolutionVN is the home of a proprietary piece of exercise equipment, the Evolution Training System. As their flagship product, the Evolution is a compact, versatile, and functional piece of equipment that makes exercise and rehabilitation more practical, effective, and sustainable. It was designed to fit any space and to have...

The founding of SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE was founded in 2018 by ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec (the province’s ministry of education and higher learning) following discussions among digital-creation companies, colleges, universities, associations, and representatives from ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation and ministère de la Culture et des...

In establishing Midtown Youth Academy in 1977, Golden Gloves champ Eugene “Thunder” Hughes began with a make-shift boxing ring and a noble goal: draw at-risk youth away from the mean and drug-infested streets of Washington, D.C., and guide them to a successful path in life. “We let them knock themselves...

In 2013, Komma Board started out as a consulting company in ICT & Finance. Our business model is atypical, as we act as a subcontractor to main ICT or Finance contractors for multinational or international Fortune 500 companies. Acting as an independent partner, this specific market position allows Komma Board...

Optical Academy- Has been pioneering the change in the delivery of eye care by making eye care the most convenient, affordable, and accessible it has ever been. The company came to life 14 years ago after CEO, Abby Ayoub, crossed paths with a 15-year-old girl who was desperate for an...

Steps from the nation’s capital, Montgomery County, Maryland, is one of America’s most dynamic centers of innovation and talent. From mapping the human genome (DNA) as a result of the Human Genome Projects, one of the most influential scientific endeavors in history, to the first successful transplant of a pig...

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW PEOPLE SnapIT Solutions, based in Overland Park, Kansas, is an innovative technology solutions and services company specializing in web and mobile applications, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, DevOps, IT Managed services and cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), and 3Dphotogrammetry. Established in...

Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) represents a bold vision for the future of manufacturing in Georgia and serves as a blueprint for the nation. This future is inclusive, innovative, and impactful, propelling the state of Georgia into the forefront of AI-driven manufacturing. STATEWIDE REACH AND FOCUS At its...

I always say to my team, “Digitisation has become a necessity in a world consumed by mobile devices”. Our digital mental health platforms aim to promote mental wellness by being up close and personal in your mobile device. – Kesego Mosime, CEO and Co-Founder, First-Aid Counselling. In a country with...

In a manufacturing world grappling with worker shortages, rising costs, and the relentless complexity of “high-mix, low-volume” production, one Greenville-based startup is quietly reimagining what it means for humans and robots to work together. Drobot Inc. is pioneering a new generation of Collaborative Mobile Robots (CMRs) – machines designed not...

Now celebrating its 65th year in business, Jacksonville-based Holmes Custom designs, manufactures, and retails personalized products across 8 web brands. How does a business that was started in the 1950s stand the test of time? There’s only one way: Innovation. What began as a rubber stamp manufacturer in a garage...

AWARD-WINNING MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH A LOT OF HEART There’s no need to travel to a major metropolitan city to visit one of the best Managed Service Providers in the country. Instead, point the GPS towards a quaint seaside town in Palm Beach County. Headquartered just steps from the...

Indie game developers are the heart and soul of the gaming industry, and without them, we wouldn’t have as much innovation as we currently have, and have been enjoying since Pong. With that said, indie game developers are always struggling to create their games because of various reasons, and this...

It’s not often you hear about companies that thrive for over a century, but FirstBank, from its humble start in rural West Tennessee in 1906 continues to evolve and conquer 117 years later. From its original mission of serving a small-town farming community, FirstBank, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee with a...

Wisconsin-based NVNG is a boutique investment advisory firm with a unique superpower: curating connections. Founded by Carrie Thome and Grady Buchanan in 2019, NVNG (Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained) is on a mission to make Wisconsin’s venture ecosystem globally competitive by leveraging the power of strategic networks. “We have the right...

Marc is a passionate engineer who has been active for more than 40 years in first-of-a-kind product development from the first multi-media computers to DVD recorders to smartphone chipsets and EUV light sources for the newest chip making machines of ASML. Marc spent most of his international career in The...

Founded in 1923, Turtle stands tall as a beacon of enduring success in the US market, marking its presence as one of the largest independent electrical and industrial distribution companies. Having amassed a century of experience, Turtle doesn’t just rest on its past laurels. Instead, it envisions a future illuminated...

If you’re serious about building a startup in Nashville, meet your secret weapon: the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Founded in 2010, EC is a nonprofit built by business leaders to be—literally—Nashville’s “home to entrepreneurship.” What sets it apart? It’s not just talk: EC has helped over 14,000 entrepreneurs, including more...

Unionwear manufactures – from scratch—100% made in USA baseball hats, backpacks, messenger bags, portfolios, and binders, with 160 union sewers in Newark, NJ. Mitch Cahn founded Unionwear in 1992 with six sewers and a contract to make baseball hats for Ralph Lauren, and has evolved by buying legacy manufacturers of...