Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
RON ARTESANO
Artesano is the product of inspiration, perspiration, hard work and perseverance
This is what we call Ron Artesano. This craft rum brand is hand-made in small batches in the mountains of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The founders are a solid team of professionals that handle the different aspects of the business: Commercial Operations & Business Development, Distillation, Production & Aging and Rum...
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® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Platypus Labs
Innovation is mission critical
We provide holistic, fully-orchestrated programs to help harness and deploy innovation. Similar to the platypus, we believe that the greatest innovations are an amalgamation of seemingly disparate insights and ideas, that together create surprisingly, unexpected outcomes enabling organizations to deliver their own toxic blow and outpunch the competition. We live...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SCHELL GAMES
MAKING EXPERIENCES WE’RE PROUD OF WITH PEOPLE WE LIKE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Founded in 2002 by award-winning game designer and author Jesse Schell, Schell Games is the largest full-service educational and entertainment game development company in the United States. We make experiences across various platforms, specializing in four vertical areas: Health and Wellness, Education, Home Entertainment, and Theme Parks and Museums. In...
INNOVATE® South Florida
OWWLL
TRANSFORMING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WITH JASON R. HILL’S INNOVATIVE VISION
In an era where connections and networking are paramount to success, Owwll emerges as a groundbreaking platform dedicated to fostering meaningful professional relationships. Offering instant networking with top professionals to create endless opportunities, Owwll, founded by visionary entrepreneur Jason R. Hill, is transforming how professionals connect, seek knowledge, and build...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
CAREGILITY
IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NEW FRONTIER IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY WHERE CARE KNOWS NO BOUNDS
When you hear about the benefits of telehealth, talking points often center on improved patient access to care through virtual visits with providers from home. Meanwhile, telehealth has been fueling a less talked about hybrid care movement that’s transforming patient care in inpatient settings as well. Caregility, a leading provider...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
BlendedDesigns: Empower. Educate. Elevate.
When shopping for back-to-school supplies, more consumers are turning to online shopping instead of going to the mall. One entrepreneur is looking to encourage young students to become first-generation college graduates with an online shop, BlendedDesigns.com. Encouraging students with backpacks that say, “I can do anything,” founder and CEO Casey...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
FAST RADIUS
MAKING NEW THINGS POSSIBLE BY TRANSFORMING MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAINS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE
OUR STORYFast Radius is a leading cloud manufacturing company. Our Cloud Manufacturing Platform™ is a first-of-its-kind solution that provides end to-end solutions for manufacturers to design, make, and move parts in an easier, more accessible, and more sustainable way. Founded in 2017, Fast Radius is headquartered in Chicago with offices...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
NICEHASH
From the tiny country of Slovenia to a global crypto platform for mining and trading hashpower, NiceHash redefined the mining space and makes Bitcoin accessible to everyone
From a simple idea 10 years ago, to a global platform enabling millions of people to mine cryptocurrency, NiceHash is a familiar name in the mining world. NiceHash has battled with controversy, survived nation state attackers, and still solidified its unique position in the crypto space as the world’s largest...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CuliVino Hospitality Management + Consulting: Chef Tom Gray
OUR STORY Chef Tom Gray is one of North Florida’s most lauded and respected chefs, with two James Beard Award nominations as well as countless awards and accolades. He began his career in his hometown of Jacksonville at the age of 15 at a local country club, with culinary school...
INNOVATION Quebec
INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE SUR L’HYDROGÈNE (IRH)
Fondé en 1994, l’Institut de recherche sur l’hydrogène (IRH) de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières est un des centres les plus expérimentés et reconnus dans le domaine de la recherche et du développement des technologies de l’hydrogène. L’IRH se donne pour mission de répondre à l’urgence climatique par la formation,...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NOTION GAMES
Innovators rarely consider themselves to be pioneers within their own industry. And Andrew Augustin is a prime example of this axiom. Augustin is a graphic designer who, in 2011, founded Notion Games, an Austin-based video gaming company that creates games for people of all ages. But that brief description fails...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN TECH: THE LEGACY OF KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
In 2013, against the backdrop of a male-dominated tech landscape, Jennifer Wadalla, a passionate advocate for gender equality, founded Kansas City Women in Tech (KCWiT). Her vision was to create a supportive ecosystem that would empower women to thrive in the technology industry. Under Jennifer’s visionary leadership, KCWiT quickly became...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Provident Bank
Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee an
Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Matidor.com
“Matidor.com is the All-In-One Project Management Platform On a Live Map”
How Matidor.com StartedVincent and Sean are Vancouver-based serial entrepreneurs who come from very different backgrounds but share one vision. Vincent’s previous experience at Google Earth and as a product manager at Dassault Systèmes revealed a gap in how people in the field managed projects. When Sean moved back to town...
INNOVATE® Nashville
DTB Advisors
Sports Entertainment & Hospitality Speciality Advisory
SpykeFire: Pioneering Autonomous Fire Detection in Challenging Environments David Buttrey, a Nashville native, a co-owner of SpykeFire, joined by two other Nashville natives among the company’s leadership and early supporters of founder and Veteran Todd Melcher and 30 year CA Fire Captain Robert Rowe. This connection underscores how Nashville’s burgeoning...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
HSA Bank
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE Technology-driven experience and innovation have the potential to transform employee benefits from a traditional offering into a strategic differentiator for organizations. The benefits sector, traditionally not seen as a tech ‘powerhouse’, is undergoing rapid change as organizations leverage...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
YIEDI
A COMPANY DESIGNED BY ENTREPRENEURS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Just over eight years ago the founder of YIEDI, Jayshree Naidoo and Jay Naidoo her business and life partner, sat across from a branding expert and outlined the vision for the company. They went on to describe a model that they had created, it was still drawn on a napkin...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Gaming Gets Better When AI Improves the Invisible Parts
AI is changing games most noticeably where players are least likely to describe it in technical terms. What they usually say is simpler: the image looks cleaner, the frame rate feels steadier, the controls feel sharper, the device runs better, and the overall experience wastes less time. NVIDIA’s current DLSS...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THOMAS MORE
From Idea To Ecosystem
IN THE HEALTH SECTOR AT THOMAS MORE: We stimulate & support innovation For years, Research @Thomas More has been actively working on innovation in the health and welfare sector with its research groups Mobilab & Care and CEBUD, and the living lab research by LiCalab. We are the driving force...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EMORY
FOSTERING INNOVATION FOR A DATA AND TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN WORLD
Emory University’s Goizueta Business School is a top-20 ranked business school. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School is a top-ranked driving force for change. In a vibrant global city, it prepares the future’s brightest minds principled leaders who believe in equitable business practices, constant innovation, and the critical intersection of business...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
RON ARTESANO
Artesano is the product of inspiration, perspiration, hard work and perseverance
This is what we call Ron Artesano. This craft rum brand is hand-made in small batches in the mountains of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The founders are a solid team of professionals that handle the different aspects of the business: Commercial Operations & Business Development, Distillation, Production & Aging and Rum...
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® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Platypus Labs
Innovation is mission critical
We provide holistic, fully-orchestrated programs to help harness and deploy innovation. Similar to the platypus, we believe that the greatest innovations are an amalgamation of seemingly disparate insights and ideas, that together create surprisingly, unexpected outcomes enabling organizations to deliver their own toxic blow and outpunch the competition. We live...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SCHELL GAMES
MAKING EXPERIENCES WE’RE PROUD OF WITH PEOPLE WE LIKE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
Founded in 2002 by award-winning game designer and author Jesse Schell, Schell Games is the largest full-service educational and entertainment game development company in the United States. We make experiences across various platforms, specializing in four vertical areas: Health and Wellness, Education, Home Entertainment, and Theme Parks and Museums. In...
INNOVATE® South Florida
OWWLL
TRANSFORMING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WITH JASON R. HILL’S INNOVATIVE VISION
In an era where connections and networking are paramount to success, Owwll emerges as a groundbreaking platform dedicated to fostering meaningful professional relationships. Offering instant networking with top professionals to create endless opportunities, Owwll, founded by visionary entrepreneur Jason R. Hill, is transforming how professionals connect, seek knowledge, and build...
INNOVATION Quebec
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
CAREGILITY
IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NEW FRONTIER IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY WHERE CARE KNOWS NO BOUNDS
When you hear about the benefits of telehealth, talking points often center on improved patient access to care through virtual visits with providers from home. Meanwhile, telehealth has been fueling a less talked about hybrid care movement that’s transforming patient care in inpatient settings as well. Caregility, a leading provider...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
BlendedDesigns: Empower. Educate. Elevate.
When shopping for back-to-school supplies, more consumers are turning to online shopping instead of going to the mall. One entrepreneur is looking to encourage young students to become first-generation college graduates with an online shop, BlendedDesigns.com. Encouraging students with backpacks that say, “I can do anything,” founder and CEO Casey...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
FAST RADIUS
MAKING NEW THINGS POSSIBLE BY TRANSFORMING MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAINS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE
OUR STORYFast Radius is a leading cloud manufacturing company. Our Cloud Manufacturing Platform™ is a first-of-its-kind solution that provides end to-end solutions for manufacturers to design, make, and move parts in an easier, more accessible, and more sustainable way. Founded in 2017, Fast Radius is headquartered in Chicago with offices...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
NICEHASH
From the tiny country of Slovenia to a global crypto platform for mining and trading hashpower, NiceHash redefined the mining space and makes Bitcoin accessible to everyone
From a simple idea 10 years ago, to a global platform enabling millions of people to mine cryptocurrency, NiceHash is a familiar name in the mining world. NiceHash has battled with controversy, survived nation state attackers, and still solidified its unique position in the crypto space as the world’s largest...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CuliVino Hospitality Management + Consulting: Chef Tom Gray
OUR STORY Chef Tom Gray is one of North Florida’s most lauded and respected chefs, with two James Beard Award nominations as well as countless awards and accolades. He began his career in his hometown of Jacksonville at the age of 15 at a local country club, with culinary school...
INNOVATION Quebec
INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE SUR L’HYDROGÈNE (IRH)
Fondé en 1994, l’Institut de recherche sur l’hydrogène (IRH) de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières est un des centres les plus expérimentés et reconnus dans le domaine de la recherche et du développement des technologies de l’hydrogène. L’IRH se donne pour mission de répondre à l’urgence climatique par la formation,...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
NOTION GAMES
Innovators rarely consider themselves to be pioneers within their own industry. And Andrew Augustin is a prime example of this axiom. Augustin is a graphic designer who, in 2011, founded Notion Games, an Austin-based video gaming company that creates games for people of all ages. But that brief description fails...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN TECH: THE LEGACY OF KANSAS CITY WOMEN IN TECH
In 2013, against the backdrop of a male-dominated tech landscape, Jennifer Wadalla, a passionate advocate for gender equality, founded Kansas City Women in Tech (KCWiT). Her vision was to create a supportive ecosystem that would empower women to thrive in the technology industry. Under Jennifer’s visionary leadership, KCWiT quickly became...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Provident Bank
Wants to Create Advocates for Life by Creating an Innovative, First-Class Employee an
Provident Bank, the oldest and second largest financial institution headquartered in NJ, was established in 1839 in a one-room office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since its inception, it has continually reaffirmed its commitment to the customers and communities it serves, as well as its employees across New Jersey, New...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Matidor.com
“Matidor.com is the All-In-One Project Management Platform On a Live Map”
How Matidor.com StartedVincent and Sean are Vancouver-based serial entrepreneurs who come from very different backgrounds but share one vision. Vincent’s previous experience at Google Earth and as a product manager at Dassault Systèmes revealed a gap in how people in the field managed projects. When Sean moved back to town...
INNOVATE® Nashville
DTB Advisors
Sports Entertainment & Hospitality Speciality Advisory
SpykeFire: Pioneering Autonomous Fire Detection in Challenging Environments David Buttrey, a Nashville native, a co-owner of SpykeFire, joined by two other Nashville natives among the company’s leadership and early supporters of founder and Veteran Todd Melcher and 30 year CA Fire Captain Robert Rowe. This connection underscores how Nashville’s burgeoning...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
HSA Bank
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE Technology-driven experience and innovation have the potential to transform employee benefits from a traditional offering into a strategic differentiator for organizations. The benefits sector, traditionally not seen as a tech ‘powerhouse’, is undergoing rapid change as organizations leverage...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
YIEDI
A COMPANY DESIGNED BY ENTREPRENEURS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Just over eight years ago the founder of YIEDI, Jayshree Naidoo and Jay Naidoo her business and life partner, sat across from a branding expert and outlined the vision for the company. They went on to describe a model that they had created, it was still drawn on a napkin...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Gaming Gets Better When AI Improves the Invisible Parts
AI is changing games most noticeably where players are least likely to describe it in technical terms. What they usually say is simpler: the image looks cleaner, the frame rate feels steadier, the controls feel sharper, the device runs better, and the overall experience wastes less time. NVIDIA’s current DLSS...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
THOMAS MORE
From Idea To Ecosystem
IN THE HEALTH SECTOR AT THOMAS MORE: We stimulate & support innovation For years, Research @Thomas More has been actively working on innovation in the health and welfare sector with its research groups Mobilab & Care and CEBUD, and the living lab research by LiCalab. We are the driving force...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EMORY
FOSTERING INNOVATION FOR A DATA AND TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN WORLD
Emory University’s Goizueta Business School is a top-20 ranked business school. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School is a top-ranked driving force for change. In a vibrant global city, it prepares the future’s brightest minds principled leaders who believe in equitable business practices, constant innovation, and the critical intersection of business...