Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Claflin University

Enduring Legacy of Innovation

Claflin University’s enduring legacy of innovation reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, creativity, and transformative leadership. Founded in 1869, Claflin is the oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in South Carolina. It was the first higher education institution in South Carolina to admit students regardless of their ethnic origin,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

IT-oLogy

Promote. Teach. Grow.

USC and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina partnered with IBM in December 2008 to form the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management. The Consortium was formed in part to encourage young people to learn the skills needed to manage enterprise systems, large-scale computers that process high volume transactions. Since its inception,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

MarkeDroid

EU HOUSEHOLDS PRODUCING THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY ARE KEY TO MEETING THE REGION’S ENERGY NEEDS AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.

EU HOUSEHOLDS PRODUCING THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY ARE KEY TO MEETING THE REGION’S ENERGY NEEDS AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. MarkeDroid is the world’s most adaptable home energy management platform, giving installers the tools to transform their systems into smart, AI-powered solutions and enabling homeowners to turn their homes into intelligent power...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs

EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

BC entrepreneurs Bill Roche and Charles Chang have a vision to make Canada more competitive by nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit in young people. In 2017, they co-founded Young Entrepreneurs of Canada Association, a registered Canadian charity that operates under the name PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. “Our mandate is to help school-aged...

INNOVATION Manitoba

Winnipeg Boldness

Reimagining Community Wellbeing Through Indigenous-Led Innovation

In Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighbourhood, a powerful and deeply community-rooted movement is redefining what innovation can look like. Winnipeg Boldness is an Indigenous-led social innovation lab that places community voices, lived experience, and Indigenous knowledge systems at the center of social change. Through collaboration, relationship-building, and systems thinking, the organization...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Crypto and Your 2025-26 Tax Return: What the ATO Already Knows Before You Lodge

Hand holding a phone showing a cryptocurrency portfolio

What the tax office already holds on your crypto, and what actually counts as a disposal.

Plenty of Australians who touched crypto last financial year assume the tax office is guessing. It is not. The ATO pulls account records straight from exchanges, matches them against what people declare, and follows up when the two versions disagree. Here is what it holds, and what actually counts as...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DAINTREE CAPITAL

Investing In A Diverse Future

DAINTREE CAPITAL – Investing In A Diverse Future Daintree Capital emerges in the Washington, D.C., landscape not just as an investment firm but as a beacon of innovation and diversity. Founded by Alisha Griffey, a visionary with deep roots in the startup ecosystem, Daintree Capital’s mission resonates with the rich...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

VIRGENT AI

Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered

As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...

INNOVATE® Georgia

JABIAN CONSULTING

REDEFINING MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FOR THE RESULTS-FOCUSED COMPANY

Jabian Consulting’s journey began in 2006 when its three founders decided clients needed more personalized attention and bespoke solutions than they were getting from the large, multi-national firms. At the same time, burnout in the industry was high, with consultants working extremely long hours traveling around the country every week....

INNOVATE® Nashville

SHANE MAC

SHANE MAC

INVESTING IN THE SWITCHBOARD CITY

I have lived to work and, believe me, that’s no way to live… or work. This doesn’t mean don’t work hard. I’ve just discovered that when you love where you live you have a longer-term view of how you work. I spend my days supporting people who are in the...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE

SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE: Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies

Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 2021 DV Counts Report, agencies were unable to provide emergency shelter to 1,982 adults and 1,184 children nationwide in just one day. Annualized, that’s 723,430 adults and 432,160 children who are left without access to emergency domestic violence shelters each year....

Global Innovation Spotlight

EdTech innovations save teachers nearly 6 hours every week

Integrating modern edtech innovations into classroom platforms gives educators nearly six hours back each week by automating manual assignment grading and lesson plan formatting. When you manage growing educational businesses, helping teachers reclaim lost administrative hours is the single fastest way to boost platform adoption. Leading online educational companies eliminate...

United Nations Lesotho

UNICEF

A Legacy of Care and Progress

The impactful journey of the United Nations in Lesotho over the past 40 years and the future partnership between the UN and the government of Lesotho. For over four decades, UNICEF has stood alongside Lesotho in its mission to secure a brighter future for its children. From the remote mountain...

Global Innovation Spotlight

From Startup Story to Scalable Product

React logo held in hand representing JavaScript development for startups

The JavaScript Development Gap Most Founders Miss

Every founder has a version of the story: the idea comes together, early users respond well, and the product starts to feel real. The prototype works, the pitch lands, and the roadmap fills up. What tends to get overlooked in that moment is the engineering reality waiting on the other...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

RON ARTESANO

RON ARTESANO

Artesano is the product of inspiration, perspiration, hard work and perseverance

This is what we call Ron Artesano. This craft rum brand is hand-made in small batches in the mountains of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The founders are a solid team of professionals that handle the different aspects of the business: Commercial Operations & Business Development, Distillation, Production & Aging and Rum...

Global Innovation Spotlight

3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast

Businessman holding blank white business card.

3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast To boost brand visibility fast, leverage custom apparel for instant recognition, harness storytelling to forge emotional connections, and expand reach through strategic partnerships. These innovative branding strategies bypass traditional advertising noise by creating authentic touchpoints that build trust.  By implementing these tactics,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Credo Software

A Marriage of Creative & Technical Skills

In the heart of South Carolina, a tech company named Credo Software has been quietly making its mark for over two decades. Founded by Sarah and Kevin Curnow on principles of trust, adaptability, and community, Credo’s story is one of innovation, perseverance, and a commitment to helping clients do what...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Casinos Analyzer Is the Bridge Between Players and Trusted Platforms

The online casino world can feel overwhelming for new and experienced players alike. With thousands of platforms offering bonuses, games, and rewards, it is difficult to distinguish trustworthy casinos from risky operators. CasinosAnalyzer acts as a bridge, connecting players to platforms that are not only reliable but also transparent in...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SEARCY FINANCIAL

REDEFINING FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE MODERN ERA

In an industry often defined by numbers, Searcy Financial Services stands apart by focusing on people. Founded in 1976 and independently owned by second-generation leaders Jessica Kmetty, Marc Shaffer, John Fales, and Ryan Brooke, the firm has built a reputation not just for managing wealth, but for helping people make...

INNOVATE® Northern Virginia

CrossCountry Consulting

Where Expertise, Technology, and Human Insight Converge

Northern Virginia is a region defined by motion: technological, economic, and organizational change shape its daily rhythm. For the companies that power it, transformation is no longer a future goal but a present demand. Finance leaders must modernize operations, manage enterprise complexity, and adopt emerging technologies quickly. They must achieve...

INNOVATION Quebec

GROUPE CTT

CCTT IN TEXTILE TECHNOLOGIES, GEOSYNTHETICS AND ADVANCED TEXTILE-BASED MATERIALS

Groupe CTT is a non-profit organization specializing in applied research, development and analysis in the fields of technical textiles, geosynthetics and advanced textile-based materials. Created in 1983, Groupe CTT was one of the first college centres for the transfer oftechnology in Quebec. It is located on the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

PRITS

PRITS is Innovation: A Path to Puerto Rico’s Digital Government

A Path to Puerto Rico’s Digital Government

The Puerto Rico Innovation & Technology Service, created by Act 75- 2019, is the government office in charge of overseeing and implementing technology across the Executive Branch. The office’s mission is to create a new and innovative government framework, consistent with the demands of the 21st century, and capable of...

INNOVATION Quebec

INNOVATION MARITIME

CCTT DU SECTEUR MARITIME

Créativité et savoir-faire au service de l’industrie maritime. Actif depuis plus de vingt ans dans le secteur maritime, Innovation maritime (IMAR) est un centre de recherche appliquée affilié à l’Institut maritime du Québec (IMQ). La mission du CCTT est de contribuer au développement du secteur maritime et stimuler l’excellence par...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | SC Tech

South Carolina’s Technology & Cybersecurity Cluster

SC Tech sits at the center supporting South Carolina’s successful push as a tech-driven, future-focused state. An initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), the cluster helps to accelerate growth and innovation while giving the statewide technology community a unified voice. The work is deliberately broad: strengthen...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Claflin University

Enduring Legacy of Innovation

Claflin University’s enduring legacy of innovation reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, creativity, and transformative leadership. Founded in 1869, Claflin is the oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in South Carolina. It was the first higher education institution in South Carolina to admit students regardless of their ethnic origin,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

IT-oLogy

Promote. Teach. Grow.

USC and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina partnered with IBM in December 2008 to form the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management. The Consortium was formed in part to encourage young people to learn the skills needed to manage enterprise systems, large-scale computers that process high volume transactions. Since its inception,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

MarkeDroid

EU HOUSEHOLDS PRODUCING THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY ARE KEY TO MEETING THE REGION’S ENERGY NEEDS AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.

EU HOUSEHOLDS PRODUCING THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY ARE KEY TO MEETING THE REGION’S ENERGY NEEDS AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. MarkeDroid is the world’s most adaptable home energy management platform, giving installers the tools to transform their systems into smart, AI-powered solutions and enabling homeowners to turn their homes into intelligent power...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs

EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

BC entrepreneurs Bill Roche and Charles Chang have a vision to make Canada more competitive by nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit in young people. In 2017, they co-founded Young Entrepreneurs of Canada Association, a registered Canadian charity that operates under the name PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. “Our mandate is to help school-aged...

INNOVATION Manitoba

Winnipeg Boldness

Reimagining Community Wellbeing Through Indigenous-Led Innovation

In Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighbourhood, a powerful and deeply community-rooted movement is redefining what innovation can look like. Winnipeg Boldness is an Indigenous-led social innovation lab that places community voices, lived experience, and Indigenous knowledge systems at the center of social change. Through collaboration, relationship-building, and systems thinking, the organization...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Crypto and Your 2025-26 Tax Return: What the ATO Already Knows Before You Lodge

Hand holding a phone showing a cryptocurrency portfolio

What the tax office already holds on your crypto, and what actually counts as a disposal.

Plenty of Australians who touched crypto last financial year assume the tax office is guessing. It is not. The ATO pulls account records straight from exchanges, matches them against what people declare, and follows up when the two versions disagree. Here is what it holds, and what actually counts as...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DAINTREE CAPITAL

Investing In A Diverse Future

DAINTREE CAPITAL – Investing In A Diverse Future Daintree Capital emerges in the Washington, D.C., landscape not just as an investment firm but as a beacon of innovation and diversity. Founded by Alisha Griffey, a visionary with deep roots in the startup ecosystem, Daintree Capital’s mission resonates with the rich...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

VIRGENT AI

Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered

As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...

INNOVATE® Georgia

JABIAN CONSULTING

REDEFINING MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FOR THE RESULTS-FOCUSED COMPANY

Jabian Consulting’s journey began in 2006 when its three founders decided clients needed more personalized attention and bespoke solutions than they were getting from the large, multi-national firms. At the same time, burnout in the industry was high, with consultants working extremely long hours traveling around the country every week....

INNOVATE® Nashville

SHANE MAC

SHANE MAC

INVESTING IN THE SWITCHBOARD CITY

I have lived to work and, believe me, that’s no way to live… or work. This doesn’t mean don’t work hard. I’ve just discovered that when you love where you live you have a longer-term view of how you work. I spend my days supporting people who are in the...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE

SAFE STAYS BY RELOSHARE: Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies

Changing the Game for Emergency Housing by Providing Anonymous Hotel Bookings for Social Service Agencies

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 2021 DV Counts Report, agencies were unable to provide emergency shelter to 1,982 adults and 1,184 children nationwide in just one day. Annualized, that’s 723,430 adults and 432,160 children who are left without access to emergency domestic violence shelters each year....

Global Innovation Spotlight

EdTech innovations save teachers nearly 6 hours every week

Integrating modern edtech innovations into classroom platforms gives educators nearly six hours back each week by automating manual assignment grading and lesson plan formatting. When you manage growing educational businesses, helping teachers reclaim lost administrative hours is the single fastest way to boost platform adoption. Leading online educational companies eliminate...

United Nations Lesotho

UNICEF

A Legacy of Care and Progress

The impactful journey of the United Nations in Lesotho over the past 40 years and the future partnership between the UN and the government of Lesotho. For over four decades, UNICEF has stood alongside Lesotho in its mission to secure a brighter future for its children. From the remote mountain...

Global Innovation Spotlight

From Startup Story to Scalable Product

React logo held in hand representing JavaScript development for startups

The JavaScript Development Gap Most Founders Miss

Every founder has a version of the story: the idea comes together, early users respond well, and the product starts to feel real. The prototype works, the pitch lands, and the roadmap fills up. What tends to get overlooked in that moment is the engineering reality waiting on the other...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

RON ARTESANO

RON ARTESANO

Artesano is the product of inspiration, perspiration, hard work and perseverance

This is what we call Ron Artesano. This craft rum brand is hand-made in small batches in the mountains of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The founders are a solid team of professionals that handle the different aspects of the business: Commercial Operations & Business Development, Distillation, Production & Aging and Rum...

Global Innovation Spotlight

3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast

Businessman holding blank white business card.

3 Proven Ways to Boost Brand Visibility Fast To boost brand visibility fast, leverage custom apparel for instant recognition, harness storytelling to forge emotional connections, and expand reach through strategic partnerships. These innovative branding strategies bypass traditional advertising noise by creating authentic touchpoints that build trust.  By implementing these tactics,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Credo Software

A Marriage of Creative & Technical Skills

In the heart of South Carolina, a tech company named Credo Software has been quietly making its mark for over two decades. Founded by Sarah and Kevin Curnow on principles of trust, adaptability, and community, Credo’s story is one of innovation, perseverance, and a commitment to helping clients do what...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Why Casinos Analyzer Is the Bridge Between Players and Trusted Platforms

The online casino world can feel overwhelming for new and experienced players alike. With thousands of platforms offering bonuses, games, and rewards, it is difficult to distinguish trustworthy casinos from risky operators. CasinosAnalyzer acts as a bridge, connecting players to platforms that are not only reliable but also transparent in...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SEARCY FINANCIAL

REDEFINING FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE MODERN ERA

In an industry often defined by numbers, Searcy Financial Services stands apart by focusing on people. Founded in 1976 and independently owned by second-generation leaders Jessica Kmetty, Marc Shaffer, John Fales, and Ryan Brooke, the firm has built a reputation not just for managing wealth, but for helping people make...

INNOVATE® Northern Virginia

CrossCountry Consulting

Where Expertise, Technology, and Human Insight Converge

Northern Virginia is a region defined by motion: technological, economic, and organizational change shape its daily rhythm. For the companies that power it, transformation is no longer a future goal but a present demand. Finance leaders must modernize operations, manage enterprise complexity, and adopt emerging technologies quickly. They must achieve...

INNOVATION Quebec

GROUPE CTT

CCTT IN TEXTILE TECHNOLOGIES, GEOSYNTHETICS AND ADVANCED TEXTILE-BASED MATERIALS

Groupe CTT is a non-profit organization specializing in applied research, development and analysis in the fields of technical textiles, geosynthetics and advanced textile-based materials. Created in 1983, Groupe CTT was one of the first college centres for the transfer oftechnology in Quebec. It is located on the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

PRITS

PRITS is Innovation: A Path to Puerto Rico’s Digital Government

A Path to Puerto Rico’s Digital Government

The Puerto Rico Innovation & Technology Service, created by Act 75- 2019, is the government office in charge of overseeing and implementing technology across the Executive Branch. The office’s mission is to create a new and innovative government framework, consistent with the demands of the 21st century, and capable of...

INNOVATION Quebec

INNOVATION MARITIME

CCTT DU SECTEUR MARITIME

Créativité et savoir-faire au service de l’industrie maritime. Actif depuis plus de vingt ans dans le secteur maritime, Innovation maritime (IMAR) est un centre de recherche appliquée affilié à l’Institut maritime du Québec (IMQ). La mission du CCTT est de contribuer au développement du secteur maritime et stimuler l’excellence par...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

SC Competes | SC Tech

South Carolina’s Technology & Cybersecurity Cluster

SC Tech sits at the center supporting South Carolina’s successful push as a tech-driven, future-focused state. An initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), the cluster helps to accelerate growth and innovation while giving the statewide technology community a unified voice. The work is deliberately broad: strengthen...

Ecosystems