Stories of Innovation

The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) is to provide dignity, stability, and comfort to Chicagoans facing poverty by allowing our clients to handpick an entire home’s worth of furnishings for free. As the country’s largest furniture bank, we furnish 15 client homes per day through partnerships with our...

The Michener Institute of Education at UHN is the only institution in Canada devoted exclusively to applied health sciences education, Michener is Canada’s first-ever merger between a hospital and a post-secondary health education institution and the only post-secondary institution devoted exclusively to specialized applied health education in the country.  ...

Over the last half-century, Detroit Opera—formerly Michigan Opera Theatre—has become a deeply rooted cultural force in a city of innovation and diverse perspectives, presenting programs that resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds while positively impacting the local economy. Appointed as the company’s second-ever Artistic Director in 2020, Yuval...

Working in a space where passionate problem solvers and innovative risk-takers intersect is a privilege you must experience to understand. It means you’re part of a community. Even if that community spans regions, disciplines, and industries, the passion we bring to improving both the present and the future is what...

REI Co-op believes the vibrancy of the outdoor industry depends on the economic mobility and contributions of diverse communities as customers and creators. In 2020, we accelerated our efforts to advance racial equity across every piece of our business and wanted to set bold goals towards diversifying our supplier base,...

Chicago HOPES for Kids is the only organization in Chicago that provides educational after school and remote learning programs for students experiencing homelessness in grades Kindergarten through 9th, directly to the shelters and communities where they live. It is our mission to provide students with the resources and encouragement they...

With over 27 years of experience delivering high-quality construction projects. Emerge starts construction by building components of the project in a manufacturing plant for the above-ground portion of a multi-story building at the time of groundbreaking. While the underground foundation and parking structure is being constructed, concrete and steel precast...

Recipes for Change is a non – profit organization founded by Chef Santiago Gomez in 2017. Is localized society created to evoke social change by inspiring and educating people through gastronomy, volunteer programs, educational workshops and fundraising events. Our aim is to unite Miami’s local community in order to educate...

ELEVATOR PITCH At Civilized Coffee it is not just about sourcing and roasting great coffee—it is about creating a culture around the brand. Northeast Florida has a very strong environment and support system for Coffee and Tea. Their reason to take this small business global was to bring awareness to...

Zipplicity is a New Breed It’s a suitcase in disguise, “un-luggage” if you will. It’s an ingenious innovation for the world of travel. Beginning with Trial and Perseverance Three years of sickness and pain had diminished Amber Waldeier’s existence to very little. Eating and movement caused pain—but responsibilities continued—she struggled...

Technology’s power to drive collaboration is transformative. Summerfest Tech was created in 2018 to showcase the impactful influence of technology in Milwaukee and the Midwest, and provide a platform to network, educate, and celebrate the evolution of technology. Today, Summerfest Tech continues to leverage the world-class music festival Summerfest, while...

“We want to create a footprint in this community that kicks in doors to give access to folks like me.” When Marcus Bullock was just 15, he faced a life-altering challenge. Arrested and sentenced to eight years in adult maximum security prison for carjacking, he found himself in a...

The Réseau québécois en innovation sociale (RQIS) is a space for sharing and mobilizing knowledge and experience, helping to make social innovation an essential lever for sustainable development in Quebec. Created in 2005 as part of the Université du Québec network, RQIS first focused on gaining a better understanding of...

GO ON ASSOCIATED- IS A CONSULTING COMPANY FOCUSED ON PROVIDINGBUSINESS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SOLUTIONS WITH EXCELLENCE,THROUGH DEEP BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OFINNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS. Founded in 2015 in Curitiba, Go On Associated is an IT consultancy focused on providing business management solutions through digital transformation. With a track record of...

ALIS is the primary offering of Medtelligent, a health-tech company serving the senior housing industry. Built from the ground up to match the needs of assisted living operators and providers, ALIS is the preferred software choice for fast-growing portfolios in the sector. Medtelligent was founded in 2005 with an original...

Afin d’en faciliter l’utilisation pour le développement de nouvelles applications, le portail québécois des infrastructures en recherche et développement du Québec (IRDQ) regroupe les installations et équipements de pointe de classe mondiale des universités, des CCTT et des centres de recherche publics. L’objectif de l’IRDQ est de promouvoir ces équipements...

I TRAVELLED TO ANFIELD JUST BEFORE THE HARD LOCKDOWN. I’M A HUGE LIVERPOOL FAN AND WANTED TO WATCH THE TEAM PLAY AT HOME BEFORE THEY WON THE LEAGUE, WHICH – FORTUNATELY – THEY DID. SO I RETURNED HOME ON A HIGH, BUT THEN GLOBAL AND LOCAL SPORT CAME TO A...

Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...

In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, establishing a meaningful connection between brands and consumers has become a necessity. Recognizing this need, Cellr, an innovative Australian tech startup, has emerged as a game-changer, seamlessly bridging the physical and digital worlds through its groundbreaking connected packaging technology. By empowering brands to strengthen trust,...

Co-founded by a young entrepreneur just in her twenties, Eliise Lehtsaar, the company produces biodegradable air filters from waste wool, offering a solution to the staggering figure of nine billion plastic ventilation system filters discarded worldwide each year. For Voon, the goal is straightforward yet compelling: why continue to landfill...

Cyber security is an arms race that is positioned to continue indefinitely. New technologies are constantly emerging to combat cyber criminals, but regardless, criminals discover how to exploit them. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and other security-focused vendors detect many of these attacks and alert their customers and the community,...

A boutique law firm of specialist attorneys, Tomlinson Mnguni James (TMJ) takes pride in personalized services that afford clients direct access to their counsel. The hands-on directors who are not only qualified legal practitioners but specialists in their respective fields,...

Altura’s mission is to provide gamers with the ability to control and own their in-game items and the ability for game developers to integrate blockchain technology in their video games seamlessly. Altura’s NFT Project The current state of NFTs is comparable to that of the web in the 90s; static...

A webshop’s success depends not only on products and design but also on the technical foundation that supports daily operations. Hosting is the backbone of every online store, determining speed, reliability, and the ability to handle growth. Modern businesses increasingly look for flexible and future-proof environments that can adapt to...