Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Detroit

SOUTHWEST DETROIT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (SDBA)

Powering Progress, Building Legacy

Since 1957, the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) has been the backbone of economic development in one of Detroit’s most dynamic and culturally rich areas. With a steadfast commitment to championing local businesses, revitalizing infrastructure, and fostering a thriving community, SDBA has evolved into a powerhouse for equitable economic growth...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

BEENOCULUS

METAVERSE A NEW HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Beenoculus made its epic debut in 2015 with an innovative vision to accelerate innovation in education through disruptive solutions in extended reality. Through the development of hardware, software, and content for spatial computing, the company has evolved significantly, becoming a leading force in technological development in this sector in Latin...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

FLIKSHOP

BRIDGING GAPS, REUNITING FAMILIES AND ENDING RECIDIVISM

“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...

INNOVATION Quebec

CISA

CCTT D’INNOVATION SOCIALE EN AGRICULTURE

Créé en 2009, le Centre d’innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA) du Cégep de Victoriaville est un centre de recherche collégial dont la mission consiste à piloter des réflexions et des projets de recherche-action misant sur les innovations sociales, dans le but de générer desrésultats ayant une pertinence pratique pour le...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

MARMOT BENEFITS

REWARD WITH DEBT RELIEF

Hello Debt Relief!With innovation all around, a new idea can pop up anywhere, even in rock solid places like the company savings plan. “I’ve been in financial services my whole career,” says Marmot Benefits Founder, John Kenny, “I learned early on that personal debt can be the single biggest obstacle...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

MIFUNDO

THE VERIFIED AND PASSPORTABLE FINANCIAL IDENTITY CONNECTING EUROPE’S CREDIT MARKETS

EUROPE’S FIRST INTEGRATED CREDIT INFRASTRUCTURE Mifundo provides European banks with cross-border credit data that allows consumer credit histories to move between countries. This technology removes one of the last remaining barriers to financial mobility in the European Union: fragmented data locked within national borders. For millions of people who live,...

INNOVATE® Nashville

NASHVILLE INNOVATION ALLIANCE

FUELING INNOVATION FOR A THRIVING NASHVILLE

The Nashville Innovation Alliance aims to make Nashville one of America’s leading centers of technology innovation by bringing the community together to create a shared vision, set ambitious goals and advance strategic initiatives. Established by Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Vanderbilt University in 2024, and anchored by participation from LaunchTN, the...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Quang Pham

“People have asked me why i started Espero Biopharma in jacksonville when there is no industry and few talent locally”   Here are the reasons. Few American cities of any size are home to so many facilities, among them Ackerman Cancer Center, Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Hospital,...

INNOVATION Quebec

CINDERELLA'S

ELEVATING CLEANING STANDARDS FOR A PRISTINE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The dynamic husband and wife team of Mark and Tracey Ferdinands, set out to disrupt the cleaning industry with their innovative Territory Management System. Armed with a strong hospitality background and a team of highly trained and caring professionals, the Cinderella’s team consistently delivers exceptional results. Larger organisations are flocking...

United Nations Lesotho

UNITED NATIONS LESOTHO

PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY AND PEACE

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH, SOCIAL UNITY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN LESOTHO BUILDING A THRIVING COUNTRY Investing in the Kingdom of Lesotho presents a unique opportunity to address critical social inequalities that have historically marginalized women, children, youth, people with disabilities, migrants, herders and other vulnerable groups, ultimately hindering the...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

INNOVATE BC

CHAMPIONING B.C.’S INNOVATION ECONOMY

Across the province, innovators, entrepreneurs, and emerging businesses are evolving industries and creating positive impact for British Columbians and the rest of the world. Whether it’s finding sustainable solutions or creating breakthrough technologies, British Columbia is teeming with great ideas that are advancing how we work and live in exciting...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

GUNKII

REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE

It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

A STORY OF THE FUTURE

1998. Investissement Québec is created. This organisation gave businesses and investors access to all the programs offered by the Government of Québec. Although it was never stated at the time, the aim of developing Québec’s economy and positioning it as a breeding ground for innovation, productivity and prosperity was truly...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Dangerous Myth of "All-Season"

All-Season tire rubber hardening below 7 degrees Celsius, showing loss of flexibility and grip compared to optimal warm weather performance.

Why Your Tires Aren't Safe for Winter

The tires that came with your vehicle are likely labeled “All-Season.” It’s a comforting term that suggests they are ready for anything the calendar throws at them—from the heat of summer to the chill of winter. However, for drivers on the Vancouver North Shore and across Canada, relying on All-Season...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

EPIGENICA

DEMOCRATIZING LARGE-SCALE EPIGENOMICS FOR THE AGE OF PERSONALIZED HEALTHCARE

Not long ago, decoding DNA was the holy grail of biology. Today, a growing number of scientists and clinicians believe that the key to the next generation of healthcare lies in understanding how our genes are controlled – epigenetics. Epigenica, a Swedish biotech company founded by Dr. Mohamad Takwa and...

INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo

CONELABS

ENGINEERING A SMARTER, SAFER FUTURE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

Critical infrastructure faces a dual crisis: a massive portfolio of aging structures is colliding with outdated inspection methods. The hands-on methods of ensuring structural safety are being stretched to their breaking point. This is a challenge that can no longer be met with more hands and bucket trucks, but with...

INNOVATION Quebec

HACKING HEALTH

LOCAL HEALTH INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM FACILITATORS LINKED TO 40 HH CHAPTERS IN CANADA AND WORLDWIDE

Hacking Health is a non-profit, volunteer-based movement born in Montreal in 2012. Today, the organization counts 40 chapters over the five continents and builds an international community of health innovation facilitators. Our mission is to foster inclusive innovation by connecting people to solve real-world health problems. In Montreal, Quebec City,...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THOMAS MORE

THOMAS MORE-EMBRACING THE GLOBE

EMBRACING THE GLOBE, STIMULATING SUSTAINABILITY

Thomas More Research: collaborations to stimulate innovation in the bioeconomy We stimulate & support innovationThomas More’s research group RADIUS has years of experience with innovation in the field of the bioeconomy. Bioeconomy refers to all the economic aspects of the use of natural resources, more specifically biomass. With our innovations...

INNOVATE® Georgia

HERMEUS

IMAGINE: NEW YORK TO LONDON IN 90 MINUTES

Hermeus is an Atlanta-based aerospace startup on a mission to revolutionize air travel with hypersonic aircraft. These planes will fly five times the speed of sound – turning a seven-hour trip from New York to London into a short 90-minute flight. Traveling at these speeds effectively shrinks the size of...

INNOVATION Quebec

SYNTHESE

UN ACTEUR CLÉ POUR RÉPONDRE AUX ENJEUX DE MAIN-D’OEUVRE EN CRÉATION NUMÉRIQUE

La genèse de SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE a été fondée en 2018 par le ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec à la suite d’une mobilisation et d’une réflexion conjointes des entreprises de la création numérique, des collèges, des universités, des milieux associatifs ainsi que de représentant·e·s du ministère de l’Économie...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ÄIO

FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO

ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR- THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

The “Why” of sustainability is clear for most, the “how” and “what”, unfortunately much less. For many, sustainability remains an utterly vague, complex, and confusing concept. And even without confusion, questions concerning usefulness of actions and impact arise.   The Ecological Entrepreneur translates complexity to concrete guidelines, policies, and activities...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

TALE+

TALE+ -A group of bilingual speech-language pathologists dedicated to helping others communicate better

A group of bilingual speech-language pathologists dedicated to helping others communicate better

TALE+ is a teletherapy company made up of a group of licensed, bilingual, speech language pathologists whose mission is to help others be more confident in their language of choice, while also supporting the professional growth of speech pathologists. Founded and based in Puerto Rico, TALE+’s focus is twofold: expanding...

INNOVATE® Detroit

SOUTHWEST DETROIT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (SDBA)

Powering Progress, Building Legacy

Since 1957, the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) has been the backbone of economic development in one of Detroit’s most dynamic and culturally rich areas. With a steadfast commitment to championing local businesses, revitalizing infrastructure, and fostering a thriving community, SDBA has evolved into a powerhouse for equitable economic growth...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

BEENOCULUS

METAVERSE A NEW HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Beenoculus made its epic debut in 2015 with an innovative vision to accelerate innovation in education through disruptive solutions in extended reality. Through the development of hardware, software, and content for spatial computing, the company has evolved significantly, becoming a leading force in technological development in this sector in Latin...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

FLIKSHOP

BRIDGING GAPS, REUNITING FAMILIES AND ENDING RECIDIVISM

“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...

INNOVATION Quebec

CISA

CCTT D’INNOVATION SOCIALE EN AGRICULTURE

Créé en 2009, le Centre d’innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA) du Cégep de Victoriaville est un centre de recherche collégial dont la mission consiste à piloter des réflexions et des projets de recherche-action misant sur les innovations sociales, dans le but de générer desrésultats ayant une pertinence pratique pour le...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

MARMOT BENEFITS

REWARD WITH DEBT RELIEF

Hello Debt Relief!With innovation all around, a new idea can pop up anywhere, even in rock solid places like the company savings plan. “I’ve been in financial services my whole career,” says Marmot Benefits Founder, John Kenny, “I learned early on that personal debt can be the single biggest obstacle...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

MIFUNDO

THE VERIFIED AND PASSPORTABLE FINANCIAL IDENTITY CONNECTING EUROPE’S CREDIT MARKETS

EUROPE’S FIRST INTEGRATED CREDIT INFRASTRUCTURE Mifundo provides European banks with cross-border credit data that allows consumer credit histories to move between countries. This technology removes one of the last remaining barriers to financial mobility in the European Union: fragmented data locked within national borders. For millions of people who live,...

INNOVATE® Nashville

NASHVILLE INNOVATION ALLIANCE

FUELING INNOVATION FOR A THRIVING NASHVILLE

The Nashville Innovation Alliance aims to make Nashville one of America’s leading centers of technology innovation by bringing the community together to create a shared vision, set ambitious goals and advance strategic initiatives. Established by Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Vanderbilt University in 2024, and anchored by participation from LaunchTN, the...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Quang Pham

“People have asked me why i started Espero Biopharma in jacksonville when there is no industry and few talent locally”   Here are the reasons. Few American cities of any size are home to so many facilities, among them Ackerman Cancer Center, Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Hospital,...

INNOVATION Quebec

CINDERELLA'S

ELEVATING CLEANING STANDARDS FOR A PRISTINE SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The dynamic husband and wife team of Mark and Tracey Ferdinands, set out to disrupt the cleaning industry with their innovative Territory Management System. Armed with a strong hospitality background and a team of highly trained and caring professionals, the Cinderella’s team consistently delivers exceptional results. Larger organisations are flocking...

United Nations Lesotho

UNITED NATIONS LESOTHO

PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY AND PEACE

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH, SOCIAL UNITY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN LESOTHO BUILDING A THRIVING COUNTRY Investing in the Kingdom of Lesotho presents a unique opportunity to address critical social inequalities that have historically marginalized women, children, youth, people with disabilities, migrants, herders and other vulnerable groups, ultimately hindering the...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

INNOVATE BC

CHAMPIONING B.C.’S INNOVATION ECONOMY

Across the province, innovators, entrepreneurs, and emerging businesses are evolving industries and creating positive impact for British Columbians and the rest of the world. Whether it’s finding sustainable solutions or creating breakthrough technologies, British Columbia is teeming with great ideas that are advancing how we work and live in exciting...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

GUNKII

REDESIGNING AFFORDABLE LUXURY ORAL CARE

It is possible to have fresher breath and a healthier mouth with a tongue cleaner. gunkii brings affordable luxury oral care to the market. Founded in May 2020, gunkii is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jayesh and Nicole Parmar, who had the vision to offer a tongue scraper to help...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

A STORY OF THE FUTURE

1998. Investissement Québec is created. This organisation gave businesses and investors access to all the programs offered by the Government of Québec. Although it was never stated at the time, the aim of developing Québec’s economy and positioning it as a breeding ground for innovation, productivity and prosperity was truly...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Dangerous Myth of "All-Season"

All-Season tire rubber hardening below 7 degrees Celsius, showing loss of flexibility and grip compared to optimal warm weather performance.

Why Your Tires Aren't Safe for Winter

The tires that came with your vehicle are likely labeled “All-Season.” It’s a comforting term that suggests they are ready for anything the calendar throws at them—from the heat of summer to the chill of winter. However, for drivers on the Vancouver North Shore and across Canada, relying on All-Season...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

EPIGENICA

DEMOCRATIZING LARGE-SCALE EPIGENOMICS FOR THE AGE OF PERSONALIZED HEALTHCARE

Not long ago, decoding DNA was the holy grail of biology. Today, a growing number of scientists and clinicians believe that the key to the next generation of healthcare lies in understanding how our genes are controlled – epigenetics. Epigenica, a Swedish biotech company founded by Dr. Mohamad Takwa and...

INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo

CONELABS

ENGINEERING A SMARTER, SAFER FUTURE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

Critical infrastructure faces a dual crisis: a massive portfolio of aging structures is colliding with outdated inspection methods. The hands-on methods of ensuring structural safety are being stretched to their breaking point. This is a challenge that can no longer be met with more hands and bucket trucks, but with...

INNOVATION Quebec

HACKING HEALTH

LOCAL HEALTH INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM FACILITATORS LINKED TO 40 HH CHAPTERS IN CANADA AND WORLDWIDE

Hacking Health is a non-profit, volunteer-based movement born in Montreal in 2012. Today, the organization counts 40 chapters over the five continents and builds an international community of health innovation facilitators. Our mission is to foster inclusive innovation by connecting people to solve real-world health problems. In Montreal, Quebec City,...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THOMAS MORE

THOMAS MORE-EMBRACING THE GLOBE

EMBRACING THE GLOBE, STIMULATING SUSTAINABILITY

Thomas More Research: collaborations to stimulate innovation in the bioeconomy We stimulate & support innovationThomas More’s research group RADIUS has years of experience with innovation in the field of the bioeconomy. Bioeconomy refers to all the economic aspects of the use of natural resources, more specifically biomass. With our innovations...

INNOVATE® Georgia

HERMEUS

IMAGINE: NEW YORK TO LONDON IN 90 MINUTES

Hermeus is an Atlanta-based aerospace startup on a mission to revolutionize air travel with hypersonic aircraft. These planes will fly five times the speed of sound – turning a seven-hour trip from New York to London into a short 90-minute flight. Traveling at these speeds effectively shrinks the size of...

INNOVATION Quebec

SYNTHESE

UN ACTEUR CLÉ POUR RÉPONDRE AUX ENJEUX DE MAIN-D’OEUVRE EN CRÉATION NUMÉRIQUE

La genèse de SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE a été fondée en 2018 par le ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec à la suite d’une mobilisation et d’une réflexion conjointes des entreprises de la création numérique, des collèges, des universités, des milieux associatifs ainsi que de représentant·e·s du ministère de l’Économie...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ÄIO

FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO

ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR- THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

The “Why” of sustainability is clear for most, the “how” and “what”, unfortunately much less. For many, sustainability remains an utterly vague, complex, and confusing concept. And even without confusion, questions concerning usefulness of actions and impact arise.   The Ecological Entrepreneur translates complexity to concrete guidelines, policies, and activities...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

TALE+

TALE+ -A group of bilingual speech-language pathologists dedicated to helping others communicate better

A group of bilingual speech-language pathologists dedicated to helping others communicate better

TALE+ is a teletherapy company made up of a group of licensed, bilingual, speech language pathologists whose mission is to help others be more confident in their language of choice, while also supporting the professional growth of speech pathologists. Founded and based in Puerto Rico, TALE+’s focus is twofold: expanding...

Ecosystems