Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® South Florida

South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA)

PROGRESS AND INNOVATION CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH FLORIDA MANUFACTURING

PROGRESS AND INNOVATION CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH FLORIDA MANUFACTURING South Florida has long been a hub for innovation, but its manufacturing industry has undergone a transformative shift in recent years. Spearheaded by the South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA),this shift reflects the region’s growing commitment to modernization, sustainability,...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

INNOVATION Quebec

IVÉO

POUR DES TERRITOIRES PLUS INTELLIGENTS ET DURABLES

IVÉO est un organisme sans but lucratif dont la mission est d’accélérer le déploiement d’innovations dans le milieu municipal. Ses interventions se situent principalement dans l’expérimentation et le montage de projets pilotes en réponse aux enjeux sociaux, environnementaux et économiques auxquels font face les villes. En agissant comme courtier d’innovation...

INNOVATION Quebec

SYNTHÈSE

A KEY PLAYER IN RESOLVING WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN DIGITAL CREATION

The founding of SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE was founded in 2018 by ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec (the province’s ministry of education and higher learning) following discussions among digital-creation companies, colleges, universities, associations, and representatives from ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation and ministère de la Culture et des...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION OF PUERTO RICO

LEADING THE WAY IN SALES & MARKETING

The Sales & Marketing Executives Association of Puerto Rico (SME) is a non-profit organization that brings together a community of more than 500 professionals from diverse industries, major corporations, and local businesses, as well as college students on the island. For the past 72 years, the association has been advancing...

The Rise of Digital Third Places in Innovation Ecosystems

Innovation ecosystems have always grown around shared physical places, from university labs and coworking spaces to startup districts, demo days, accelerators, and global conferences. These places still matter because people build trust faster when they can meet, listen, and exchange ideas in the same room.  Yet they are no longer...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

GOPURSUE

Empowering the Next Generation

GoPursue is a revolutionary organization transforming the landscape of career exploration for K-12 students. This vibrant social impact company has carved a unique niche in the educational technology space, addressing critical gaps in workforce development and career preparedness. Founded by Kathryn Adabonyan, a former math teacher and career and technical...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Business strategies for integrating slotgames into modern digital markets

As of early 2024, slot games account for nearly 70% of digital casino revenue (H2 Gambling Capital). Rapid advances in mobile and cloud tech have forced companies to rethink launches, promotion, and profit models, while a constant flood of new titles keeps operators and studios scrambling to adapt. Today, success...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

SILEN

HOW SILENCE BECAME SILEN’S GLOBAL LANGUAGE

Silen’s journey began with a simple conviction: silence is not a luxury, but a necessity for focus, creativity, and well-being. What started as an idea in Estonia has grown into the world’s leading provider of office pods and privacy solutions, trusted by companies in more than 60 countries — including...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE

IS A CREATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SPACE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN ATLANTIC CANADA

Students come to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre from all disciplines and for many reasons. Some come with an idea they want to test. Others come to learn the habits and skills of an entrepreneurial mindset – skills like agility, resiliency, design thinking, and leadership. Some come looking for...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FIENTA

REDEFINING TICKETING FOR THE RELATIONSHIP ERA

When Fienta first launched, it was built to solve a deeper problem: how can event organisers build stronger relationships with their audiences – not just sell tickets? A decade later, the Estonia-based company has grown from a grassroots solution into a global platform, helping event organisers in more than 50...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

MONLLOR CAPITAL PARTNERS

MONLLOR CAPITAL PARTNERS-INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF PUERTO

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO

With over 27 years of global private equity and investment banking experience, Jose A. Torres returns to Puerto Rico to bring innovation to the alternative assets and private equity industry. INNOVATION IN ALTERNATIVE ASSETSMonllor Capital Partners LLC (“MCP”) was founded in 2018 by Jose A. Torres, as a minority-owned alternative...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

TECHSTARS TORONTO ACCELERATOR

TECHSTARS TORONTO ACCELERATOR- Is The Worldwide Network That Helps Entrepreneurs Succeed

Is The Worldwide Network That Helps Entrepreneurs Succeed

For the past 15 years, Techstars has been running 3-month tech accelerators across the world. Names such as SendGrid, Digital Ocean, Latch, Classpass, Remitly and Kepler Aerospace are some of the 3000 alumni companies to have graduated from a Techstars program.   For 5 years Techstars has operated in Toronto....

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS-CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

NFT Studios’ primary goal is to build a chain of: games, media, and real life events – based on the colorful characters and universes produced through their debut Play To Earn game “ChiFiBots.” And to also make 100 million players earn 100K USD a year playing our games.   The...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

DGPR

REDEFINING STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR CANADIAN TECH

The Canadian tech sector is booming, there’s no question about that. In 2021, despite the impacts of the pandemic and the general economic downturn, the information and communications technology (ICT) reflected a total 5.3% of the national GDP — that’s $104.5billion. This number, alongside a teeming collective of businesses that...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY (JCSU)

ESPORTS AND GAMING TRIFECTA, THE FIRST AT AN HBCU

In February 2019, a mere conversation that I had with a JCSU athletics administrator about the paucity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that possessed structured on-campus esports programming became the impetus behind my development of a proposal later that day for an esports and gaming academic program. The...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

ERICSSON

ERICSSON-Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility

Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility, It’s Possible

Ericsson has been a critical part of Canada’s innovation and R&D story for 69 years. We are committed to driving the country’s digital agenda through turning-point technologies such as 5G. This means enabling Canada’s industries and service providers to lead on the world stage, supporting major service providers on their...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Synapse Florida

Synapse Florida – Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

SERENDIPITY DOESN’T SCALE. THAT’S WHY WE BUILT SYNAPSE.Synapse Florida, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization connecting innovation communities across Florida, was founded on the premise that serendipity doesn’t scale. By building a state-wide movement, Synapse is enabling innovation partners throughout Florida to find each other and develop relationships in a way that...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Castano Group-Changes the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments.

When innovation is combined with creativity, it not only captures attention, it can create an experience that can lead to change. Castano Group specializes in designing and producing these experiences: multimedia, multisensory engagements that change the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments. Castano Group was launched...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

DOCTORS E-CONSULT

TAKING DIGITAL HEALTH IN BOTSWANA UP A NOTCH!!!

It is without a doubt that the Coronavirus has hampered many businesses, but like they say, “every problem contains in it the seeds of a solution.” From all across the world, solutions have been created to mitigate the effects of the virus, and here in Botswana, the lockdown period presented...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

CLARICY

POWERING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITH DEEPTECH

Founded in 2022 by Johanna Stina Haar (MA) at the age of 24, Claricy is an Estonian DeepTech company that helps small and mid-sized enterprises navigate digital transformation. Johanna holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in IT management, complemented by experience as both a financial specialist...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

NJSBDC

HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES GROW

America’s Small Business Development Centers – New Jersey (NJSBDC), also known as New Jersey Small Business Development Centers, was established by Congress in 1978 as one of the first national SBDC pilot projects leading to the passage of Public Law 96-302. At present the NJSBDC network is comprised of the...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

GOOGLE FIBER

GFIBER HAS WORKED TO ENSURE IT IS DOING ITS PART TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE PARTICULARLY IN TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

“As a Google Fiber team member since 2011, it fills me with immense pride to reflect on our journey – from the selection of Kansas City as our inaugural home to our expansion from coast-to-coast in the last decade. We’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of ultra-high-speed internet in fueling...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

CarpeDM

Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women

“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...

INNOVATE® South Florida

South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA)

PROGRESS AND INNOVATION CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH FLORIDA MANUFACTURING

PROGRESS AND INNOVATION CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SOUTH FLORIDA MANUFACTURING South Florida has long been a hub for innovation, but its manufacturing industry has undergone a transformative shift in recent years. Spearheaded by the South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA),this shift reflects the region’s growing commitment to modernization, sustainability,...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

INNOVATION Quebec

IVÉO

POUR DES TERRITOIRES PLUS INTELLIGENTS ET DURABLES

IVÉO est un organisme sans but lucratif dont la mission est d’accélérer le déploiement d’innovations dans le milieu municipal. Ses interventions se situent principalement dans l’expérimentation et le montage de projets pilotes en réponse aux enjeux sociaux, environnementaux et économiques auxquels font face les villes. En agissant comme courtier d’innovation...

INNOVATION Quebec

SYNTHÈSE

A KEY PLAYER IN RESOLVING WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN DIGITAL CREATION

The founding of SYNTHÈSESYNTHÈSE was founded in 2018 by ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec (the province’s ministry of education and higher learning) following discussions among digital-creation companies, colleges, universities, associations, and representatives from ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation and ministère de la Culture et des...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION OF PUERTO RICO

LEADING THE WAY IN SALES & MARKETING

The Sales & Marketing Executives Association of Puerto Rico (SME) is a non-profit organization that brings together a community of more than 500 professionals from diverse industries, major corporations, and local businesses, as well as college students on the island. For the past 72 years, the association has been advancing...

The Rise of Digital Third Places in Innovation Ecosystems

Innovation ecosystems have always grown around shared physical places, from university labs and coworking spaces to startup districts, demo days, accelerators, and global conferences. These places still matter because people build trust faster when they can meet, listen, and exchange ideas in the same room.  Yet they are no longer...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

GOPURSUE

Empowering the Next Generation

GoPursue is a revolutionary organization transforming the landscape of career exploration for K-12 students. This vibrant social impact company has carved a unique niche in the educational technology space, addressing critical gaps in workforce development and career preparedness. Founded by Kathryn Adabonyan, a former math teacher and career and technical...

Global Innovation Spotlight

Business strategies for integrating slotgames into modern digital markets

As of early 2024, slot games account for nearly 70% of digital casino revenue (H2 Gambling Capital). Rapid advances in mobile and cloud tech have forced companies to rethink launches, promotion, and profit models, while a constant flood of new titles keeps operators and studios scrambling to adapt. Today, success...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

SILEN

HOW SILENCE BECAME SILEN’S GLOBAL LANGUAGE

Silen’s journey began with a simple conviction: silence is not a luxury, but a necessity for focus, creativity, and well-being. What started as an idea in Estonia has grown into the world’s leading provider of office pods and privacy solutions, trusted by companies in more than 60 countries — including...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE

IS A CREATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SPACE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN ATLANTIC CANADA

Students come to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre from all disciplines and for many reasons. Some come with an idea they want to test. Others come to learn the habits and skills of an entrepreneurial mindset – skills like agility, resiliency, design thinking, and leadership. Some come looking for...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FIENTA

REDEFINING TICKETING FOR THE RELATIONSHIP ERA

When Fienta first launched, it was built to solve a deeper problem: how can event organisers build stronger relationships with their audiences – not just sell tickets? A decade later, the Estonia-based company has grown from a grassroots solution into a global platform, helping event organisers in more than 50...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

MONLLOR CAPITAL PARTNERS

MONLLOR CAPITAL PARTNERS-INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF PUERTO

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF PUERTO RICO

With over 27 years of global private equity and investment banking experience, Jose A. Torres returns to Puerto Rico to bring innovation to the alternative assets and private equity industry. INNOVATION IN ALTERNATIVE ASSETSMonllor Capital Partners LLC (“MCP”) was founded in 2018 by Jose A. Torres, as a minority-owned alternative...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

TECHSTARS TORONTO ACCELERATOR

TECHSTARS TORONTO ACCELERATOR- Is The Worldwide Network That Helps Entrepreneurs Succeed

Is The Worldwide Network That Helps Entrepreneurs Succeed

For the past 15 years, Techstars has been running 3-month tech accelerators across the world. Names such as SendGrid, Digital Ocean, Latch, Classpass, Remitly and Kepler Aerospace are some of the 3000 alumni companies to have graduated from a Techstars program.   For 5 years Techstars has operated in Toronto....

INNOVATE® Blockchain

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS

NFT STUDIOS-CHIFIBOTS-CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

CREATING A UNIVERSE FOR ENDLESS FUN

NFT Studios’ primary goal is to build a chain of: games, media, and real life events – based on the colorful characters and universes produced through their debut Play To Earn game “ChiFiBots.” And to also make 100 million players earn 100K USD a year playing our games.   The...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

DGPR

REDEFINING STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR CANADIAN TECH

The Canadian tech sector is booming, there’s no question about that. In 2021, despite the impacts of the pandemic and the general economic downturn, the information and communications technology (ICT) reflected a total 5.3% of the national GDP — that’s $104.5billion. This number, alongside a teeming collective of businesses that...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY (JCSU)

ESPORTS AND GAMING TRIFECTA, THE FIRST AT AN HBCU

In February 2019, a mere conversation that I had with a JCSU athletics administrator about the paucity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that possessed structured on-campus esports programming became the impetus behind my development of a proposal later that day for an esports and gaming academic program. The...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

ERICSSON

ERICSSON-Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility

Imagine A World Where Limitless Connectivity Means Limitless Possibility, It’s Possible

Ericsson has been a critical part of Canada’s innovation and R&D story for 69 years. We are committed to driving the country’s digital agenda through turning-point technologies such as 5G. This means enabling Canada’s industries and service providers to lead on the world stage, supporting major service providers on their...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Synapse Florida

Synapse Florida – Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

SERENDIPITY DOESN’T SCALE. THAT’S WHY WE BUILT SYNAPSE.Synapse Florida, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization connecting innovation communities across Florida, was founded on the premise that serendipity doesn’t scale. By building a state-wide movement, Synapse is enabling innovation partners throughout Florida to find each other and develop relationships in a way that...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Castano Group-Changes the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments.

When innovation is combined with creativity, it not only captures attention, it can create an experience that can lead to change. Castano Group specializes in designing and producing these experiences: multimedia, multisensory engagements that change the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments. Castano Group was launched...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

DOCTORS E-CONSULT

TAKING DIGITAL HEALTH IN BOTSWANA UP A NOTCH!!!

It is without a doubt that the Coronavirus has hampered many businesses, but like they say, “every problem contains in it the seeds of a solution.” From all across the world, solutions have been created to mitigate the effects of the virus, and here in Botswana, the lockdown period presented...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

CLARICY

POWERING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITH DEEPTECH

Founded in 2022 by Johanna Stina Haar (MA) at the age of 24, Claricy is an Estonian DeepTech company that helps small and mid-sized enterprises navigate digital transformation. Johanna holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in IT management, complemented by experience as both a financial specialist...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

NJSBDC

HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES GROW

America’s Small Business Development Centers – New Jersey (NJSBDC), also known as New Jersey Small Business Development Centers, was established by Congress in 1978 as one of the first national SBDC pilot projects leading to the passage of Public Law 96-302. At present the NJSBDC network is comprised of the...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

GOOGLE FIBER

GFIBER HAS WORKED TO ENSURE IT IS DOING ITS PART TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE PARTICULARLY IN TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

“As a Google Fiber team member since 2011, it fills me with immense pride to reflect on our journey – from the selection of Kansas City as our inaugural home to our expansion from coast-to-coast in the last decade. We’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of ultra-high-speed internet in fueling...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

CarpeDM

Innovating the Dating Experience for Professional Black Women

“CarpeDM can have a massive positive impact on the collective economic and health status of the Black community.” Swiping right and superficial connections often dominate the realm of online dating. Naza Shelley founded CarpeDM to revolutionize how professional Black women find love in Washington, D.C., and beyond. This exclusive, member-only...

Ecosystems