Stories of Innovation

Boast’s AI-powered platform maximizes R&D tax credits while accelerating access to funding The good news for companies of all sizes: Each year, the Canadian and U.S. federal governments provide businesses with more than $20 billion in research and development (R&D) credits. The bad news: application processes are cumbersome, time-consuming, and...

For BlackRock, continuous innovation is key. BlackRock’s Aladdin® business—which provides an investment management platform for institutional investors and wealth managers—is at the heart of the company’s tech innovation. Aladdin provides a unified investment management platform that gives clients a full view of their portfolio, across public and private markets—and enables...

Born and designed in Gaborone, Botswana Nako Timepieces are merging innovation and luxury watchmaking that is proudly rooted in Botswana. BRAND PERSONALITYAn embodiment of Afrocentrism, Tswana origins, selfdiscovery, character and endurance. Having stepped over the line of classic iconic style and into the realm of simplicity — Nako Timepieces identifies...

Nxt Level understands that companies struggle with finding and hiring the right team members to create growth. Our recruiting company views things differently. Our goal is to replace the mountain of resumes with a short list of the right people aligned with your job requirements, culture, and values. The entrepreneurial...

The Lourie Center exists to help young children and their caregiving adults overcome adversity and live to their fullest potential. The Lourie Center story is reflected in the heroic stories of our families, like Liliana’s story. Listen to Liliana tell her family’s journey and how The Lourie Center changed her...

Since 2010, Venn Innovation has been helping founders and startup entrepreneurs who want to build scalable technology companies. We help them validate their technology, understand their markets through research and insights, connect them with mentors and experts, and access talent and capital through the collaborative technology ecosystem we are nurturing...

PenPal Schools PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries. Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills. PenPal Schools was recognized by...

Offshore wind presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will further New Jersey’s clean energy goals, create thousands of union construction jobs, and ensure a more resilient environment and economy for future generations. This booming industry will open doors for thousands of New Jerseyans looking to reap the benefits from these investments,...

Sniffer Robotics has quickly become an industry leader in the environmental technology sector. The company develops unique solutions and provides crucial emissions monitoring services to the waste, biogas, and renewable natural gas industries. Their mission is clear: to detect and mitigate methane emissions to help protect our environment. Surface emissions...

In the southern outskirts of Stockholm, in a repurposed industrial facility once devoted to generating heat, something entirely different is now being produced—culture, community, and creative opportunity. Värmeverket, founded as a response to the increasingly precarious conditions for artists and cultural workers, has quickly established itself as one of Sweden’s...

INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES WHEREINNOVATION MEETS GROWTH. Voyager Capital thrives on working with early-stage entrepreneurs who drive innovation and take risks to create new markets. Founded in 1997 in Seattle, WA, Voyager is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in B2B companies in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alberta. When you...

Is revolutionizing the way cannabis is traded by democratizing the global supply chain and building a brand new space for everyone to thrive. Aperon Corporation founded in 2016 by Seattle native Jhavid Mohseni, Aperon Corp has innovated the entire industry by developing key technology tools for stakeholders that allow for...

More than 20 years ago Mikael Ahlström found a large, character-filled space in central Stockholm that was far bigger than he needed for his own companies. Instead of scaling down, he invited friends, collaborators, and other entrepreneurs to join him to share the rent. The results were immediate: projects multiplied,...

What does Modern Trials actually do? Modern Trials provides access to cutting-edge treatments to patients by matching them with appropriate clinical trial opportunities. What do patients have to do? Nothing, that’s the beauty of the Modern Trials process; Modern Trials identifies the patients most likely to benefit from the investigational...

Joe Public was established in Cape Town in 1998 by Gareth Leck and Pepe Marais. They opened the agency’s doors to the public with something completely new, Take-Away Advertising. This revolutionary model allowed hungry clients to order an ad off a menu with a price list, making Joe Public a...

Delivering enterprise-class digital experiences, VizworX is an advanced software solutions services company. Leveraging the latest in augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, complex data visualization, web and mobile technologies and techniques, VizworX supports numerous industries around the world by turning complex data into easily understandable and actionable information. We enable...

Combat Ready emerged from a simple but urgent realization: while management courses abound, practical leadership training was missing in Northern Europe. Founded by veterans of elite military units, the company set out to close this gap by adapting the rigorous methods of Special Forces training to the realities of business...

We partner with entrepreneurs across Africa who are experts in their fields, supporting them in an enabling, energising collaborative environment. We have partnered with agencies that operate independently and have their own P&L, however, our philosophy is built on principles of seamless collaboration. As such our solutions are agnostic and...

In 1976, Serge Codin and Andre Imbeau, two young and ambitious entrepreneurs from Quebec City, Canada founded CGI, Consultants to Government and Industry. With a strong commitment and big dreams, Codin and Imbeau strived to create a company with an enjoyable work environment that promoted collaboration and innovation among its...

RiceMeUp is a food startup with a focus on changing the image of rice. RiceMeUp offers a wide range of rice varieties with the highest quality through an E-commerce channel and carefully selected retailers. The company is founded by Antwerpians Babak Khazaeli and Annemie Struyf. Rice was cultivated in the...

CIRANO is the leading institution in Quebec for knowledge enhancement in the economic evaluation of decisions on major societal issues, and for the development and evaluation of public policies. Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin, Polytechnique Montreal professor, President and CEO, CIRANO Catherine Beaudry Polytechnique Montréal “CIRANO plays a crucial role in Quebec’s...

ELEVATOR PITCH At Civilized Coffee it is not just about sourcing and roasting great coffee—it is about creating a culture around the brand. Northeast Florida has a very strong environment and support system for Coffee and Tea. Their reason to take this small business global was to bring awareness to...

Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) stands as a beacon of innovation, driving forward the boundaries of what’s possible in engineering, business, technology and nursing. With a legacy that intertwines with the heart of Milwaukee’s development, MSOE has become synonymous with excellence, opportunity, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. At the...

Throw in some “What if…” blue sky thinking, a good dollop of youth and passion and Cinevation was born. It was 1997 and cinemas were 35mm which meant advertising took months to produce and was so expensive that it was reserved only for the big guys. Over a glass of...