Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

FINDORFF

TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY

TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY For over a decade, Findorff has been honored to build, reimagine, and renovate various spaces at Marquette University. From smaller and expedited projects to multi-million state-of-the-art facilities, Findorff understands the importance of innovation and deeply appreciates and values...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BIORN GROUP CYBER

TECHNOLOGISTS ASPIRING THROUGH SERVANT LEADERSHIP (TASL)

In 2019, the vision for Technologists Aspiring Through Servant Leadership (TASL), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established in Charleston, SC. Founded by Khanh Tran, TASL’s core mission was to address a critical need: preparing aspiring technologists, especially veterans and individuals from non-traditional backgrounds, for successful careers in the global digital...

INNOVATE® Seattle

SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK

SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.

Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...

INNOVATE® Detroit

M1 Concourse

The Heart of Automotive Passion

Along the legendary Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan, M1 Concourse is a world-class motorsports and automotive event destination. Spanning an impressive 87 acres, it is a hub for high-speed excitement and unmatched automotive culture. Whether you’re a dedicated car enthusiast, an adrenaline junkie looking for high-speed track adventures, or someone...

Global Innovation Spotlight

5 Ways a State Can Support Its Tech Startup Ecosystem

A thriving startup ecosystem rarely appears by accident or grows without meaningful support. Behind every successful innovation hub stands a combination of smart policies, talented people, and long-term planning.  According to Tech Monitor, startup failures in the US surged by almost 60% in 2024 due to high inflation and low...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

TECHNOLOGIA OBRA PRIMA

A PERSONAL NEED CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT REVOLUTIONIZES AN INDUSTRY

The story of Obra Prima is an account of how a personal need can be transformed into an innovative solution that revolutionizes an industry. It all began when Wilson, the founder and director of the company, embarked on the journey of building his own house. Faced with challenges from the...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CHARTER GLOBAL

A LEGACY OF INNOVATION: THE CHARTER GLOBAL STORY, MAKING IT HAPPEN SINCE 1994

In 1994, Atlanta’s tech scene was buzzing with a multitude of possibilities. It was amidst this dynamic landscape that Murli Reddy, a visionary leader with a deep understanding of technology’s potential, saw an opportunity. He dreamt of a company that wouldn’t just offer generic solutions but one that would become...

INNOVATION Manitoba

OUTREACHGENIUS

THE SILENT REVENUE LEAK KILLING FRANCHISE GROWTH, AND THE AI PLATFORM FIXING IT

OutreachGenius is an AI voice platform built to help franchise brands and home service businesses capture every sales opportunity – without increasing headcount. In the home services industry, missed calls, unworked leads, and slow follow-up create a silent but significant revenue leak. For franchisors and their operators, the cost is...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ELCOGEN

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLID OXIDE CELLS AND STACKS FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEMS AND ELECTROLYSERS

Elcogen’s roots trace back to Estonia’s post-independence period in the early 1990s. With the country newly liberated from Soviet rule, Estonia faced a major challenge in reorganizing its energy infrastructure. Energy prices soared, and the need for energy independence became critical. Enn Õunpuu, who had helped establish the Estonian Power...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

SAM

SAM-SENSORY-FRIENDLY CLOTHING THAT LOWERS STRESS

SENSORY - FRIENDLY CLOTHING THAT LOWERS STRESS

Every day we experience an overload of sensory stimuli: we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste a lot. Whenever our brain has a hard time filtering and processing all those stimuli, this can lead to overstimulation. Children who are highly sensitive, have ASD, ADHD, mental limitations, or brain injuries are...

INNOVATION Quebec

IRDQ

IRDQ-Une porte d’entrée gratuite vers les infrastructures R-D du Québec

A free gateway to Quebec’s R&D infrastructures

In an effort to facilitate its use when developing new applications, the Infrastructure en recherche et développement du Québec (IRDQ) [Quebec research and development infrastructure] portal brings together worldclass facilities and state-of-the-art equipment from universities, college technology transfer centres (CTTC), and public research centres. The IRDQ’s objective is to provide...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

DMG EVENTS

INNOVATING THE BUSINESS OF FACE-TO-FACE EVENTS , THE GLOBAL EXHIBITIONS INDUSTRY IS OF KEY ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE AND IS BY NO MEANS AN INSIGNIFICANT BUSINESS

Worldwide there are approximately 32 000 exhibitions each year, featuring 4.5 million exhibiting companies and attracting over 303 million visitors....

Global Innovation Spotlight

Everything You Need to Know When You Arrive in Canada as a South African

Screenshot of the South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) website with the tagline “Helping South Africans Make Canada Home,” showcasing resources, checklists, and community support for South African expats in Canada.

The South African Institute of Canada Has Your Back

Moving to Canada as a South African is an exciting leap, but it comes with a steep learning curve—especially when it comes to settling in. From pre-departure checklists to navigating life after arrival, everything you need to know when you arrive in Canada as a South African can feel overwhelming....

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

PLANET ARK POWER

THE FUTURE OF DISTRIBUTED CLEAN ENERGY IS ELEXSYS™

Planet Ark Power is a leading Australian clean energy provider for solar, storage, EV charging and microgrid solutions across the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector, as well as for recreation, education, health, and government facilities. Internationally, they are known as eleXsys Energy. They are the developer of a unique, enabling...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CNETE

LE TISSU INDUSTRIEL DU CANADA ÉTANT COMPOSÉ DE PME, ON NE PEUT PENSER QUE CHACUNE D’ELLE SE DOTE D’UN LABORATOIRE OU D’UN DÉPARTEMENT DE RECHERCHE. Dans les faits, bien peu possèdent les équipements nécessaires et les ressources humaines sensibles à l’importance de l’innovation continue. Le CNETE vient combler ces besoins....

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

ACCLAIM EXPRESS

ACCLAIM EXPRESS- IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM

IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM

Acclaim will serve as a Virtual Business Environment (VBE) for all small businesses globally. The idea is to take small businesses to the internet and be able to create virtual offices, stalls, and markets which are manageable. This innovation was inspired by the digital transformation of the economy and the...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE GOOD THINGS GUY

THE GOOD THINGS GUY - KNOWN AS A SOURCE OF GOOD NEWS AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES.

BEST KNOWN AS A SOURCE OF GOOD NEWS AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES BY SOUTH AFRICANS FOR SOUTH AFRICANS. SPARKED BY AN ONLINE VIRAL MOVEMENT, THE GOOD THINGS GUY IS NOW A GLOBAL MULTI-PLATFORM MEDIA COMPANY DELIVERING GOOD NEWS DAILY TO SOUTH AFRICANS

Kindness is the only thing that mattersSouth Africa’s news feeds are filled with hard news, stories of murder, corruption, robberies, and failing state-owned enterprises. Is there a space for good news – and do South Africans have an appetite for it? Brent Lindeque founded the Good Things Guy on 1...

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

2 DEGRÉS

IS A CLEANTECH SPECIALIZED INCUBATOR IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC

2 Degres supports early-stage startups that propose an innovative solution showing a strong potential for growth and impact in the energy, waste and water sectors. Based in Quebec City, 2 Degres was cofounded in 2019 by young business people driven by a strong desire to have a concrete impact and...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

GUMPTION

GUMPTION -TACKLES DIGITAL AND BUSINESS ISSUES WITH CO-CREATION

TACKLES DIGITAL AND BUSINESS ISSUES WITH CO-CREATION

The health crisis has presented companies with new challenges. The appetite for digitization is now larger than ever before. Start-ups play an important role as drivers of innovation. Gumption is an innovation hub and ecosystem for young companies. The group’s 20 companies focus on business challenges and IT solutions, such...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

CAPSL

CAPSL-Connect

Connect, Engage, Compete! CAPSL Disrupts The Esports Scene With BAASH To Ignite The Next Generation Of Esports Heroes

CAPSL is the developer of BAASH, the mobile social gaming platform helping game influencers engage and monetize their fans via competition. Starting out in Southeast Asia, BAASH targets the 300 million mobile gamers in the region. By using a combination of chat and integrated competitions, BAASH reduces operational efforts by...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

AZUMO

AZUMO-Manufacturer of LCD 2.0

Manufacturer of LCD 2.0, A Breakthrough Display Technology Revolutionizing A $130B Industry

Displays have become ubiquitous in our society. We find them in smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, drive through restaurants, ATM machines, thermostats, gas station pumps…the list is endless. Even still, there are notable negative impacts of displays which we have become accustomed to – excessive power consumption, subpar viewability in bright...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

THE PARTY SCIENTIST

Upholding a culture of human connection and freedom of expression

“The Promise of Crypto is more freedom of expression and playful connection”, says The Party Scientist. His mission is to uphold the ethos of blockchain: community; which he believes is the elixir of life. If you attend enough crypto conferences, you’ll probably meet the guy wearing a labcoat hauling around...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

UNE HISTOIRE D’AVENIR

1998 Investissement Québec est créée. L’organisation permet aux entreprises et aux investisseurs d’accéder à l’ensemble des programmes offerts par le gouvernement du Québec. Bien que ce ne soit pas énoncé ainsi à l’époque, l’objectif est fondamentalement de développer l’économie du Québec et le positionner comme terre propice à l’innovation, à...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

FINDORFF

TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY

TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY For over a decade, Findorff has been honored to build, reimagine, and renovate various spaces at Marquette University. From smaller and expedited projects to multi-million state-of-the-art facilities, Findorff understands the importance of innovation and deeply appreciates and values...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

BIORN GROUP CYBER

TECHNOLOGISTS ASPIRING THROUGH SERVANT LEADERSHIP (TASL)

In 2019, the vision for Technologists Aspiring Through Servant Leadership (TASL), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established in Charleston, SC. Founded by Khanh Tran, TASL’s core mission was to address a critical need: preparing aspiring technologists, especially veterans and individuals from non-traditional backgrounds, for successful careers in the global digital...

INNOVATE® Seattle

SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK

SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.

Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...

INNOVATE® Detroit

M1 Concourse

The Heart of Automotive Passion

Along the legendary Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan, M1 Concourse is a world-class motorsports and automotive event destination. Spanning an impressive 87 acres, it is a hub for high-speed excitement and unmatched automotive culture. Whether you’re a dedicated car enthusiast, an adrenaline junkie looking for high-speed track adventures, or someone...

Global Innovation Spotlight

5 Ways a State Can Support Its Tech Startup Ecosystem

A thriving startup ecosystem rarely appears by accident or grows without meaningful support. Behind every successful innovation hub stands a combination of smart policies, talented people, and long-term planning.  According to Tech Monitor, startup failures in the US surged by almost 60% in 2024 due to high inflation and low...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

TECHNOLOGIA OBRA PRIMA

A PERSONAL NEED CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION THAT REVOLUTIONIZES AN INDUSTRY

The story of Obra Prima is an account of how a personal need can be transformed into an innovative solution that revolutionizes an industry. It all began when Wilson, the founder and director of the company, embarked on the journey of building his own house. Faced with challenges from the...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CHARTER GLOBAL

A LEGACY OF INNOVATION: THE CHARTER GLOBAL STORY, MAKING IT HAPPEN SINCE 1994

In 1994, Atlanta’s tech scene was buzzing with a multitude of possibilities. It was amidst this dynamic landscape that Murli Reddy, a visionary leader with a deep understanding of technology’s potential, saw an opportunity. He dreamt of a company that wouldn’t just offer generic solutions but one that would become...

INNOVATION Manitoba

OUTREACHGENIUS

THE SILENT REVENUE LEAK KILLING FRANCHISE GROWTH, AND THE AI PLATFORM FIXING IT

OutreachGenius is an AI voice platform built to help franchise brands and home service businesses capture every sales opportunity – without increasing headcount. In the home services industry, missed calls, unworked leads, and slow follow-up create a silent but significant revenue leak. For franchisors and their operators, the cost is...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ELCOGEN

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLID OXIDE CELLS AND STACKS FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEMS AND ELECTROLYSERS

Elcogen’s roots trace back to Estonia’s post-independence period in the early 1990s. With the country newly liberated from Soviet rule, Estonia faced a major challenge in reorganizing its energy infrastructure. Energy prices soared, and the need for energy independence became critical. Enn Õunpuu, who had helped establish the Estonian Power...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

SAM

SAM-SENSORY-FRIENDLY CLOTHING THAT LOWERS STRESS

SENSORY - FRIENDLY CLOTHING THAT LOWERS STRESS

Every day we experience an overload of sensory stimuli: we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste a lot. Whenever our brain has a hard time filtering and processing all those stimuli, this can lead to overstimulation. Children who are highly sensitive, have ASD, ADHD, mental limitations, or brain injuries are...

INNOVATION Quebec

IRDQ

IRDQ-Une porte d’entrée gratuite vers les infrastructures R-D du Québec

A free gateway to Quebec’s R&D infrastructures

In an effort to facilitate its use when developing new applications, the Infrastructure en recherche et développement du Québec (IRDQ) [Quebec research and development infrastructure] portal brings together worldclass facilities and state-of-the-art equipment from universities, college technology transfer centres (CTTC), and public research centres. The IRDQ’s objective is to provide...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

DMG EVENTS

INNOVATING THE BUSINESS OF FACE-TO-FACE EVENTS , THE GLOBAL EXHIBITIONS INDUSTRY IS OF KEY ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE AND IS BY NO MEANS AN INSIGNIFICANT BUSINESS

Worldwide there are approximately 32 000 exhibitions each year, featuring 4.5 million exhibiting companies and attracting over 303 million visitors....

Global Innovation Spotlight

Everything You Need to Know When You Arrive in Canada as a South African

Screenshot of the South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) website with the tagline “Helping South Africans Make Canada Home,” showcasing resources, checklists, and community support for South African expats in Canada.

The South African Institute of Canada Has Your Back

Moving to Canada as a South African is an exciting leap, but it comes with a steep learning curve—especially when it comes to settling in. From pre-departure checklists to navigating life after arrival, everything you need to know when you arrive in Canada as a South African can feel overwhelming....

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

PLANET ARK POWER

THE FUTURE OF DISTRIBUTED CLEAN ENERGY IS ELEXSYS™

Planet Ark Power is a leading Australian clean energy provider for solar, storage, EV charging and microgrid solutions across the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector, as well as for recreation, education, health, and government facilities. Internationally, they are known as eleXsys Energy. They are the developer of a unique, enabling...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE CNETE

LE TISSU INDUSTRIEL DU CANADA ÉTANT COMPOSÉ DE PME, ON NE PEUT PENSER QUE CHACUNE D’ELLE SE DOTE D’UN LABORATOIRE OU D’UN DÉPARTEMENT DE RECHERCHE. Dans les faits, bien peu possèdent les équipements nécessaires et les ressources humaines sensibles à l’importance de l’innovation continue. Le CNETE vient combler ces besoins....

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

ACCLAIM EXPRESS

ACCLAIM EXPRESS- IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM

IS A TECH START-UP THAT IS FOCUSING ON REVOLUTIONIZING AND TRANSFORMING THE TECH INDUSTRY WITH ITS VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE - ACCLAIM

Acclaim will serve as a Virtual Business Environment (VBE) for all small businesses globally. The idea is to take small businesses to the internet and be able to create virtual offices, stalls, and markets which are manageable. This innovation was inspired by the digital transformation of the economy and the...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THE GOOD THINGS GUY

THE GOOD THINGS GUY - KNOWN AS A SOURCE OF GOOD NEWS AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES.

BEST KNOWN AS A SOURCE OF GOOD NEWS AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES BY SOUTH AFRICANS FOR SOUTH AFRICANS. SPARKED BY AN ONLINE VIRAL MOVEMENT, THE GOOD THINGS GUY IS NOW A GLOBAL MULTI-PLATFORM MEDIA COMPANY DELIVERING GOOD NEWS DAILY TO SOUTH AFRICANS

Kindness is the only thing that mattersSouth Africa’s news feeds are filled with hard news, stories of murder, corruption, robberies, and failing state-owned enterprises. Is there a space for good news – and do South Africans have an appetite for it? Brent Lindeque founded the Good Things Guy on 1...

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...

INNOVATION Quebec

2 DEGRÉS

IS A CLEANTECH SPECIALIZED INCUBATOR IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC

2 Degres supports early-stage startups that propose an innovative solution showing a strong potential for growth and impact in the energy, waste and water sectors. Based in Quebec City, 2 Degres was cofounded in 2019 by young business people driven by a strong desire to have a concrete impact and...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

GUMPTION

GUMPTION -TACKLES DIGITAL AND BUSINESS ISSUES WITH CO-CREATION

TACKLES DIGITAL AND BUSINESS ISSUES WITH CO-CREATION

The health crisis has presented companies with new challenges. The appetite for digitization is now larger than ever before. Start-ups play an important role as drivers of innovation. Gumption is an innovation hub and ecosystem for young companies. The group’s 20 companies focus on business challenges and IT solutions, such...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

CAPSL

CAPSL-Connect

Connect, Engage, Compete! CAPSL Disrupts The Esports Scene With BAASH To Ignite The Next Generation Of Esports Heroes

CAPSL is the developer of BAASH, the mobile social gaming platform helping game influencers engage and monetize their fans via competition. Starting out in Southeast Asia, BAASH targets the 300 million mobile gamers in the region. By using a combination of chat and integrated competitions, BAASH reduces operational efforts by...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

AZUMO

AZUMO-Manufacturer of LCD 2.0

Manufacturer of LCD 2.0, A Breakthrough Display Technology Revolutionizing A $130B Industry

Displays have become ubiquitous in our society. We find them in smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, drive through restaurants, ATM machines, thermostats, gas station pumps…the list is endless. Even still, there are notable negative impacts of displays which we have become accustomed to – excessive power consumption, subpar viewability in bright...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

THE PARTY SCIENTIST

Upholding a culture of human connection and freedom of expression

“The Promise of Crypto is more freedom of expression and playful connection”, says The Party Scientist. His mission is to uphold the ethos of blockchain: community; which he believes is the elixir of life. If you attend enough crypto conferences, you’ll probably meet the guy wearing a labcoat hauling around...

INNOVATION Quebec

INVESTISSEMENT QUÉBEC

UNE HISTOIRE D’AVENIR

1998 Investissement Québec est créée. L’organisation permet aux entreprises et aux investisseurs d’accéder à l’ensemble des programmes offerts par le gouvernement du Québec. Bien que ce ne soit pas énoncé ainsi à l’époque, l’objectif est fondamentalement de développer l’économie du Québec et le positionner comme terre propice à l’innovation, à...

Ecosystems