Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Kansas City

UMKC Innovation Center

THE UMKC INNOVATION CENTER UNLOCKS THE POTENTIAL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY HELPING PEOPLE TURN THEIR IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS INTO VENTURES THAT SHAPE AN ECONOMY OF HOPE.

Founded with the vision of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship,the UMKC Innovation Center was established in 2003 to transform Kansas City into a thriving hub of entrepreneurial activity. The center’s purpose is to nurture and support entrepreneurs, from fledgling startups to established businesses, by providing vital resources, coaching, and connections. By...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

AZ Zeno

Innovation with a heart: Merging Technology and Compassionate Care

In a constantly evolving healthcare environment, the general hospital AZ Zeno takes a resolute, forward-thinking approach in which innovation and humanity go hand in hand. From robotic surgery to integrative care, from artificial intelligence to health hubs – AZ Zeno combines cutting-edge technology with genuine attention to the human being...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Finwell

Innovating Access: How Finwell Makes Professional Advice Inclusive

How Finwell Innovates Finwell has reimagined financial advice by removing the traditional barriers that prevent most people from accessing professional, unbiased wealth management and comprehensive financial planning. Unlike firms driven by product sales, Finwell focuses on serving individuals and families often overlooked by traditional wealth managers. By prioritizing education, planning,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

Brand Estonia

Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower.

In just three decades, Estonia has built a thriving liberal democracy and the world’s most advanced digital society. Estonia gives the world in flux an example to follow. Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower. 100% digital. 0% bureaucracy. Known globally for e-governance and the e-Residency programme, Estonia also boasts the...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

RAY FOIL

FROM ESTONIA’S INNOVATION ROOTS TO THE FUTURE OF EFOILING

In the quiet tech landscape of Estonia, a bold idea was born—one that would soon reshape the way people move on water. Andres Nöps, an electrical engineer with a background in elite athletics and a passion for clean energy, began designing a new kind of electric hydrofoil. It had to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TARTU

IT’S TIME TO sTARTUp

Don’t tell anyone, but Tartu is like a Steve Jobs’ garage for business. If you have innovative ideas or want to be part of the next great venture, Tartu is the place to be. It is a city that supports innovations with an effective ecosystem, a savvy talent pool, and...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

JUST ESPORTS

JUST ESPORTS – BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR EACH AND EVERY GAMER

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR EACH AND EVERY GAMER

Just Esports is an organization that is dedicated to working on justice initiatives in the esports and gaming space. Much of their work focuses on educational programs aimed at empowering others to promote justice in their respective groups and providing individuals with the best tools to build out esports communities...

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® Nashville

CIRCA

BRANDING THAT DRIVES MEANINGFUL & MEASURED GROWTH

Circa helps organizations in vital growth periods uncover who they are, connect with who they serve, and build brands that last. In 2015, founders Tori Thomas and Laura Deleot set out with a clear vision: create what matters. They built Circa to not only deliver value for clients, but also...

Global Innovation Spotlight

US Gaming Evolves Into a Multi-Platform Industry

For decades, U.S. gaming growth was driven mainly by physical casinos. Today, mobile sports betting and iGaming are among the fastest-growing revenue streams, reshaping how operators engage customers and generate value. In this context, it is important to note “gaming” refers to the U.S. commercial gambling industry, not video games....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

Q-LITE

Q-LITE -THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

Q-lite is specialised in designing, producing and maintaining digital information systems and the accompanying software. Their wide product range includes pharmacy crosses, the zone-30 traffic signs that slow you down, the digital scoreboard of your favourite football team, transparent LED screens and parking guidance systems for cars and bicycles from...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ROUTEIQUE

X-RAY VISION FOR SUPPLY CHAIN VISIONARIES

Unprecedented supply chain insight, foresight and oversight.Since 2017, Routeique® has developed industry-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) products, IoT hardware, and apps for businesses in the supply chain space. We’re building solutions to problems that have traditionally been difficult to solve,” says CEO Mike Allan. Routeique’s vision is...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

JELLYVISION

JELLYVISION-CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

WHO IS JELLYVISION?Jellyvision is the benefits engagement platform trusted by companies large and small, including many of the Fortune 500. We’re committed to reinventing how employees choose and use benefits, and our sophisticated technology delights and guides employees to make better decisions — leading them and our customers to more...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INSTASHIELD

INSTASHIELD-Invention and Entrepreneurship Run in the Family

Invention and Entrepreneurship Run in the Family

INSTASHIELD FILLS PPE SHORTAGE, DONATES 1 MILLION SHIELDS TO PEOPLE IN NEED InstaShield™ is a new kind of face shield that ships flat and is folded to fit over a cap or visor. The company was founded in March 2020 by Dan Brown Jr. to help fill the nation’s PPE...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RECO

RECO-ONE DREAM

ONE DREAM, ONE APPLICATION, ONE VISION

Reco. Was founded in 2017 with only one dream, one application. one vision, and that is to create a tool to enhance and help financial advisors’ workflow. Our core vision expanding to providing solutions to complete the circle with, technology – Insurance and telecommunication to businesses and organisations.   The...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

SAMYR QURESHI

SAMYR QURESHI

Knack

A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MUSE

MUSE-EEG-POWERED MEDITATION & SLEEP MUSE® IS A BRAIN-SENSING HEADBAND THAT HELPS YOU REFOCUS DURING THE DAY AND RECOVER OVERNIGHT

EEG-POWERED MEDITATION & SLEEP MUSE® IS A BRAIN-SENSING HEADBAND THAT HELPS YOU REFOCUS DURING THE DAY AND RECOVER OVERNIGHT

At Muse®, we live at the heart of personal transformation through human-centered technology. We are a team of engineers, scientists, artists, marketers, and developers with a mission to help people live happier, healthier, and more connected lives through leading brainwave technologies and experiences. Muse has worked with top-tier goods, transportation,...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

Banco Primus

Is A Portuguese Bank, Based In The Disruptive “Oeiras Valley” Ecosystem.

The Bank was founded in 2005 and is part of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France. Our statement “O seu Futuro Primeiro” (Your Future First) reflects our mission, the creation of benefits and opportunities for Customers, Partners, Employees and Shareholders. OUR HISTORY Banco Primus started its activity...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Penn West Equity and Innovation District

CHANGEMAKERS WELCOME

CHANGEMAKERS WELCOME The Penn West Equity and Innovation District (Penn West) is transforming the landscape of innovation and equity in the world’s capital. This unique collaboration between the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), the District of Columbia, and The George Washington University (GW) is building an inclusive, collaborative innovation...

INNOVATION Quebec

CMC MICROSYSTEMS

ACCELERATING INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

“CMC provides access to leading-edge platforms for innovators to design, prototype, and test their ideas. From early-stage researchers to emerging entrepreneurs, CMC has tools and expertise to accelerate your R&D.” – Gordon Harling, President and CEO, CMC Microsystems CMC Microsystems is a not-for-profit organization accelerating research and innovation in advanced...

INNOVATE® Nashville

CAPITOL VIEW DENTAL

DENTISTRY WITH A CLASSICAL TOUCH, WHERE NASHVILLE COMES TO SMILE!

When I started college in 2005 at Indiana University, if you would have told me I’d be opening the first black owned dental practice in the North Gulch in Nashville by 2025, I would have been totally shocked. I would be trying to figure out how a musician studying classical...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SONGFINCH

SONGFINCH - Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized

Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized, One-of-a-Kind Songs

Since launching, Songfinch has grown into the leading creator marketplace for musicians touting some of the most influential names in music and tech as investors, including music icon Quincy Jones, current music superstars Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye and Amala ‘Doja Cat’ Dlamini, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman, School of Rock...

INNOVATION Quebec

CYBERQUÉBEC

A HUB FOR SPECIALIZED EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN CYBERSECURITY

CyberQuébec is one of 59 college centres for technology transfer (CCTT) in the Synchronex CCTT Network. As part of the Cégep de l’Outaouais, we offer a wide range of cybersecurity services to help SMEs meet the technological challenges of digital security and support the development of a skilled technical workforce....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THOMAS MORE EXPERIENCE HUB

THOMAS MORE EXPERIENCE HUB-MAKES DIGITAL INNOVATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

MAKES DIGITAL INNOVATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

DISCOVER, CREATE, RESEARCH AND EVALUATE The Experience Hub is the innovation and inspiration hotspot for AR and VR solutions and digital experiences, located at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Mechelen and Antwerp.   We are committed to meaningful digital innovation: no gimmicks, but solutions that really improve and...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

UMKC Innovation Center

THE UMKC INNOVATION CENTER UNLOCKS THE POTENTIAL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY HELPING PEOPLE TURN THEIR IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS INTO VENTURES THAT SHAPE AN ECONOMY OF HOPE.

Founded with the vision of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship,the UMKC Innovation Center was established in 2003 to transform Kansas City into a thriving hub of entrepreneurial activity. The center’s purpose is to nurture and support entrepreneurs, from fledgling startups to established businesses, by providing vital resources, coaching, and connections. By...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

AZ Zeno

Innovation with a heart: Merging Technology and Compassionate Care

In a constantly evolving healthcare environment, the general hospital AZ Zeno takes a resolute, forward-thinking approach in which innovation and humanity go hand in hand. From robotic surgery to integrative care, from artificial intelligence to health hubs – AZ Zeno combines cutting-edge technology with genuine attention to the human being...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Finwell

Innovating Access: How Finwell Makes Professional Advice Inclusive

How Finwell Innovates Finwell has reimagined financial advice by removing the traditional barriers that prevent most people from accessing professional, unbiased wealth management and comprehensive financial planning. Unlike firms driven by product sales, Finwell focuses on serving individuals and families often overlooked by traditional wealth managers. By prioritizing education, planning,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

Brand Estonia

Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower.

In just three decades, Estonia has built a thriving liberal democracy and the world’s most advanced digital society. Estonia gives the world in flux an example to follow. Succeeding at change is Estonia’s superpower. 100% digital. 0% bureaucracy. Known globally for e-governance and the e-Residency programme, Estonia also boasts the...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

RAY FOIL

FROM ESTONIA’S INNOVATION ROOTS TO THE FUTURE OF EFOILING

In the quiet tech landscape of Estonia, a bold idea was born—one that would soon reshape the way people move on water. Andres Nöps, an electrical engineer with a background in elite athletics and a passion for clean energy, began designing a new kind of electric hydrofoil. It had to...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TARTU

IT’S TIME TO sTARTUp

Don’t tell anyone, but Tartu is like a Steve Jobs’ garage for business. If you have innovative ideas or want to be part of the next great venture, Tartu is the place to be. It is a city that supports innovations with an effective ecosystem, a savvy talent pool, and...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

JUST ESPORTS

JUST ESPORTS – BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR EACH AND EVERY GAMER

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR EACH AND EVERY GAMER

Just Esports is an organization that is dedicated to working on justice initiatives in the esports and gaming space. Much of their work focuses on educational programs aimed at empowering others to promote justice in their respective groups and providing individuals with the best tools to build out esports communities...

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® Nashville

CIRCA

BRANDING THAT DRIVES MEANINGFUL & MEASURED GROWTH

Circa helps organizations in vital growth periods uncover who they are, connect with who they serve, and build brands that last. In 2015, founders Tori Thomas and Laura Deleot set out with a clear vision: create what matters. They built Circa to not only deliver value for clients, but also...

Global Innovation Spotlight

US Gaming Evolves Into a Multi-Platform Industry

For decades, U.S. gaming growth was driven mainly by physical casinos. Today, mobile sports betting and iGaming are among the fastest-growing revenue streams, reshaping how operators engage customers and generate value. In this context, it is important to note “gaming” refers to the U.S. commercial gambling industry, not video games....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

Q-LITE

Q-LITE -THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

Q-lite is specialised in designing, producing and maintaining digital information systems and the accompanying software. Their wide product range includes pharmacy crosses, the zone-30 traffic signs that slow you down, the digital scoreboard of your favourite football team, transparent LED screens and parking guidance systems for cars and bicycles from...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ROUTEIQUE

X-RAY VISION FOR SUPPLY CHAIN VISIONARIES

Unprecedented supply chain insight, foresight and oversight.Since 2017, Routeique® has developed industry-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) products, IoT hardware, and apps for businesses in the supply chain space. We’re building solutions to problems that have traditionally been difficult to solve,” says CEO Mike Allan. Routeique’s vision is...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

JELLYVISION

JELLYVISION-CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

WHO IS JELLYVISION?Jellyvision is the benefits engagement platform trusted by companies large and small, including many of the Fortune 500. We’re committed to reinventing how employees choose and use benefits, and our sophisticated technology delights and guides employees to make better decisions — leading them and our customers to more...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

INSTASHIELD

INSTASHIELD-Invention and Entrepreneurship Run in the Family

Invention and Entrepreneurship Run in the Family

INSTASHIELD FILLS PPE SHORTAGE, DONATES 1 MILLION SHIELDS TO PEOPLE IN NEED InstaShield™ is a new kind of face shield that ships flat and is folded to fit over a cap or visor. The company was founded in March 2020 by Dan Brown Jr. to help fill the nation’s PPE...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RECO

RECO-ONE DREAM

ONE DREAM, ONE APPLICATION, ONE VISION

Reco. Was founded in 2017 with only one dream, one application. one vision, and that is to create a tool to enhance and help financial advisors’ workflow. Our core vision expanding to providing solutions to complete the circle with, technology – Insurance and telecommunication to businesses and organisations.   The...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

SAMYR QURESHI

SAMYR QURESHI

Knack

A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MUSE

MUSE-EEG-POWERED MEDITATION & SLEEP MUSE® IS A BRAIN-SENSING HEADBAND THAT HELPS YOU REFOCUS DURING THE DAY AND RECOVER OVERNIGHT

EEG-POWERED MEDITATION & SLEEP MUSE® IS A BRAIN-SENSING HEADBAND THAT HELPS YOU REFOCUS DURING THE DAY AND RECOVER OVERNIGHT

At Muse®, we live at the heart of personal transformation through human-centered technology. We are a team of engineers, scientists, artists, marketers, and developers with a mission to help people live happier, healthier, and more connected lives through leading brainwave technologies and experiences. Muse has worked with top-tier goods, transportation,...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

Banco Primus

Is A Portuguese Bank, Based In The Disruptive “Oeiras Valley” Ecosystem.

The Bank was founded in 2005 and is part of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France. Our statement “O seu Futuro Primeiro” (Your Future First) reflects our mission, the creation of benefits and opportunities for Customers, Partners, Employees and Shareholders. OUR HISTORY Banco Primus started its activity...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Penn West Equity and Innovation District

CHANGEMAKERS WELCOME

CHANGEMAKERS WELCOME The Penn West Equity and Innovation District (Penn West) is transforming the landscape of innovation and equity in the world’s capital. This unique collaboration between the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), the District of Columbia, and The George Washington University (GW) is building an inclusive, collaborative innovation...

INNOVATION Quebec

CMC MICROSYSTEMS

ACCELERATING INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

“CMC provides access to leading-edge platforms for innovators to design, prototype, and test their ideas. From early-stage researchers to emerging entrepreneurs, CMC has tools and expertise to accelerate your R&D.” – Gordon Harling, President and CEO, CMC Microsystems CMC Microsystems is a not-for-profit organization accelerating research and innovation in advanced...

INNOVATE® Nashville

CAPITOL VIEW DENTAL

DENTISTRY WITH A CLASSICAL TOUCH, WHERE NASHVILLE COMES TO SMILE!

When I started college in 2005 at Indiana University, if you would have told me I’d be opening the first black owned dental practice in the North Gulch in Nashville by 2025, I would have been totally shocked. I would be trying to figure out how a musician studying classical...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

SONGFINCH

SONGFINCH - Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized

Is a Platform to Discover and Collaborate With Thousands of Musicians to Create Personalized, One-of-a-Kind Songs

Since launching, Songfinch has grown into the leading creator marketplace for musicians touting some of the most influential names in music and tech as investors, including music icon Quincy Jones, current music superstars Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye and Amala ‘Doja Cat’ Dlamini, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman, School of Rock...

INNOVATION Quebec

CYBERQUÉBEC

A HUB FOR SPECIALIZED EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN CYBERSECURITY

CyberQuébec is one of 59 college centres for technology transfer (CCTT) in the Synchronex CCTT Network. As part of the Cégep de l’Outaouais, we offer a wide range of cybersecurity services to help SMEs meet the technological challenges of digital security and support the development of a skilled technical workforce....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

THOMAS MORE EXPERIENCE HUB

THOMAS MORE EXPERIENCE HUB-MAKES DIGITAL INNOVATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

MAKES DIGITAL INNOVATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

DISCOVER, CREATE, RESEARCH AND EVALUATE The Experience Hub is the innovation and inspiration hotspot for AR and VR solutions and digital experiences, located at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Mechelen and Antwerp.   We are committed to meaningful digital innovation: no gimmicks, but solutions that really improve and...

Ecosystems