Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Alberta

VIZWORX

VIZWORX-

Creating Visibly Better Enterprise Software Solutions Through Advanced Technology

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

CTGN

LE CTGN, VOTRE PARTENAIRE POUR UNE UTILISATION PLUS RESPONSABLE DE L’ÉNERGIE

Fondé en 1992, le CTGN est un centre de recherche et développement, à but non lucratif, spécialisé dans les technologies énergétiques. Bien que l’utilisation du gaz naturel soit à l’origine de sa raison d’être, le CTGN travaille activement, depuis 2007, à l’intégration des énergies nouvelles, notamment le gaz naturel renouvelable, l’hydrogène,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

Grupo Boticário

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY

Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

TECHNORI

TECHNORI-Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago

Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago, Our Mission Has Been Simple; Help Founders More Easily Raise Startup Funds By Building a Community Around Tech And Investing

Before Chicago became a tech hub featuring world-renowned incubators like 1871 and more than a dozen unicorns, there was Technori – a small group of early adopters and startup founders on a mission to turn Chicago into the largest and most diverse tech community in the world. And, what began...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VONDER

TOOL IS VONDER!

With more than 25 years of history, VONDER is proud to offer the best, most complete and award-winning mix of tools, hardware, machinery and equipment for professional use on the market. There are more than 12 thousand items in line, covering segments such as civil construction, mechanics and automotive care,...

INNOVATE® South Florida

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ALLIANCE

WORK IN THE CLOUD. LIVE IN THE SUN.™

Greater Fort Lauderdale has played an important role as a birthplace of global technology and innovation. This is evident in the products, services, and devices people use daily, including personal computers, mobile phones, mixed reality, satellite radio, and even pet products. Greater Fort Lauderdale is the launchpad for such household...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

YOCO

YOCO-PASSION

PASSION, TALENT AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE SEE YOCO GROW INTO A LEADING AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN A FEW SHORT YEARS

In a few short years since launching in 2015, Yoco has grown into an African technology company that is ready to take on the world. With its focus on creating opportunities for small businesses, breaking down the barriers they face, and helping them to participate fully in a more inclusive...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

BLK WOMEN IN EXCELLENCE SOCIETY

In a World Where Entrepreneurship Can Be a Daunting Journey, the Canadian BLK Women in Excellence Society has Emerged as a Beacon of Support, empowerment, and Innovation.

Founded in 2020, BWIE is a pioneering organization dedicated to providing Black women with the tools, resources, and community necessary to thrive in the business world. Through a combination of mentorship, education, and funding opportunities, BWIE has cultivated an ecosystem that uplifts Black women and fosters economic development in Canada....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

AIRMATRIX

AIRMATRIX- BUILDS THE WORLD'S MOST PRECISE DRONE ROAD SYSTEMS

BUILDS THE WORLD'S MOST PRECISE DRONE ROAD SYSTEMS

Co-founded by University of Toronto graduates, Bashir Khan, Ayaan Haider and Shayaan Haider in 2018, AirMatrix builds the world’s most precise drone road systems. AirMatrix is innovating at the bleeding edge and is affiliated with Communitech, MaRS, IRAP and DMZ. AirMatrix is a member of Transport Canada’s action team on...

INNOVATE® Nashville

LODESTONE ADVISORY GROUP

Is reimagining venture capital and economic development from the ground up

When we founded Lodestone Advisory Group in 2013, business leaders were tired of a management consulting industry that was a stiff, black box offering one-size-fits-all “solutions,” with little accountability on end results. Lodestone, named after the naturally occurring magnetic powder that gave early merchants and tradesmen the ability to navigate...

INNOVATION Quebec

PME MTL

SERVING MONTRÉAL ENTREPRENEURS

The mission of PME MTL, Ville de Montréal support network for businesses, is to anticipate and foster the socioeconomic development of our communities in an integrated, concerted and sustainable manner. PME MTL offers financing and support for: It offers support to private sector and social economy entrepreneurs on the Island...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

VITO

VITO-VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VITO is a leading international research centre. We focus on applied research and advice, bridging the gap between fundamental research and the industry.   We accelerate the transition to a sustainable world; we provide knowledge and technological innovations that facilitate this transition to a more sustainable society. We de-risk innovation...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:

How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform

Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

Genesis

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

Perched on a cliffside above the historic harbour of North America’s oldest city, Genesis is literally and figuratively at the edge of innovation, helping shape one of Atlantic Canada’s most vibrant startup communities. Since its launch in 1997, Genesis programming has been the starting point for over 1,000 aspiring tech...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Pope Francis Center

Works Toward a Detroit Future Without Chronic Homelessness

“When we work together, miracles happen.” Fr. Tim McCabe, SJ, says those words often. Fr. Tim, as he is known, is president and CEO of the Pope Francis Center (PFC), a Detroit nonprofit that serves people experiencing homelessness. PFC started humbly in 1990 when Saints Peter and Paul Jesuit Church...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

REAL VENTURES

REAL VENTURES -CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

Real Ventures is one of Canada’s most active early-stage venture capital firms, dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and nurturing the communities in which they thrive. In 2007, we questioned why brilliant Canadian founders should have to fly to San Francisco to raise seed capital. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TARTU CENTRE FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

A CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Nurturing Creative Entrepreneurship The Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (TCCI) distinguishes itself in Europe through its dedicated regional focus on South Estonia’s creative sector, enabling tailored support. TCCI actively fosters cross-sectoral collaboration through high-profile events like sTARTUp Day’s Creative Industries Pitching Competition and the Estonian Fashion Festival, connecting creatives with...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL

INNOVATING IN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 165 YEARS

INNOVATING IN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 165 YEARS Founded in 1857, Northwestern Mutual, a FORTUNE 500® financial services company, embodies a unique culture dedicated to helping people achieve financial security. As a mutual company, Northwestern Mutual answers to its policy owners — not Wall Street. Through a comprehensive planning...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

PRITZKER GROUP

HELPING ENTREPRENEURS ACHIEVE GREATNESS

ABOUT PGVC Pritzker Group, founded by Tony and J.B. Pritzker, has three principal investment teams: Venture Capital, which provides early-stage venture funding to technology companies throughout the United States; Private Capital, which acquires and operates leading North America based companies; and Asset Management, which partners with top-performing investment managers across...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Atkins

Atkins - A Member Of The SNC-Lavalin Group

A Member Of The SNC-Lavalin Group, Is One Of The World’s Most Respected Design, Engineering And Project Management Consultancies.

There is an expectation that Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) will play a significant role in the future of transport. They have the potential to address critical safety issues associated with human-driven vehicles, and to increase accessibility and inclusivity, addressing some of the broader socio-economic challenges faced by an ageing...

INNOVATION Quebec

Québec VITAE

The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster

Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

NOVELYEAST

SUPERIOR YEAST AS A TARGET AND A TOOL

NovelYeast is an R&D company with world-leading expertise in the design and development of superior industrial yeast strains. Our superior yeast strains for bioethanol and isobutanol production support the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy in the sectors of automobile and aviation transport. Superior yeast strains for production of...

INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®

MBQ PHARMA

The first biopharmaceutical drug development company started in Puerto Rico based on proprietary research in cancer, autoimmune and fibrotic diseases

Selective Targeting of GTPases – A novel, promising approach to treating Cancer, Autoimmune Conditions and Chronic Fibrotic DiseaseMBQ PHARMA – The Company and its missionMBQ Pharma is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing treatments with high unmet medical needs such as Cancer, Autoimmune Disease and Chronic Fibrotic Syndromes. Our...

AI Québec

L’INSTITUT INTELLIGENCE ET DONNÉES (IID)

UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE COLLABORATION INCONTOURNABLE DANS LES DOMAINES DE L’INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE ET DE LA VALORISATION DES DONNÉES

Inauguré en janvier 2020, l’Institut intelligence et données (IID) de l’Université Laval réunit les forces vives de la recherche et de l’innovation en intelligence artificielle (IA) et en valorisation des données de la grande région de Québec. De la recherche appliquée ou fondamentale, en passant par les grands enjeux éthiques,...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

VIZWORX

VIZWORX-

Creating Visibly Better Enterprise Software Solutions Through Advanced Technology

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

CTGN

LE CTGN, VOTRE PARTENAIRE POUR UNE UTILISATION PLUS RESPONSABLE DE L’ÉNERGIE

Fondé en 1992, le CTGN est un centre de recherche et développement, à but non lucratif, spécialisé dans les technologies énergétiques. Bien que l’utilisation du gaz naturel soit à l’origine de sa raison d’être, le CTGN travaille activement, depuis 2007, à l’intégration des énergies nouvelles, notamment le gaz naturel renouvelable, l’hydrogène,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

Grupo Boticário

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY

Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

TECHNORI

TECHNORI-Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago

Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago, Our Mission Has Been Simple; Help Founders More Easily Raise Startup Funds By Building a Community Around Tech And Investing

Before Chicago became a tech hub featuring world-renowned incubators like 1871 and more than a dozen unicorns, there was Technori – a small group of early adopters and startup founders on a mission to turn Chicago into the largest and most diverse tech community in the world. And, what began...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

VONDER

TOOL IS VONDER!

With more than 25 years of history, VONDER is proud to offer the best, most complete and award-winning mix of tools, hardware, machinery and equipment for professional use on the market. There are more than 12 thousand items in line, covering segments such as civil construction, mechanics and automotive care,...

INNOVATE® South Florida

GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ALLIANCE

WORK IN THE CLOUD. LIVE IN THE SUN.™

Greater Fort Lauderdale has played an important role as a birthplace of global technology and innovation. This is evident in the products, services, and devices people use daily, including personal computers, mobile phones, mixed reality, satellite radio, and even pet products. Greater Fort Lauderdale is the launchpad for such household...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

YOCO

YOCO-PASSION

PASSION, TALENT AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE SEE YOCO GROW INTO A LEADING AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN A FEW SHORT YEARS

In a few short years since launching in 2015, Yoco has grown into an African technology company that is ready to take on the world. With its focus on creating opportunities for small businesses, breaking down the barriers they face, and helping them to participate fully in a more inclusive...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

BLK WOMEN IN EXCELLENCE SOCIETY

In a World Where Entrepreneurship Can Be a Daunting Journey, the Canadian BLK Women in Excellence Society has Emerged as a Beacon of Support, empowerment, and Innovation.

Founded in 2020, BWIE is a pioneering organization dedicated to providing Black women with the tools, resources, and community necessary to thrive in the business world. Through a combination of mentorship, education, and funding opportunities, BWIE has cultivated an ecosystem that uplifts Black women and fosters economic development in Canada....

INNOVATE™ Toronto

AIRMATRIX

AIRMATRIX- BUILDS THE WORLD'S MOST PRECISE DRONE ROAD SYSTEMS

BUILDS THE WORLD'S MOST PRECISE DRONE ROAD SYSTEMS

Co-founded by University of Toronto graduates, Bashir Khan, Ayaan Haider and Shayaan Haider in 2018, AirMatrix builds the world’s most precise drone road systems. AirMatrix is innovating at the bleeding edge and is affiliated with Communitech, MaRS, IRAP and DMZ. AirMatrix is a member of Transport Canada’s action team on...

INNOVATE® Nashville

LODESTONE ADVISORY GROUP

Is reimagining venture capital and economic development from the ground up

When we founded Lodestone Advisory Group in 2013, business leaders were tired of a management consulting industry that was a stiff, black box offering one-size-fits-all “solutions,” with little accountability on end results. Lodestone, named after the naturally occurring magnetic powder that gave early merchants and tradesmen the ability to navigate...

INNOVATION Quebec

PME MTL

SERVING MONTRÉAL ENTREPRENEURS

The mission of PME MTL, Ville de Montréal support network for businesses, is to anticipate and foster the socioeconomic development of our communities in an integrated, concerted and sustainable manner. PME MTL offers financing and support for: It offers support to private sector and social economy entrepreneurs on the Island...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

VITO

VITO-VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VITO is a leading international research centre. We focus on applied research and advice, bridging the gap between fundamental research and the industry.   We accelerate the transition to a sustainable world; we provide knowledge and technological innovations that facilitate this transition to a more sustainable society. We de-risk innovation...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Vision Behind Soft2Bet:

How Uri Poliavich Built More Than a Platform

Not every founder is a product person. Fewer still are patient. But Uri Poliavich built Soft2Bet by being both. From the start, he wasn’t chasing headlines or hype—he was building an engine for growth. Not the flashy kind. The kind that lasts. He understood something early on that many in...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

Genesis

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

Perched on a cliffside above the historic harbour of North America’s oldest city, Genesis is literally and figuratively at the edge of innovation, helping shape one of Atlantic Canada’s most vibrant startup communities. Since its launch in 1997, Genesis programming has been the starting point for over 1,000 aspiring tech...

INNOVATE® Detroit

Pope Francis Center

Works Toward a Detroit Future Without Chronic Homelessness

“When we work together, miracles happen.” Fr. Tim McCabe, SJ, says those words often. Fr. Tim, as he is known, is president and CEO of the Pope Francis Center (PFC), a Detroit nonprofit that serves people experiencing homelessness. PFC started humbly in 1990 when Saints Peter and Paul Jesuit Church...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

REAL VENTURES

REAL VENTURES -CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

CANADA’S MOST ACTIVE EARLY-STAGE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM

Real Ventures is one of Canada’s most active early-stage venture capital firms, dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and nurturing the communities in which they thrive. In 2007, we questioned why brilliant Canadian founders should have to fly to San Francisco to raise seed capital. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TARTU CENTRE FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

A CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Nurturing Creative Entrepreneurship The Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (TCCI) distinguishes itself in Europe through its dedicated regional focus on South Estonia’s creative sector, enabling tailored support. TCCI actively fosters cross-sectoral collaboration through high-profile events like sTARTUp Day’s Creative Industries Pitching Competition and the Estonian Fashion Festival, connecting creatives with...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL

INNOVATING IN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 165 YEARS

INNOVATING IN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 165 YEARS Founded in 1857, Northwestern Mutual, a FORTUNE 500® financial services company, embodies a unique culture dedicated to helping people achieve financial security. As a mutual company, Northwestern Mutual answers to its policy owners — not Wall Street. Through a comprehensive planning...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

PRITZKER GROUP

HELPING ENTREPRENEURS ACHIEVE GREATNESS

ABOUT PGVC Pritzker Group, founded by Tony and J.B. Pritzker, has three principal investment teams: Venture Capital, which provides early-stage venture funding to technology companies throughout the United States; Private Capital, which acquires and operates leading North America based companies; and Asset Management, which partners with top-performing investment managers across...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Atkins

Atkins - A Member Of The SNC-Lavalin Group

A Member Of The SNC-Lavalin Group, Is One Of The World’s Most Respected Design, Engineering And Project Management Consultancies.

There is an expectation that Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) will play a significant role in the future of transport. They have the potential to address critical safety issues associated with human-driven vehicles, and to increase accessibility and inclusivity, addressing some of the broader socio-economic challenges faced by an ageing...

INNOVATION Quebec

Québec VITAE

The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster

Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

NOVELYEAST

SUPERIOR YEAST AS A TARGET AND A TOOL

NovelYeast is an R&D company with world-leading expertise in the design and development of superior industrial yeast strains. Our superior yeast strains for bioethanol and isobutanol production support the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy in the sectors of automobile and aviation transport. Superior yeast strains for production of...

INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®

MBQ PHARMA

The first biopharmaceutical drug development company started in Puerto Rico based on proprietary research in cancer, autoimmune and fibrotic diseases

Selective Targeting of GTPases – A novel, promising approach to treating Cancer, Autoimmune Conditions and Chronic Fibrotic DiseaseMBQ PHARMA – The Company and its missionMBQ Pharma is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing treatments with high unmet medical needs such as Cancer, Autoimmune Disease and Chronic Fibrotic Syndromes. Our...

AI Québec

L’INSTITUT INTELLIGENCE ET DONNÉES (IID)

UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE COLLABORATION INCONTOURNABLE DANS LES DOMAINES DE L’INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE ET DE LA VALORISATION DES DONNÉES

Inauguré en janvier 2020, l’Institut intelligence et données (IID) de l’Université Laval réunit les forces vives de la recherche et de l’innovation en intelligence artificielle (IA) et en valorisation des données de la grande région de Québec. De la recherche appliquée ou fondamentale, en passant par les grands enjeux éthiques,...

Ecosystems