Stories of Innovation

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...

Long before innovation becomes a product or a breakthrough technology, it often begins with a different question: What becomes possible when people are given the opportunity to be seen for their abilities rather than their limitations? For more than four decades, Athelas Institute has worked to answer that question. Across...

The shared kitchen industry, also known as commissaries, is a rapidly growing sector that is changing how people think about food and culinary entrepreneurship. When starting or scaling a business, food and beverage based entrepreneurs face significant challenges and risks and require significant investment in space, equipment, and overhead costs....

Inside the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business is a small office dedicated to helping big entrepreneurial ideas take shape. The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship offers academic programs and real-world experiences for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the startup process. By empowering early-stage founders to embrace a sense...

Pillsbury’s Century-Long Commitment to Innovation, Trust and Impact Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is a global law firm shaped by the idea that legal counsel should not merely respond to change, but help generate it. From its origins advising emerging industries in the late 19th century to its role guiding...

FACILITATEURS D’ÉCOSYSTÈMES LOCAUX D’INNOVATION EN SANTÉ LIÉS À 40 CHAPITRES HH AU CANADA ET DANS LE MONDE Hacking Health est un mouvement bénévole, à but non lucratif, né à Montréal en 2012. Aujourd’hui, l’organisation compte 40 chapitres sur les cinq continents et anime une communauté internationale de facilitateurs d’écosystèmes locaux...

CARBON REFORM TURNS EVERYDAY HVAC INFRASTRUCTURE INTO A PLATFORM FOR ENERGY SAVINGS, CLEAN AIR, AND CARBON REMOVAL Most climate solutions feel far removed from everyday life. Direct air capture, industrial-scale carbon removal, next-generation infrastructure – these approaches matter, but they often feel inaccessible or years away from practical use. Carbon...

In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...

Acclaim will serve as a Virtual Business Environment (VBE) for all small businesses globally. The idea is to take small businesses to the internet and be able to create virtual offices, stalls, and markets which are manageable. This innovation was inspired by the digital transformation of the economy and the...

MAKING REVOLUTIONARY SMART MATERIALS TO BRING FORCE SENSING TO APPLICATIONS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE. Axioforce is a sensor company based on a smart materials breakthrough made by Drs. Cory Berkland and Jonathan Miller at the University of Kansas. The two were working on a DoE sponsored project developing cushions that leverage...

FACILITIES AND SPACESThe New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the state’s principal agency for driving economic growth, offers numerous resources to support emerging companies choosing to grow in the Garden State. As part of Governor Phil Murphy’s economic development strategy to reclaim New Jersey’s role as a leader in innovation,...

The Health Technology Catalyst (CTS), founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit organization, is an à la carte growth accelerator which responds to the challenges and needs of each startup. Its mission: catalyze the growth of life sciences startups, particularly in medical technology and digital health, by offering customized acceleration services....

Merinov est un chef de file de l’économie bleue dans l’est du Canada. En fait, il est le plus important centre intégré de recherche appliquée au pays en pêches, aquaculture, transformation et valorisation des produits aquatiques. Depuis sa création en 2010, le centre de recherche vise à incarner le département...

In the bustling landscape of healthcare technology, Modernizing Medicine®, Inc., commonly known as ModMed®, emerges as a beacon of innovation and efficiency. Founded in 2010 by Daniel Cane and Dr. Michael Sherling, ModMed has etched its name in the industry by seamlessly integrating advanced technology with medical practices. The inception...

The world relies on critical infrastructure. Water, power, manufacturing – all are incredibly important to our everyday lives, affecting how we live, how we play, and how we function as a society. Some of these systems are connected to the internet, delivering efficiencies and improvements by unleashing the power of...

Founded with the vision of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship,the UMKC Innovation Center was established in 2003 to transform Kansas City into a thriving hub of entrepreneurial activity. The center’s purpose is to nurture and support entrepreneurs, from fledgling startups to established businesses, by providing vital resources, coaching, and connections. By...

BUILDING ON SUCCESSIn 2021, the Government of Canada embarked on a new approach to economic development in the West. To better recognize the unique economic drivers of the Prairies and British Columbia, the department known as Western Economic Diversification (WD) evolved into two departments. On August 6, 2021, Prairies Economic...

“Mass customization made simple. Creative chaos made scalable.” In today’s experience-driven economy, personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the foundation of competitive advantage. Customers expect more than just products; they want creative control, self-expression, and seamless experiences. That’s where Sticker Builder by Antigro Designer, based in Kraków, Poland, comes in. This...

Real Relationships Matter Catch Talent is a high-touch recruiting agency that delivers end-to-end talent acquisition solutions to growing technology, financial services, healthcare, digital & creative, professional services, and government contracting companies. Headquartered in Charleston, SC, Catch specializes in the full talent attraction life cycle by sourcing and recruiting qualified candidates...

STEM Fuse is a developer of digital K-12 STEM and CTE curriculum and PD, working with 12,000+ schools across the country. We were founded in 2009 with the mission to help schools deliver engaging STEM programs to prepare students for the fastest growing career opportunities. The Founder, Carter Tatge, was...

OUR STORYBiggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) is one of the largest independent firms in the specialty fields of site selection and economic development incentives advisory services. Our principals have been delivering our mix of services for more than twenty-five years and arehighly respected leaders in their field....

Untapped potential: a breeding ground for innovation and disruption. South Africa is overflowing with infinite talent. Unlocking their potential means unlocking opportunities. Millennials are excelling by themselves and for themselves. South Africa’s students and junior talent are the very essence of untapped potential. They are breaking down barriers. Alexa Georga...

For many years, innovation in logistics took a back seat to other priorities: market expansion, financial profitability, new product development, etc. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a collective realization of how important logistics is for territorial development, local autonomy, supply chain resilience and agility, and of course,...

From a simple idea 10 years ago, to a global platform enabling millions of people to mine cryptocurrency, NiceHash is a familiar name in the mining world. NiceHash has battled with controversy, survived nation state attackers, and still solidified its unique position in the crypto space as the world’s largest...