Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
GIGI'S PLAYHOUSE
The True Definition Of Innovation Can Be Found At GiGi’s Playhouse, Where Changing The World Is In The Palm Of Your Hand
What started in 2003 as a mother’s vision to change the world’s perception of individuals with Down syndrome and create opportunities for her daughter, GiGi, evolved into a global movement of acceptance for all. GiGi’s Playhouse started in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and has catapulted to an entrepreneurial network of 60...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
BRISTOL HEALTH PARTNERS
Bringing Together The Best In Research And Innovation To Improve Health And Care Across Bristol, North Somerset And South Gloucestershire
The Bristol Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) mission is to generate significant health gain and improvements in service delivery in the region by integrating, promoting and developing our strengths in health services, research, innovation and education. We are a strategic collaboration between the city region’s universities, major health...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
POLYCADE
Reimagining Arcade Gaming For The Modern Day
Polycade is the gaming platform for in-person play. The Polycade software powers PC-based consoles and arcade machines, including their proprietary commercial-grade two and four-player arcade machines. The software features are designed to support in-person and location-based gaming, while connecting these physical communities with their digital counterparts — features like small-pond...
INNOVATION Quebec
INOVEM
CCTT IN WOODWORKING AND FURNITURE
As a woodworking and furniture innovation centre, Inovem has been supporting Quebec businesses since 1983. A true catalyst for innovation, our CCTT has become the benchmark for sustainable technologies in the woodworking, furniture and appearance wood products industry. Furniture, woodworking and appearance wood products businesses can count on Inovem’s expertise...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ITL
ESTONIAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS – AN EXAMPLE THAT COOPERATION IS A KEY TO SUCCESS
Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL) is an association of Estonian most innovative technology companies, it is a community that speaks for the innovation of the digital society. It seems that our tech-sector is by its nature ahead of its time, with technology companies playing the role of...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
UW’S BUERK CENTER IS IN THE BUSINESS OF IDEAS
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...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
STUDENT-LED INNOVATION, POWERED BY PURPOSE AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Students aren’t just learning about local and global challenges — they’re tackling them head-on with innovative and impactful solutions to drive change in Laurier’s campus communities in Waterloo Region, Brantford, Milton and beyond. Laurier equips students with the skills and mindset necessary to innovate with purpose, shaping the next generation...
CERMA
at the heart of collaborative research
The Research Centre on Advanced Materials of Université Laval (CERMA) in Quebec City is dedicated to fundamental and applied studies aiming at developing materials that can benefit Quebec society. Reproduction of the upper part of a pig femur by 3D printing (right: real bone; left: printed model; center: 3D representation...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
Northeastern University Arlington
Engineering Talent for Where Policy, Security, and Technology Converge
For more than 125 years, Northeastern University has built its reputation around one defining idea: learning works best when it is connected directly to the world it aims to serve. That belief has powered a global university system spanning 13 campuses across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom....
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
ENLIGHTENED, INC
Leading Innovation Through Technology and Thought Leadership
Enlightened, Inc. is not just another technology firm in Washington, D.C. It is a haven of innovation and thought leadership, dedicated to solving the most pressing challenges of its clients. With a mission to provide intelligent solutions that make a measurable impact, Enlightened stands out as an award-winning HUBZone-certified Information...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
DCSTW. - DC STARTUP & TECH WEEK
Igniting Innovation in the Heart of America
In the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, a powerful wave of innovation is surging through the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Driven by a collective mission to transform the area into a globally recognized innovation hub, this movement is brewing a different kind of revolution in the nation’s capital....
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Aeroplicity
Simplifying Aerospace and Defense: The Aeroplicity Story
Aeroplicity has emerged as a transformative force in the aerospace and defense industry, with a mission to simplify and modernize supply chain and aftermarket operations. Leveraging cutting-edge aerospace-grade technologies, the company is reshaping how organizations manage data, compliance, and operational efficiency. At its core, Aeroplicity addresses the industry’s most pressing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ALTO
Making alternative investments and portfolio diversification accessible for everyone, not just the ultra-wealthy
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
INTERSTATE TECHNOLOGY LOGISTICS
Engineering Certainty Behind the World's Most Critical Infrastructure
Logistics should be invisible as it works. For technology-driven organizations, government agencies, and enterprises running mission-critical infrastructure, efficient logistics is everything. Interstate Technology Logistics operates precisely in that high-stakes space: quietly, rigorously, and with an obsession with predictability, where failure is not an option. Interstate is an 80+ year leader...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRVI (CENTRE DE ROBOTIQUE ET DE VISION INDUSTRIELLES)
IS A KEY PLAYER IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBOTICS, COMPUTER VISION, AND AI TECHNOLOGY IN QUEBEC
The first six such centres were established in 1983 following a presentation at the Quebec Economic Summit. The goal was to help kickstart the Quebec economy by turning Cégeps across the province into drivers of regional growth and technological development. Three more centres were inaugurated the following year, including CSR...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
Co. Innovation Centre (COIC)
INNOVATION AT THE EDGE:
INNOVATION AT THE EDGE: Located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Co. Innovation Centre (COIC) is redefining how we think about collaboration and innovation in NL. As a globally focused, industry-led hub, COIC is accelerating the province’s journey toward an innovation-driven economy. It’s more than a building—it’s a vision...
INNOVATION Quebec
Innofibre
Créé en 1989, Innofibre – Centre d’innovation des produits cellulosiques, est un centre collégial de transfert de technologie qui collabore avec les entreprises, les organismes publics et les institutions de recherche publiques et privées pour le développement et la mise à l’échelle de produits biosourcés et de bioprocédés
Innofibre a pour vision de contribuer au développement de l’économie biosourcée au Québec en accompagnant les PME et les grandes entreprises dans l’innovation. L’équipe d’Innofibre a les habiletés et les aptitudes pour réaliser des projets multidisciplinaires et interordres et réalise chaque année un grand nombre de projets avec plusieurs institutions...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Hackathons International
Where ideas are put into action!
Many of us have ideas, but how many of us have actually tried to make their ideas a reality? While often seen as tech events for coders, Hackathons offers tremendous value – more than meets the eye. Hackathons are a framework used by CEOs, educators, community leaders, and marketers across...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
HIRSCH’S
FOUNDED ON TRUST AND SERVICE
Hirsch’s has become a name synonymous with service and brand excellence over the years. They have grown into one of the most well-respected and trusted appliance and electronics retailers in the industry in South Africa, and it’s interesting to see how they got there. Allan and Margaret set up their first...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of Audiobooks and AI: Transforming the Way We Read
Once, reading was a quiet act. A private conversation between you and the page. Now? That’s changing. Audiobooks have crashed through the library doors, and artificial intelligence is riding shotgun. In 2023, the global audiobook market was valued at over $8 billion. By 2032, some projections place it above $35...
INNOVATION Quebec
JACOBB
INNOVATION ET RECHERCHE APPLIQUÉE EN INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE (IA)
JACOBB est un centre d’innovation et de recherche appliquée en Intelligence Artificielle (IA) ayant pour mission d’accélérer l’intégration de l’intelligence artificielle dans le tissu économique québécois. Établi en 2019, le centre connait depuis sa création une croissance rapide avec plus d’une douzaine de spécialistes à son bord, sous la supervision...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
GIGI'S PLAYHOUSE
The True Definition Of Innovation Can Be Found At GiGi’s Playhouse, Where Changing The World Is In The Palm Of Your Hand
What started in 2003 as a mother’s vision to change the world’s perception of individuals with Down syndrome and create opportunities for her daughter, GiGi, evolved into a global movement of acceptance for all. GiGi’s Playhouse started in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and has catapulted to an entrepreneurial network of 60...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
BRISTOL HEALTH PARTNERS
Bringing Together The Best In Research And Innovation To Improve Health And Care Across Bristol, North Somerset And South Gloucestershire
The Bristol Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) mission is to generate significant health gain and improvements in service delivery in the region by integrating, promoting and developing our strengths in health services, research, innovation and education. We are a strategic collaboration between the city region’s universities, major health...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
POLYCADE
Reimagining Arcade Gaming For The Modern Day
Polycade is the gaming platform for in-person play. The Polycade software powers PC-based consoles and arcade machines, including their proprietary commercial-grade two and four-player arcade machines. The software features are designed to support in-person and location-based gaming, while connecting these physical communities with their digital counterparts — features like small-pond...
INNOVATION Quebec
INOVEM
CCTT IN WOODWORKING AND FURNITURE
As a woodworking and furniture innovation centre, Inovem has been supporting Quebec businesses since 1983. A true catalyst for innovation, our CCTT has become the benchmark for sustainable technologies in the woodworking, furniture and appearance wood products industry. Furniture, woodworking and appearance wood products businesses can count on Inovem’s expertise...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ITL
ESTONIAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS – AN EXAMPLE THAT COOPERATION IS A KEY TO SUCCESS
Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL) is an association of Estonian most innovative technology companies, it is a community that speaks for the innovation of the digital society. It seems that our tech-sector is by its nature ahead of its time, with technology companies playing the role of...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
UW’S BUERK CENTER IS IN THE BUSINESS OF IDEAS
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...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
STUDENT-LED INNOVATION, POWERED BY PURPOSE AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Students aren’t just learning about local and global challenges — they’re tackling them head-on with innovative and impactful solutions to drive change in Laurier’s campus communities in Waterloo Region, Brantford, Milton and beyond. Laurier equips students with the skills and mindset necessary to innovate with purpose, shaping the next generation...
CERMA
at the heart of collaborative research
The Research Centre on Advanced Materials of Université Laval (CERMA) in Quebec City is dedicated to fundamental and applied studies aiming at developing materials that can benefit Quebec society. Reproduction of the upper part of a pig femur by 3D printing (right: real bone; left: printed model; center: 3D representation...
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
Northeastern University Arlington
Engineering Talent for Where Policy, Security, and Technology Converge
For more than 125 years, Northeastern University has built its reputation around one defining idea: learning works best when it is connected directly to the world it aims to serve. That belief has powered a global university system spanning 13 campuses across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom....
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
ENLIGHTENED, INC
Leading Innovation Through Technology and Thought Leadership
Enlightened, Inc. is not just another technology firm in Washington, D.C. It is a haven of innovation and thought leadership, dedicated to solving the most pressing challenges of its clients. With a mission to provide intelligent solutions that make a measurable impact, Enlightened stands out as an award-winning HUBZone-certified Information...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
DCSTW. - DC STARTUP & TECH WEEK
Igniting Innovation in the Heart of America
In the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, a powerful wave of innovation is surging through the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Driven by a collective mission to transform the area into a globally recognized innovation hub, this movement is brewing a different kind of revolution in the nation’s capital....
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Aeroplicity
Simplifying Aerospace and Defense: The Aeroplicity Story
Aeroplicity has emerged as a transformative force in the aerospace and defense industry, with a mission to simplify and modernize supply chain and aftermarket operations. Leveraging cutting-edge aerospace-grade technologies, the company is reshaping how organizations manage data, compliance, and operational efficiency. At its core, Aeroplicity addresses the industry’s most pressing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ALTO
Making alternative investments and portfolio diversification accessible for everyone, not just the ultra-wealthy
INNOVATE® Northern Virginia
INTERSTATE TECHNOLOGY LOGISTICS
Engineering Certainty Behind the World's Most Critical Infrastructure
Logistics should be invisible as it works. For technology-driven organizations, government agencies, and enterprises running mission-critical infrastructure, efficient logistics is everything. Interstate Technology Logistics operates precisely in that high-stakes space: quietly, rigorously, and with an obsession with predictability, where failure is not an option. Interstate is an 80+ year leader...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRVI (CENTRE DE ROBOTIQUE ET DE VISION INDUSTRIELLES)
IS A KEY PLAYER IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBOTICS, COMPUTER VISION, AND AI TECHNOLOGY IN QUEBEC
The first six such centres were established in 1983 following a presentation at the Quebec Economic Summit. The goal was to help kickstart the Quebec economy by turning Cégeps across the province into drivers of regional growth and technological development. Three more centres were inaugurated the following year, including CSR...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
Co. Innovation Centre (COIC)
INNOVATION AT THE EDGE:
INNOVATION AT THE EDGE: Located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Co. Innovation Centre (COIC) is redefining how we think about collaboration and innovation in NL. As a globally focused, industry-led hub, COIC is accelerating the province’s journey toward an innovation-driven economy. It’s more than a building—it’s a vision...
INNOVATION Quebec
Innofibre
Créé en 1989, Innofibre – Centre d’innovation des produits cellulosiques, est un centre collégial de transfert de technologie qui collabore avec les entreprises, les organismes publics et les institutions de recherche publiques et privées pour le développement et la mise à l’échelle de produits biosourcés et de bioprocédés
Innofibre a pour vision de contribuer au développement de l’économie biosourcée au Québec en accompagnant les PME et les grandes entreprises dans l’innovation. L’équipe d’Innofibre a les habiletés et les aptitudes pour réaliser des projets multidisciplinaires et interordres et réalise chaque année un grand nombre de projets avec plusieurs institutions...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Hackathons International
Where ideas are put into action!
Many of us have ideas, but how many of us have actually tried to make their ideas a reality? While often seen as tech events for coders, Hackathons offers tremendous value – more than meets the eye. Hackathons are a framework used by CEOs, educators, community leaders, and marketers across...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
HIRSCH’S
FOUNDED ON TRUST AND SERVICE
Hirsch’s has become a name synonymous with service and brand excellence over the years. They have grown into one of the most well-respected and trusted appliance and electronics retailers in the industry in South Africa, and it’s interesting to see how they got there. Allan and Margaret set up their first...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of Audiobooks and AI: Transforming the Way We Read
Once, reading was a quiet act. A private conversation between you and the page. Now? That’s changing. Audiobooks have crashed through the library doors, and artificial intelligence is riding shotgun. In 2023, the global audiobook market was valued at over $8 billion. By 2032, some projections place it above $35...
INNOVATION Quebec
JACOBB
INNOVATION ET RECHERCHE APPLIQUÉE EN INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE (IA)
JACOBB est un centre d’innovation et de recherche appliquée en Intelligence Artificielle (IA) ayant pour mission d’accélérer l’intégration de l’intelligence artificielle dans le tissu économique québécois. Établi en 2019, le centre connait depuis sa création une croissance rapide avec plus d’une douzaine de spécialistes à son bord, sous la supervision...