Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Nashville

InPaceline

Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs

“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

KINGSLEY HOLGATE FOUNDATION

KINGSLEY HOLGATE FOUNDATION -KINGSLEY HOLGATE IS RIGHTFULLY REGARDED AS THE MOST TRAVELLED PERSON IN AFRICA

KINGSLEY HOLGATE IS RIGHTFULLY REGARDED AS THE MOST TRAVELLED PERSON IN AFRICA

Kingsley and his Foundation team have driven across the continent over hundreds of thousands of kilometres through all 54 countries over the last three decades, distributing mosquito bed nets and other much-needed healthcare relief to the remotest parts of the continent. Kingsley isn’t only inspired by adventure: he’s a humanitarian...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Fem Equity

Our vision is to close the pay gap for career women by $1 BILLION DOLLARS by 2030

Fem Equity, a pioneering career & workforce platform driven by artificial intelligence, has reached a significant milestone by generating over a million dollars in salary impact since its establishment. With a vision to narrow the pay gap for career women by $1 billion by 2030, Fem Equity is dedicated to...

INNOVATE® South Florida

SUSTAINABASE

INNOVATING FOR THE PLANET TO EMPOWER GLOBAL AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

SUSTAINABASE, A CARBON ACCOUNTING SOLUTION, EMPOWERS COMPANIES AND COMMUNITIES TO DE-RISK IN THE GROWING LOW-CARBON ECONOMY. In the heart of South Florida, often cited as ground zero for climate change and a burgeoning climate tech hub, SustainaBase stands out as a beacon of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Founded on the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

The Beacon

Encouraging Collaboration

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...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

HONEST CHOCOLATE

HONEST CHOCOLATE- DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

Honest Chocolate was founded in 2010 by two friends Anthony Gird and Michael de Klerk. When they couldn’t find high quality, locally made chocolate on the retail shelf they decided to start making their own. When their friends couldn’t get enough of these homemade treats, Anthony and Michael realised there...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

REAL VENTURES

REAL VENTURES -CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

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™ Alberta

KNEAD

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE

In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

NEXT CANADA

NEXT CANADA-BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

Founded in 2011, NEXT Canada was built on the vision of supporting the growth trajectory of aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs. With the support and leadership from NEXT Canada’s Cofounders and Founding Patrons, NEXT has grown to become one of Canada’s top entrepreneurial networks, with graduates achieving significant milestones in their...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CENTRE DE GÉOMATIQUE DU QUÉBEC (CGQ)

CCTT EN GÉOMATIQUE

Le Centre de géomatique du Québec (CGQ) est un centre collégial de transfert de technologie (CCTT) affilié au Cégep de Chicoutimi. Il détient également le statut de Centre d’accès à la technologie (CAT) conféré par TechAccès Canada. Son mandat est de favoriser le développement et l’innovation des entreprises et des...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ENVOY

ENVOY- MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

INRS

Prioritizing innovative and interdisciplinary research -The Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) is dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training

INRS is formed by four thematic and interdisciplinary research and training centers located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, andVarennes: Eau Terre Environnement, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Urbanisation Culture Société, Santé Biotechnologie. Theresearch and training programs focus on innovation and excellence since its creation in 1969. The members of its community contribute...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

METRO MLS

A COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION

“Innovation is a cumulation of creativity and ingenuity with a splash of chaos that produces something of great substance.” Metro MLS has been reshaping the landscape of real estate in Wisconsin since its establishment in 1962. This powerhouse serves over 10,000 real estate professionals across the state, constantly pushing the...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NVTC - NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

Driving Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth in the National Capital Region

“NVTC is committed to accelerating innovation to solve real-world challenges, growing our economy, and creating meaningful employment opportunities for a diverse and inclusive workforce.” The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) catalyzes innovation, collaboration, and growth in the National Capital Region. For over three decades, NVTC has played a pivotal role...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NICKELBRONX

The Core of Purpose-Based Branding

Jeff Bezos famously said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.” You can’t just buy a great brand. It is a way to turn every client into your biggest fan. It’s about creating a community everyone wants to be a part of...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ESTBAN

ESTONIAN BUSINESS ANGELS NETWORK IS A ROLE MODEL FOR EUROPEAN ANGEL CLUBS

The Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN) has been connecting and educating startup investors and providing a platform for innovation in Estonia and beyond since 2012. EstBAN has become one of Europe’s most respected and well-managed angel investor networks. With nearly 260 members and a growing track record of syndicated and...

INNOVATE® Seattle

DEFINED.AI

TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME

At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

Maria Middelares

Innovation at the Heart of Patient Care

Maria Middelares, a non-profit organisation that comprises two general hospitals, two medical centres and a logistics center, has evolved from a centuries-long tradition to a center of innovation, prioritizing organizational excellence and enriched patient experience. With a clear and straightforward objective, Maria Middelares is committed to keeping people healthy through...

INNOVATION Quebec

ISMER

25 YEARS OF DISCOVERIES IN MARINE SCIENCES

The Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. Attached to the Université du Québec à Rimouski, ISMER is a world reference in research, training and innovation in marine sciences in a sustainable development and climate change perspective. ISMER is the most...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

AVIA GIS

SOFT WARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD

“OUR RESEARCH DOESN’T STOP AFTER WRITING THE CONCLUSION.” – GUY HENDRICKX, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AVIA-GIS Ever heard of the proverb “better safe than sorry”? Well, Avia-GIS sure has. Even better: they built their entire business around it. Founder and CEO Guy Hendrickx started Avia-GIS in 2001 as a company with...

Practical AI for Non-Techies

Fireflies.AI

The AI-Powered Meeting Assistant That Works While You Work

How to Use Fireflies.ai: The AI-Powered Meeting Assistant That Works While You Work In today’s fast-paced work environment, meetings can feel overwhelming. Managing note-taking, tracking tasks, and ensuring follow-ups can quickly become chaotic. Enter Fireflies.ai, the AI-powered meeting assistant designed to streamline your workflow by automating the most tedious aspects...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Clemson University

A national leader in automotive and advanced manufacturing.

Clemson University stands at the forefront of automotive and manufacturing innovation, serving as a vital asset for both research and workforce development for South Carolina’s economic engine. Clemson is home, for example, to the nation’s only graduate program in automotive engineering, offering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees that prepare students to...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Automation Testing Matters for Businesses Today

Businesses today rely heavily on software to deliver products, services, and customer experiences. As digital expectations rise, even small defects can lead to lost revenue, damaged reputation, or customer churn. At the same time, release cycles are becoming shorter, leaving less room for error. Automation testing has become essential for...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE « RÉSEAU SDG INNOVATION™ NETWORK »

Grâce à un leadership de huit institutions universitaires québécoises, le Réseau SmartDigital-Green Innovation™ (SDGInnov), un premier au Canada, a été créé le 16 janvier 2019, dans l’optique de répondre à des besoins industriels nécessitant la collaboration interuniversitaire en recherche et développement (R&D), ainsi que la formation de personnel hautement qualifié...

INNOVATE® Nashville

InPaceline

Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs

“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

KINGSLEY HOLGATE FOUNDATION

KINGSLEY HOLGATE FOUNDATION -KINGSLEY HOLGATE IS RIGHTFULLY REGARDED AS THE MOST TRAVELLED PERSON IN AFRICA

KINGSLEY HOLGATE IS RIGHTFULLY REGARDED AS THE MOST TRAVELLED PERSON IN AFRICA

Kingsley and his Foundation team have driven across the continent over hundreds of thousands of kilometres through all 54 countries over the last three decades, distributing mosquito bed nets and other much-needed healthcare relief to the remotest parts of the continent. Kingsley isn’t only inspired by adventure: he’s a humanitarian...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Fem Equity

Our vision is to close the pay gap for career women by $1 BILLION DOLLARS by 2030

Fem Equity, a pioneering career & workforce platform driven by artificial intelligence, has reached a significant milestone by generating over a million dollars in salary impact since its establishment. With a vision to narrow the pay gap for career women by $1 billion by 2030, Fem Equity is dedicated to...

INNOVATE® South Florida

SUSTAINABASE

INNOVATING FOR THE PLANET TO EMPOWER GLOBAL AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

SUSTAINABASE, A CARBON ACCOUNTING SOLUTION, EMPOWERS COMPANIES AND COMMUNITIES TO DE-RISK IN THE GROWING LOW-CARBON ECONOMY. In the heart of South Florida, often cited as ground zero for climate change and a burgeoning climate tech hub, SustainaBase stands out as a beacon of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Founded on the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

The Beacon

Encouraging Collaboration

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...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

HONEST CHOCOLATE

HONEST CHOCOLATE- DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

Honest Chocolate was founded in 2010 by two friends Anthony Gird and Michael de Klerk. When they couldn’t find high quality, locally made chocolate on the retail shelf they decided to start making their own. When their friends couldn’t get enough of these homemade treats, Anthony and Michael realised there...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

REAL VENTURES

REAL VENTURES -CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

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™ Alberta

KNEAD

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE

In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

NEXT CANADA

NEXT CANADA-BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

BUILDING A MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPETITIVE CANADA

Founded in 2011, NEXT Canada was built on the vision of supporting the growth trajectory of aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs. With the support and leadership from NEXT Canada’s Cofounders and Founding Patrons, NEXT has grown to become one of Canada’s top entrepreneurial networks, with graduates achieving significant milestones in their...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CENTRE DE GÉOMATIQUE DU QUÉBEC (CGQ)

CCTT EN GÉOMATIQUE

Le Centre de géomatique du Québec (CGQ) est un centre collégial de transfert de technologie (CCTT) affilié au Cégep de Chicoutimi. Il détient également le statut de Centre d’accès à la technologie (CAT) conféré par TechAccès Canada. Son mandat est de favoriser le développement et l’innovation des entreprises et des...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ENVOY

ENVOY- MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

INRS

Prioritizing innovative and interdisciplinary research -The Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) is dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training

INRS is formed by four thematic and interdisciplinary research and training centers located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, andVarennes: Eau Terre Environnement, Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Urbanisation Culture Société, Santé Biotechnologie. Theresearch and training programs focus on innovation and excellence since its creation in 1969. The members of its community contribute...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

METRO MLS

A COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION

“Innovation is a cumulation of creativity and ingenuity with a splash of chaos that produces something of great substance.” Metro MLS has been reshaping the landscape of real estate in Wisconsin since its establishment in 1962. This powerhouse serves over 10,000 real estate professionals across the state, constantly pushing the...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NVTC - NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

Driving Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth in the National Capital Region

“NVTC is committed to accelerating innovation to solve real-world challenges, growing our economy, and creating meaningful employment opportunities for a diverse and inclusive workforce.” The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) catalyzes innovation, collaboration, and growth in the National Capital Region. For over three decades, NVTC has played a pivotal role...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NICKELBRONX

The Core of Purpose-Based Branding

Jeff Bezos famously said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.” You can’t just buy a great brand. It is a way to turn every client into your biggest fan. It’s about creating a community everyone wants to be a part of...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ESTBAN

ESTONIAN BUSINESS ANGELS NETWORK IS A ROLE MODEL FOR EUROPEAN ANGEL CLUBS

The Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN) has been connecting and educating startup investors and providing a platform for innovation in Estonia and beyond since 2012. EstBAN has become one of Europe’s most respected and well-managed angel investor networks. With nearly 260 members and a growing track record of syndicated and...

INNOVATE® Seattle

DEFINED.AI

TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME

At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

Maria Middelares

Innovation at the Heart of Patient Care

Maria Middelares, a non-profit organisation that comprises two general hospitals, two medical centres and a logistics center, has evolved from a centuries-long tradition to a center of innovation, prioritizing organizational excellence and enriched patient experience. With a clear and straightforward objective, Maria Middelares is committed to keeping people healthy through...

INNOVATION Quebec

ISMER

25 YEARS OF DISCOVERIES IN MARINE SCIENCES

The Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. Attached to the Université du Québec à Rimouski, ISMER is a world reference in research, training and innovation in marine sciences in a sustainable development and climate change perspective. ISMER is the most...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

AVIA GIS

SOFT WARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD

“OUR RESEARCH DOESN’T STOP AFTER WRITING THE CONCLUSION.” – GUY HENDRICKX, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AVIA-GIS Ever heard of the proverb “better safe than sorry”? Well, Avia-GIS sure has. Even better: they built their entire business around it. Founder and CEO Guy Hendrickx started Avia-GIS in 2001 as a company with...

Practical AI for Non-Techies

Fireflies.AI

The AI-Powered Meeting Assistant That Works While You Work

How to Use Fireflies.ai: The AI-Powered Meeting Assistant That Works While You Work In today’s fast-paced work environment, meetings can feel overwhelming. Managing note-taking, tracking tasks, and ensuring follow-ups can quickly become chaotic. Enter Fireflies.ai, the AI-powered meeting assistant designed to streamline your workflow by automating the most tedious aspects...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Clemson University

A national leader in automotive and advanced manufacturing.

Clemson University stands at the forefront of automotive and manufacturing innovation, serving as a vital asset for both research and workforce development for South Carolina’s economic engine. Clemson is home, for example, to the nation’s only graduate program in automotive engineering, offering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees that prepare students to...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Automation Testing Matters for Businesses Today

Businesses today rely heavily on software to deliver products, services, and customer experiences. As digital expectations rise, even small defects can lead to lost revenue, damaged reputation, or customer churn. At the same time, release cycles are becoming shorter, leaving less room for error. Automation testing has become essential for...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE « RÉSEAU SDG INNOVATION™ NETWORK »

Grâce à un leadership de huit institutions universitaires québécoises, le Réseau SmartDigital-Green Innovation™ (SDGInnov), un premier au Canada, a été créé le 16 janvier 2019, dans l’optique de répondre à des besoins industriels nécessitant la collaboration interuniversitaire en recherche et développement (R&D), ainsi que la formation de personnel hautement qualifié...

Ecosystems