Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Georgia

AETOS

COME SOAR WITH US

“Our vision is to revolutionize the built environment by using3D scanning technology to enhance how facilities train their staff, manage their assets, and collaborate online.” Named after the Greek word for “eagle” (αετός) we believe that clear sight is the medium through which learning, navigation, safety, and collaboration are most...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Rise of Digital Marketplaces in Commercial Real Estate

The Rise of Digital Marketplaces in Commercial Real Estate The new starting line: discovery happens earlier and faster The rise of digital marketplaces in commercial real estate is most obvious in the first week of a deal. A tenant rep team can build a shortlist in days: saved criteria, map...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Brock Family Center

Accelerating the translation of Vanderbilt discoveries through commercialization and industry partnerships

The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation was established at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2023 through a $10 million gift from the Brock family, including John F. Brock III, his wife, Mary, and their three adult children – Rebecca Brock Dixon, John F. Brock IV and Major Brock. The...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S -WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

The story of Nando’s is well-known to South Africans who grew up alongside us in our relatively new democracy. In 1987 two friends shared a meal at a humble Portuguese eatery in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. Here they were inspired by the taste of the African Bird’s Eye Chilli, a spice that...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

WIB CAPITAL

BUILDING A NEW FRONT DOOR TO INVESTMENT; DESIGNED TO REDUCE BIAS

Early-stage investing is often described as data-driven. In practice, first impressions still decide what gets a meeting and what gets ignored. WiB Capital is building a digital front door to investment that helps startups become investor-ready using AI, while reducing identity-based bias by letting the business case speak first. The...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Zentrix.ai

The Founders of Zentrix.ai Turn Their Passion for Stock Trading and Innovation Into an AI-Powered Stock Insights Platform

Founded in 2024 by Wyatt Johnson and Connor Van Crete, Zentrix.ai brings the tools and confidence of institutional trading to retail stock traders. Wyatt and Connor became interested in the stock market throughout high school, and quickly came to understand how cut-throat it can be. Conducting thorough research and data...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

SHANDA STUDIO

Empowering Voices to Share Their Stories Through Podcasting

In a world where storytelling has the power to inspire, educate, and connect people, two Georgetown MBA students, Dumi and Paul, have embarked on a mission to democratize the podcasting medium with their innovative startup, Shanda Studio. Born out of Dumi’s personal experience growing up in Zimbabwe, where media freedom...

INNOVATE® Georgia

LEAPFROG

DELIVERING EXTRAORDINARY IT AND CYBERSECURITY SERVICES FOR 25 YEARS.

Established in 1998, Leapfrog is one of the first US providers to offer remote IT management. They’ve been innovating ever since while adhering to their core principles – Integrity, Service, and People – (they call it “Frogma”) to help clients achieve, grow, and prosper. “Like many innovations, Leapfrog was created...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

NAKO TIMEPIECES

NAKO TIMEPIECES- A LUXURY WATCH DESIGNER BRAND WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

A LUXURY WATCH DESIGNER BRAND WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

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...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

INC.AFRICA

INC.AFRICA -WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

Why are there so many books about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in online book stores and libraries, but so few of the innovators redefining Africa? “All you have to do is Google an African innovator and almost nothing pops up,” says researcher Nnamdi Oranye, who is also...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

INCEPTIONU

The Un-School challenging Calgarians to think and build differently

Have you ever thought about the difference between being future proof or future fit? InceptionU co-founders Margo Purcell and Greg Hart certainly have. In fact, the two Calgary professionals have built a business around it. InceptionU is a place of meaningful learning where individuals, businesses and organizations go to learn...

INNOVATION Quebec

OROT

CONNECTED HEALTH INNOVATION HUB

The connected health innovation hub – OROT plays a key role in revolutionizing how health and medical technologies are developed to improve care. Clinicians, researchers, healthcare users and entrepreneurs are challenged to use innovative, human-centred design to create exceptional, lower-cost experiences for healthcare recipients. OROT is part of the Integrated...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

Saunum

Revolution in Sauna Technology

SAUNUM’S UNIQUE BENEFITS SAUNUM’S UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION: HEALTH, INNOVATION, AND MARKET DIFFERENTIATION The Story of Saunum Andrus Vare, Thermal Engineer and The Creator of Saunum: “Inspired by the experience of my grandparents’ 100-year-old smoke sauna, I set out to create an innovative solution that combines the best features of a...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

RENAULT

RENAULT- Is a Brand With 123 Years Of Existence

Is a Brand With 123 Years Of Existence, Which Has Always Been Distinguished By Its Ability To Innovate, Democratizing Technologies, Making Them Accessible To All

It all started in 1898, when Louis Renault drove his Renault “Voiturette” up Rue Lepic in Paris with astonishing ease. That ease came from one of his inventions, the first gearbox. Since then, this has been Renault’s DNA, to innovate and democratize the use of technologies that contribute to comfort,...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

THE MUNICIPALITY OF OEIRAS ARTS AND CULTURE

THE MUNICIPALITY OF OEIRAS ARTS AND CULTURE-Oeiras

Oeiras, Facing Its Future

In recent decades, Oeiras has seen some very significant changes. Namely, the housing qualification cycle – Oeiras was the first municipality in the country to eliminate shanties, providing decent housing to all residents. The cycle of attracting business, science and innovation is also worth mentioning; Oeiras is home to the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

LOG!VILLE

Where logistics and innovation meet

In the fall of 2021, VIL (Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics –http://www.vil.be/) opened its demonstration center Log!Ville at the Science Park in Niel, centrally located between Antwerp and Brussels. It was founded by VIL to accelerate the transfer/dissemination of innovative technologies and concepts in the field of transport and logistics...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

Stone & Chalk Group

Is the largest innovation community in Australia.

Since its inception in 2015, Stone & Chalk’s mission has been to transform Australia into a sustainable, technology-driven economy. As a not-for-profit, purpose-driven, and sustainable organisation, Stone & Chalk works to support startups, scaleups, corporations, and governments through every stage of their innovation journey. The Stone & Chalk capital G...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SERIOUSLY CREATIVE

Not your Business-as-Usual

SeriouslyCreative is an innovation, strategy and experience by design firm. They believe the most valuable asset in an organization is its humans. That is why their mission is to empower people with the mindset, confidence, skills and tools they need to become agents of change for organizations, communities and the...

INNOVATION Quebec

BIOQuébec

BIOQuébec-Your Gateway to the Life Sciences Sector

BIOQuébec Your Gateway to the Life Sciences Sector

Through its relationships with organizations in all parts of the life sciences value chain, BIOQuébec helps you explore new business opportunities and connect with key people in Quebec’s ecosystem. Emmanuelle Toussaint, Executive Director, BIOQuébec Since 1991, the biotechnology and life sciences association has been promoting this industry’s growth in Quebec....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MITACS

MITACS -EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS DELIVER UNIQUE INNOVATION

EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS DELIVER UNIQUE INNOVATION

A national, bilingual, not-for-profit organization, Mitacs empowers Canadian innovation through effective partnerships that deliver solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. This effort is supported by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and other provincial and territorial governments. By driving economic growth and productivity, Mitacs creates meaningful change...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

BLUE & WHITE

BLUE & WHITE- TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

Do you work in construction, transport or logistics, or are you a manager or manager in one of these sectors? Then safety training has no secrets for you. From transport and logistics training to health training, from road codes and freight documents to training with rolling bridges, excavators and fire...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

JOAQUIM CHAVES SAÚDE (JCS)

JOAQUIM CHAVES SAÚDE (JCS)-INNOVATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH

INNOVATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH

Joaquim Chaves Saúde (JCS) is a Portuguese group operating in the health sector since 1959, which participates with great skill and quality in the progress of medicine, always maintaining the highest standards while providing customers with the best healthcare. Dr. Joaquim Chaves Dr. Joaquim Chaves (founder of the current JCS...

INNOVATE® Seattle

First Mode

Accelerating a Diesel-Free Future - For People and Planet

ON THE PATH TO ZERO™ Decarbonization innovator First Mode develops and manufactures clean energy solutions for heavy industry, including the mining sector, which contributes 4-7% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. In 2022, First Mode in partnership with Anglo American debuted the world’s largest zero-emissions truck by retrofitting a Komatsu...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

Ensemble

Long-Term Capital, Real Assets, and Regional Growth: Ensemble’s Development Strategy in Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s real estate landscape is rapidly evolving. Shifts in work patterns, the growth of life sciences and advanced manufacturing, and increased expectations for sustainability, affordability, and community impact are reshaping demand. In this environment, successful development requires more than opportunistic execution—it demands patient capital, long-term planning, and the ability to...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AETOS

COME SOAR WITH US

“Our vision is to revolutionize the built environment by using3D scanning technology to enhance how facilities train their staff, manage their assets, and collaborate online.” Named after the Greek word for “eagle” (αετός) we believe that clear sight is the medium through which learning, navigation, safety, and collaboration are most...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Rise of Digital Marketplaces in Commercial Real Estate

The Rise of Digital Marketplaces in Commercial Real Estate The new starting line: discovery happens earlier and faster The rise of digital marketplaces in commercial real estate is most obvious in the first week of a deal. A tenant rep team can build a shortlist in days: saved criteria, map...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Brock Family Center

Accelerating the translation of Vanderbilt discoveries through commercialization and industry partnerships

The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation was established at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2023 through a $10 million gift from the Brock family, including John F. Brock III, his wife, Mary, and their three adult children – Rebecca Brock Dixon, John F. Brock IV and Major Brock. The...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S -WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

The story of Nando’s is well-known to South Africans who grew up alongside us in our relatively new democracy. In 1987 two friends shared a meal at a humble Portuguese eatery in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. Here they were inspired by the taste of the African Bird’s Eye Chilli, a spice that...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

WIB CAPITAL

BUILDING A NEW FRONT DOOR TO INVESTMENT; DESIGNED TO REDUCE BIAS

Early-stage investing is often described as data-driven. In practice, first impressions still decide what gets a meeting and what gets ignored. WiB Capital is building a digital front door to investment that helps startups become investor-ready using AI, while reducing identity-based bias by letting the business case speak first. The...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Zentrix.ai

The Founders of Zentrix.ai Turn Their Passion for Stock Trading and Innovation Into an AI-Powered Stock Insights Platform

Founded in 2024 by Wyatt Johnson and Connor Van Crete, Zentrix.ai brings the tools and confidence of institutional trading to retail stock traders. Wyatt and Connor became interested in the stock market throughout high school, and quickly came to understand how cut-throat it can be. Conducting thorough research and data...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

SHANDA STUDIO

Empowering Voices to Share Their Stories Through Podcasting

In a world where storytelling has the power to inspire, educate, and connect people, two Georgetown MBA students, Dumi and Paul, have embarked on a mission to democratize the podcasting medium with their innovative startup, Shanda Studio. Born out of Dumi’s personal experience growing up in Zimbabwe, where media freedom...

INNOVATE® Georgia

LEAPFROG

DELIVERING EXTRAORDINARY IT AND CYBERSECURITY SERVICES FOR 25 YEARS.

Established in 1998, Leapfrog is one of the first US providers to offer remote IT management. They’ve been innovating ever since while adhering to their core principles – Integrity, Service, and People – (they call it “Frogma”) to help clients achieve, grow, and prosper. “Like many innovations, Leapfrog was created...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

NAKO TIMEPIECES

NAKO TIMEPIECES- A LUXURY WATCH DESIGNER BRAND WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

A LUXURY WATCH DESIGNER BRAND WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

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...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

INC.AFRICA

INC.AFRICA -WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

Why are there so many books about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in online book stores and libraries, but so few of the innovators redefining Africa? “All you have to do is Google an African innovator and almost nothing pops up,” says researcher Nnamdi Oranye, who is also...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

INCEPTIONU

The Un-School challenging Calgarians to think and build differently

Have you ever thought about the difference between being future proof or future fit? InceptionU co-founders Margo Purcell and Greg Hart certainly have. In fact, the two Calgary professionals have built a business around it. InceptionU is a place of meaningful learning where individuals, businesses and organizations go to learn...

INNOVATION Quebec

OROT

CONNECTED HEALTH INNOVATION HUB

The connected health innovation hub – OROT plays a key role in revolutionizing how health and medical technologies are developed to improve care. Clinicians, researchers, healthcare users and entrepreneurs are challenged to use innovative, human-centred design to create exceptional, lower-cost experiences for healthcare recipients. OROT is part of the Integrated...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

Saunum

Revolution in Sauna Technology

SAUNUM’S UNIQUE BENEFITS SAUNUM’S UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION: HEALTH, INNOVATION, AND MARKET DIFFERENTIATION The Story of Saunum Andrus Vare, Thermal Engineer and The Creator of Saunum: “Inspired by the experience of my grandparents’ 100-year-old smoke sauna, I set out to create an innovative solution that combines the best features of a...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

RENAULT

RENAULT- Is a Brand With 123 Years Of Existence

Is a Brand With 123 Years Of Existence, Which Has Always Been Distinguished By Its Ability To Innovate, Democratizing Technologies, Making Them Accessible To All

It all started in 1898, when Louis Renault drove his Renault “Voiturette” up Rue Lepic in Paris with astonishing ease. That ease came from one of his inventions, the first gearbox. Since then, this has been Renault’s DNA, to innovate and democratize the use of technologies that contribute to comfort,...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

THE MUNICIPALITY OF OEIRAS ARTS AND CULTURE

THE MUNICIPALITY OF OEIRAS ARTS AND CULTURE-Oeiras

Oeiras, Facing Its Future

In recent decades, Oeiras has seen some very significant changes. Namely, the housing qualification cycle – Oeiras was the first municipality in the country to eliminate shanties, providing decent housing to all residents. The cycle of attracting business, science and innovation is also worth mentioning; Oeiras is home to the...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

LOG!VILLE

Where logistics and innovation meet

In the fall of 2021, VIL (Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics –http://www.vil.be/) opened its demonstration center Log!Ville at the Science Park in Niel, centrally located between Antwerp and Brussels. It was founded by VIL to accelerate the transfer/dissemination of innovative technologies and concepts in the field of transport and logistics...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

Stone & Chalk Group

Is the largest innovation community in Australia.

Since its inception in 2015, Stone & Chalk’s mission has been to transform Australia into a sustainable, technology-driven economy. As a not-for-profit, purpose-driven, and sustainable organisation, Stone & Chalk works to support startups, scaleups, corporations, and governments through every stage of their innovation journey. The Stone & Chalk capital G...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SERIOUSLY CREATIVE

Not your Business-as-Usual

SeriouslyCreative is an innovation, strategy and experience by design firm. They believe the most valuable asset in an organization is its humans. That is why their mission is to empower people with the mindset, confidence, skills and tools they need to become agents of change for organizations, communities and the...

INNOVATION Quebec

BIOQuébec

BIOQuébec-Your Gateway to the Life Sciences Sector

BIOQuébec Your Gateway to the Life Sciences Sector

Through its relationships with organizations in all parts of the life sciences value chain, BIOQuébec helps you explore new business opportunities and connect with key people in Quebec’s ecosystem. Emmanuelle Toussaint, Executive Director, BIOQuébec Since 1991, the biotechnology and life sciences association has been promoting this industry’s growth in Quebec....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MITACS

MITACS -EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS DELIVER UNIQUE INNOVATION

EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS DELIVER UNIQUE INNOVATION

A national, bilingual, not-for-profit organization, Mitacs empowers Canadian innovation through effective partnerships that deliver solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. This effort is supported by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and other provincial and territorial governments. By driving economic growth and productivity, Mitacs creates meaningful change...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

BLUE & WHITE

BLUE & WHITE- TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

Do you work in construction, transport or logistics, or are you a manager or manager in one of these sectors? Then safety training has no secrets for you. From transport and logistics training to health training, from road codes and freight documents to training with rolling bridges, excavators and fire...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

JOAQUIM CHAVES SAÚDE (JCS)

JOAQUIM CHAVES SAÚDE (JCS)-INNOVATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH

INNOVATION TO PROMOTE HEALTH

Joaquim Chaves Saúde (JCS) is a Portuguese group operating in the health sector since 1959, which participates with great skill and quality in the progress of medicine, always maintaining the highest standards while providing customers with the best healthcare. Dr. Joaquim Chaves Dr. Joaquim Chaves (founder of the current JCS...

INNOVATE® Seattle

First Mode

Accelerating a Diesel-Free Future - For People and Planet

ON THE PATH TO ZERO™ Decarbonization innovator First Mode develops and manufactures clean energy solutions for heavy industry, including the mining sector, which contributes 4-7% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. In 2022, First Mode in partnership with Anglo American debuted the world’s largest zero-emissions truck by retrofitting a Komatsu...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

Ensemble

Long-Term Capital, Real Assets, and Regional Growth: Ensemble’s Development Strategy in Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s real estate landscape is rapidly evolving. Shifts in work patterns, the growth of life sciences and advanced manufacturing, and increased expectations for sustainability, affordability, and community impact are reshaping demand. In this environment, successful development requires more than opportunistic execution—it demands patient capital, long-term planning, and the ability to...

Ecosystems