Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Toronto
FOUNDER INSTITUTE
Since Its Inception In 2009, The Founder Institute Has Always Maintained One Guiding Principle; “There Are A Lot Of Big Problems In The World, And We Are Here To Help Founders Build Companies That Will Solve Them.”
OriginsFrom its Silicon Valley origins, Co-founders Adeo Ressi and Jonathan Greechan have built an unparalleled global network of over 5,000 Portfolio Companies, across 200 cities with the largest mentor network in the world of 21,000 Mentors, innovators, investors and ecosystem builders. With chapters on every continent except Antarctica and $30B...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES
DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT
White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
BRESHNA.IO
Lightning Strikes in Game Creation
Breshna.io is a barrier-breaking platform. It is a game maker platform that empowers a non-tech, non-gamer audience to create, share, and monetize their own video games with no code and at lightning speed. With Breshna, everyone can create snackable games for entertainment, educational, marketing, and training purposes, like Canva for...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TAKASA
UNLOCK A WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE POSSIBILITIES WITH TAKASA
Takasa is a premium organic lifestyle company that is devoted to sourcing the finest materials, partnering with fair-trade and clean manufacturers, and delivering exceptional value to customers. With a passion for exceptionally high-quality materials and socially conscious manufacturing processes, Takasa is focused on combining thoughtfully designed premium products for those...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SMR AUSTRALIA
LOCAL INNOVATIONS CREATING GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE VALUE-ADD
SMR Australia, a Motherson Group Company, has been a prominent manufacturer in South Australia for over 70 years. Driven by a culture of innovation, SMR Australia has evolved from its origins as Rainsford Metal products producing metal stampings, to Britax producing baby capsules and other automotive safety products, to Schefenacker...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NOTION GAMES
Innovators rarely consider themselves to be pioneers within their own industry. And Andrew Augustin is a prime example of this axiom. Augustin is a graphic designer who, in 2011, founded Notion Games, an Austin-based video gaming company that creates games for people of all ages. But that brief description fails...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION AT THE HEART OF HEALTHCARE
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a cornerstone of innovation and excellence in Milwaukee. Founded in 1893, we are a distinguished leader and innovator in the education and development of the next generation of physicians, scientists, pharmacists and health professionals; we discover and translate new knowledge in the biomedical...
INNOVATION Quebec
OROT
CONNECTED HEALTH INNOVATION HUB
The connected health innovation hub – OROT plays a key role in revolutionizing how health and medical technologies are developed to improve care. Clinicians, researchers, healthcare users and entrepreneurs are challenged to use innovative, human-centred design to create exceptional, lower-cost experiences for healthcare recipients. OROT is part of the Integrated...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
HEIRBAUT ALGRICULTURE
THROUGHOUT WESTERN EUROPE FOOD PRODUCTION IS KNOWN TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WHOLE LOT OF GHG-EMISSIONS. HOWEVER, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH OF FOOD PRODUCTION SHOWN AT THE INNOVATIVE FARM OF HEIRBAUT ALGRICULTURE, AIMS TO REDUCE CO2 BY EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE TAKEN
If you think that every farm in the world which has dairy cattle puts pressure on the climate, it is clear you have never visited Temse! Kris and Ginny Heirbaut are overflowing with circularity and are determined to close all their cycles. Kris’ grandfather used to have a mixed farm...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Equipment Innovations That Can Double Your Massage Bookings
3 Equipment Innovations That Can Double Your Massage Bookings Three unbelievable tweaks that can potentially double massage bookings include upgrading to aerospace-grade carbon-fiber equipment for rapid room turnover. Integrating IoT pressure-mapping sensors helps drive data-based client retention significantly. Additionally, adopting advanced ergonomic designs prolongs the therapist’s career longevity. These innovations...
INNOVATION Quebec
COALIA
CCTT IN MINERAL TECHNOLOGY AND PLASTICS ENGINEERING
COALIA is a research and innovation centre specializing in mineral technology, plastic engineering and advanced materials. Our mission is to develop innovative materials, products and processes in collaboration with companies in these sectors. We support them through technical assistance and play an important role in carrying out applied research and...
INNOVATE® Georgia
3CI
HAS BEEN EMPOWERING BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION WITH PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND TECHNOLOGY FOROVER 40 YEARS, SERVING ATLANTA AND BEYOND.
Atlanta is quickly emerging as one of the premier tech hubs in the nation. Known for its rich history and vibrant culture, the city is now gaining recognition for its innovative spirit and thriving tech ecosystem. Home to a diverse range of startups, established tech giants, and a robust infrastructure,...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Frost Brown Todd
National in Scope. Excellence in Practice and Client Service.
Frost Brown Todd isn’t just a law firm—we’re a strategic collaborator and advisor to businesses nationwide. With more than 600 attorneys in key markets across the U.S., we bring solution-driven legal insight to every corner of commerce. Our firm is especially known for its strength in the middle market and...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
CITY OF CHARLES STURT
IS RECOGNISED AS A VIBRANT, LIVEABLE AND BUSINESS- FRIENDLY CITY WITH A DIVERSE AND ADVANCED ECONOMY
Charles Sturt is a great place to invest, with a thriving hub of activity, education and employment opportunities. Located in the heart of Adelaide’s west, the City of Charles Sturt is home to over 124,000 residents and 105 different cultures, who enjoy the diverse experiences and cultural richness the City...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
NATURE'S FYND
TRANSFORMING HOW THE WORLD EATS WITH FY™, A NEW-TO-THE-WORLD, NUTRITIONAL FUNGI PROTEIN
The story of Nature’s Fynd™ begins millions of years ago, in an acidic hot spring located in what is today Yellowstone National Park when a remarkable microbe was born. In 2009, NASA-backed research on extremophiles led our co-founder to the park’s hot springs. He then isolated and discovered a remarkable...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
BRITISH-PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FOR AN ORGANISATION FOUNDED IN 1911 (MAKING US NOW 110 YEARS OLD), THE BRITISH-PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS HAD TO RE-INVENT ITSELF NUMEROUS TIMES TO REMAIN RELEVANT TO ITS MEMBERSHIP
In the good times we celebrate each other’s successes and achievements and during the more challenging periods we provide focus for the support group which companies look towards for guidance. Having survived two World Wars, a revolution, economic slumps, accession to the European Union, loss of the escudo in favour...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Matidor.com
“Matidor.com is the All-In-One Project Management Platform On a Live Map”
How Matidor.com StartedVincent and Sean are Vancouver-based serial entrepreneurs who come from very different backgrounds but share one vision. Vincent’s previous experience at Google Earth and as a product manager at Dassault Systèmes revealed a gap in how people in the field managed projects. When Sean moved back to town...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY IN CAMDEN
Research Innovation with Local Impact and Global Reach
Rutgers University in Camden provides groundbreaking, impactful research while offering students truly experiential education in a close-knit, supportive environment. Rutgers University is one of the oldest, most respected institutions of higher learning in the country; Camden is a city known for its determination and resilience. Rutgers–Camden is resolute, relentlessly driving...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
SMARTSKIN TECHNOLOGIES
HARNESSING DATA TO OPTIMIZE GLOBAL PRODUCTION
Fredericton-based SmartSkin Technologies is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical and beverage manufacturing industries through innovative sensor technology and data-driven solutions. Using a combination of advanced patented sensor technology and sophisticated data analytics, SmartSkin identifies and solves issues in production and bottling lines, helping companies optimize production, reduce waste, and increase efficiency. This...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
FROM MEMORY TO MASTERPIECE
MARIA WESTERBERG’S T-SHIRT CHAIR WEAVES STORIES INTO SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Swedish designer Maria Westerberg has long been a pioneer in upcycling and sustainable design, but it was a single chair — woven from worn-out T-shirts — that propelled her into the global spotlight. Known as the “Queen of ReMake design,” Westerberg blends narrative, memory, and sustainability in a way that...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Epochal Intelligence
The Focus is Unlocking Access to Information and Building Communities Within the IT Space
The Midwest’s tech scene isn’t just growing – it’s booming, with Wisconsin heavily contributing. Milwaukee has transformed from an industrial powerhouse into a digital dynamo, attracting major players and cementing its status as an emerging tech hub where innovation meets Midwestern grit. The opportunities here are continuing to emerge every...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
5G-ENCODE
ENABLING CONNECTIVITY FOR DIGITAL ENGINEERING
What is 5G-ENCODE? The 5G-ENCODE Project, is a £9 Million collaborative project aiming to develop clear business cases and value propositions for 5G applications in manufacturing industry. The project is partially funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the UK Government as part of their 5G...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
MISSIONOVO
PEOPLE FIRST. MISSION ALWAYS.
Introduction In national security, capabilities are proven under pressure; not in theory. Too often, they fail because they were built too far from the mission. Missionovo was founded to close that gap. Three engineers, Grant Kuhnsman, Mike Dobry, and Matt O’Leary, saw the same failures: solutions built without the mission...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
PRECINA
SOCIAL WORK + MEDICINE = PROGRESS FOR PATIENTS
Precina helps patients feel better, faster. Our chronic care practice monitors patients’ diabetes every day – just as they do. Our practice combines medical care with social workers to address the complex challenges of controlling diabetes and related comorbidities. We meet with patients consistently and give them unlimited access to...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
FOUNDER INSTITUTE
Since Its Inception In 2009, The Founder Institute Has Always Maintained One Guiding Principle; “There Are A Lot Of Big Problems In The World, And We Are Here To Help Founders Build Companies That Will Solve Them.”
OriginsFrom its Silicon Valley origins, Co-founders Adeo Ressi and Jonathan Greechan have built an unparalleled global network of over 5,000 Portfolio Companies, across 200 cities with the largest mentor network in the world of 21,000 Mentors, innovators, investors and ecosystem builders. With chapters on every continent except Antarctica and $30B...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WHITE LABEL FRAGRANCES
DISCOVER & OWN YOUR TRUE SCENT
White Label Fragrances is a 100% Botswana citizen-owned company. We are an African luxury Niche-Fragrance brand that curates and blends bespoke fragrances, with specially selected raw materials to suit various tastes. We strive to consistently create fragrances and fragranced products that are elegant, luxurious and timeless. All White Label fragrances...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
BRESHNA.IO
Lightning Strikes in Game Creation
Breshna.io is a barrier-breaking platform. It is a game maker platform that empowers a non-tech, non-gamer audience to create, share, and monetize their own video games with no code and at lightning speed. With Breshna, everyone can create snackable games for entertainment, educational, marketing, and training purposes, like Canva for...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TAKASA
UNLOCK A WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE POSSIBILITIES WITH TAKASA
Takasa is a premium organic lifestyle company that is devoted to sourcing the finest materials, partnering with fair-trade and clean manufacturers, and delivering exceptional value to customers. With a passion for exceptionally high-quality materials and socially conscious manufacturing processes, Takasa is focused on combining thoughtfully designed premium products for those...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SMR AUSTRALIA
LOCAL INNOVATIONS CREATING GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE VALUE-ADD
SMR Australia, a Motherson Group Company, has been a prominent manufacturer in South Australia for over 70 years. Driven by a culture of innovation, SMR Australia has evolved from its origins as Rainsford Metal products producing metal stampings, to Britax producing baby capsules and other automotive safety products, to Schefenacker...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NOTION GAMES
Innovators rarely consider themselves to be pioneers within their own industry. And Andrew Augustin is a prime example of this axiom. Augustin is a graphic designer who, in 2011, founded Notion Games, an Austin-based video gaming company that creates games for people of all ages. But that brief description fails...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION AT THE HEART OF HEALTHCARE
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a cornerstone of innovation and excellence in Milwaukee. Founded in 1893, we are a distinguished leader and innovator in the education and development of the next generation of physicians, scientists, pharmacists and health professionals; we discover and translate new knowledge in the biomedical...
INNOVATION Quebec
OROT
CONNECTED HEALTH INNOVATION HUB
The connected health innovation hub – OROT plays a key role in revolutionizing how health and medical technologies are developed to improve care. Clinicians, researchers, healthcare users and entrepreneurs are challenged to use innovative, human-centred design to create exceptional, lower-cost experiences for healthcare recipients. OROT is part of the Integrated...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
HEIRBAUT ALGRICULTURE
THROUGHOUT WESTERN EUROPE FOOD PRODUCTION IS KNOWN TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WHOLE LOT OF GHG-EMISSIONS. HOWEVER, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH OF FOOD PRODUCTION SHOWN AT THE INNOVATIVE FARM OF HEIRBAUT ALGRICULTURE, AIMS TO REDUCE CO2 BY EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE TAKEN
If you think that every farm in the world which has dairy cattle puts pressure on the climate, it is clear you have never visited Temse! Kris and Ginny Heirbaut are overflowing with circularity and are determined to close all their cycles. Kris’ grandfather used to have a mixed farm...
Global Innovation Spotlight
3 Equipment Innovations That Can Double Your Massage Bookings
3 Equipment Innovations That Can Double Your Massage Bookings Three unbelievable tweaks that can potentially double massage bookings include upgrading to aerospace-grade carbon-fiber equipment for rapid room turnover. Integrating IoT pressure-mapping sensors helps drive data-based client retention significantly. Additionally, adopting advanced ergonomic designs prolongs the therapist’s career longevity. These innovations...
INNOVATION Quebec
COALIA
CCTT IN MINERAL TECHNOLOGY AND PLASTICS ENGINEERING
COALIA is a research and innovation centre specializing in mineral technology, plastic engineering and advanced materials. Our mission is to develop innovative materials, products and processes in collaboration with companies in these sectors. We support them through technical assistance and play an important role in carrying out applied research and...
INNOVATE® Georgia
3CI
HAS BEEN EMPOWERING BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION WITH PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND TECHNOLOGY FOROVER 40 YEARS, SERVING ATLANTA AND BEYOND.
Atlanta is quickly emerging as one of the premier tech hubs in the nation. Known for its rich history and vibrant culture, the city is now gaining recognition for its innovative spirit and thriving tech ecosystem. Home to a diverse range of startups, established tech giants, and a robust infrastructure,...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Frost Brown Todd
National in Scope. Excellence in Practice and Client Service.
Frost Brown Todd isn’t just a law firm—we’re a strategic collaborator and advisor to businesses nationwide. With more than 600 attorneys in key markets across the U.S., we bring solution-driven legal insight to every corner of commerce. Our firm is especially known for its strength in the middle market and...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
CITY OF CHARLES STURT
IS RECOGNISED AS A VIBRANT, LIVEABLE AND BUSINESS- FRIENDLY CITY WITH A DIVERSE AND ADVANCED ECONOMY
Charles Sturt is a great place to invest, with a thriving hub of activity, education and employment opportunities. Located in the heart of Adelaide’s west, the City of Charles Sturt is home to over 124,000 residents and 105 different cultures, who enjoy the diverse experiences and cultural richness the City...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
NATURE'S FYND
TRANSFORMING HOW THE WORLD EATS WITH FY™, A NEW-TO-THE-WORLD, NUTRITIONAL FUNGI PROTEIN
The story of Nature’s Fynd™ begins millions of years ago, in an acidic hot spring located in what is today Yellowstone National Park when a remarkable microbe was born. In 2009, NASA-backed research on extremophiles led our co-founder to the park’s hot springs. He then isolated and discovered a remarkable...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
BRITISH-PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FOR AN ORGANISATION FOUNDED IN 1911 (MAKING US NOW 110 YEARS OLD), THE BRITISH-PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS HAD TO RE-INVENT ITSELF NUMEROUS TIMES TO REMAIN RELEVANT TO ITS MEMBERSHIP
In the good times we celebrate each other’s successes and achievements and during the more challenging periods we provide focus for the support group which companies look towards for guidance. Having survived two World Wars, a revolution, economic slumps, accession to the European Union, loss of the escudo in favour...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Matidor.com
“Matidor.com is the All-In-One Project Management Platform On a Live Map”
How Matidor.com StartedVincent and Sean are Vancouver-based serial entrepreneurs who come from very different backgrounds but share one vision. Vincent’s previous experience at Google Earth and as a product manager at Dassault Systèmes revealed a gap in how people in the field managed projects. When Sean moved back to town...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY IN CAMDEN
Research Innovation with Local Impact and Global Reach
Rutgers University in Camden provides groundbreaking, impactful research while offering students truly experiential education in a close-knit, supportive environment. Rutgers University is one of the oldest, most respected institutions of higher learning in the country; Camden is a city known for its determination and resilience. Rutgers–Camden is resolute, relentlessly driving...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
SMARTSKIN TECHNOLOGIES
HARNESSING DATA TO OPTIMIZE GLOBAL PRODUCTION
Fredericton-based SmartSkin Technologies is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical and beverage manufacturing industries through innovative sensor technology and data-driven solutions. Using a combination of advanced patented sensor technology and sophisticated data analytics, SmartSkin identifies and solves issues in production and bottling lines, helping companies optimize production, reduce waste, and increase efficiency. This...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
FROM MEMORY TO MASTERPIECE
MARIA WESTERBERG’S T-SHIRT CHAIR WEAVES STORIES INTO SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Swedish designer Maria Westerberg has long been a pioneer in upcycling and sustainable design, but it was a single chair — woven from worn-out T-shirts — that propelled her into the global spotlight. Known as the “Queen of ReMake design,” Westerberg blends narrative, memory, and sustainability in a way that...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Epochal Intelligence
The Focus is Unlocking Access to Information and Building Communities Within the IT Space
The Midwest’s tech scene isn’t just growing – it’s booming, with Wisconsin heavily contributing. Milwaukee has transformed from an industrial powerhouse into a digital dynamo, attracting major players and cementing its status as an emerging tech hub where innovation meets Midwestern grit. The opportunities here are continuing to emerge every...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
5G-ENCODE
ENABLING CONNECTIVITY FOR DIGITAL ENGINEERING
What is 5G-ENCODE? The 5G-ENCODE Project, is a £9 Million collaborative project aiming to develop clear business cases and value propositions for 5G applications in manufacturing industry. The project is partially funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the UK Government as part of their 5G...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
MISSIONOVO
PEOPLE FIRST. MISSION ALWAYS.
Introduction In national security, capabilities are proven under pressure; not in theory. Too often, they fail because they were built too far from the mission. Missionovo was founded to close that gap. Three engineers, Grant Kuhnsman, Mike Dobry, and Matt O’Leary, saw the same failures: solutions built without the mission...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
PRECINA
SOCIAL WORK + MEDICINE = PROGRESS FOR PATIENTS
Precina helps patients feel better, faster. Our chronic care practice monitors patients’ diabetes every day – just as they do. Our practice combines medical care with social workers to address the complex challenges of controlling diabetes and related comorbidities. We meet with patients consistently and give them unlimited access to...