Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ South Africa
KNIFE CAPITAL
IS A SOUTH AFRICAN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FIRM FOCUSING ON INNOVATION-DRIVEN VENTURES WITH PROVEN TRACTION
Established in 2010 as the incarnation of the South African venture capital division of ‘Here Be Dragons’ – a privately owned emerging market investment group founded by internet entrepreneur and cosmonaut Mark Shuttleworth. By leveraging knowledge, networks & funding, Knife Capital accelerates the international expansion of entrepreneurial businesses that achieved...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Pittsburgh Institute for Aeronautics
Keeping America’s Aviation Industry Flying High
Originally founded in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1929, PIA has offered industry-leading aviation training for nearly a century. As the organization’s newest campus, PIA Myrtle Beach first opened its doors in January 2012 in the same building that once housed the avionics facilities for the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. This...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BUSINESS RITES INVESTMENTS (BSSR)
BEGAN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER 2020 AND HAS BEEN FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON HIGH QUALITY AND COSTEFFECTIVE BIG DATA SOLUTIONS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES
We are advancing at a tremendous pace and with the involvement of skilled and experienced people working in the organization. BSSR is currently doing business with local SMEs and is actively taking part in hackathons and competitions, developing innovative solutions, and becoming key players in the country’s digital transformation. The...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
CONTINUUS
DATA ENABLEMENT FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES INNOVATORS
Continuus is a data and analytics consulting firm headquartered in the heart of Milwaukee’s bustling Third Ward. Continuus is uniquely positioned to be the integrator and advisor that brings the Financial Services Data Cloud ecosystem together through technical expertise, partnerships, and core differentiator: industry expertise. Founder’s StoryMatt Moeser founded Continuus...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Newlab
Building the Future of Sustainable Mobility at Michigan Central
Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...
INNOVATION Quebec
Centre ACER
Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique en acériculture, est un leader mondial en innovation pour l’industrie acéricole depuis 1998
C’est en effet depuis près de 25 ans que le Centre ACER stimule l’excellence, soutient la qualité et la rentabilité de la filière acéricole. En conjuguant savoir et vision, ce véritable réseau d’innovation promeut le rayonnement, le développement international et assure la pérennité de l’industrie de l’érable au Québec. ...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Menace Media
A Movement of Creativity, Community, and Change
Menace Media was born in the heart of Detroit, a city built on resilience, creativity, and cultural revolution. More than just a media company, Menace Media is a movement—a platform designed to uplift, empower, and unite creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. What started as a passion project among friends has grown...
INNOVATION Quebec
TechniTextile Québec
Since 2017, TechniTextile Québec has been working in conjunction with companies and other key members of the textile industry. Serving as a vehicle for collaboration, this textile cluster promotes innovation, enhanced opportunities, commercialization and companies’ competitiveness
Supported by the Québec Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s ACCORD approach, the TechniTextile team assists industry leaders with implementing innovative, collaborative projects driven by their own needs. Innovation-Focused Cluster ProjectsThe projects backed or managed by TechniTextile provide a springboard for companies to reduce the risks involved in collaboration,...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SITTERCITY
As the first and largest digital platform for finding in-home care, Sittercity, a Bright Horizons company, has come a long way since 2001. , We were the first to make online child care an employee benefit and we continue to connect millions of parents with babysitters and nannies every year....
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TACIT EDGE
Disrupting the ambiguity in Product Management
When Renee Matsalla and Christa Hill first met, they were on the team that would scale a Calgary-based tech startup to global heights. The two women formed an immediate connection through their passion for Product Management and problem-solving, yet in those early days on the team of Benevity — a...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
INVEST PUERTO RICO
WHY PUERTO RICO?
“ARMED WITH AN AMBITIOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, PUERTO RICO IS GIVING GAME-CHANGERS FROM MYRIAD FIELDS THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE “IT” HAPPEN.” – ELLA WOGER-NIEVES – CEO, INVEST PUERTO RICO The day began like any other: a morning power-walk along the beach under a rising 7:00 a.m....
INNOVATE® Maryland
Upling
Delivering Equity, One Order at a Time.
In a world that often overlooks the most vulnerable, Upling is doing more than just delivering cannabis — it’s delivering purpose, access, and social equity. This Maryland-based, AI-powered cannabis delivery platform is rewriting the rules of healthcare access and digital entrepreneurship, all while confronting long-standing injustices in the cannabis industry....
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LUMINATION LEARNING LAB
REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY YOU TEACH, LEARN AND WORK
What is a Lumination Learning Lab?Built within schools nationally Lumination Learning Labs are automated, multi-purpose and immersive smart classrooms supporting students and schools in achieving exceptional results using immersive learning. How are we revolutionising the learning experience?The future of the workforce depends on effective education and continuous upskilling, meaning education,...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
XP LEAGUE
NORTH AMERICA’S PREMIER COACH-LED COMPETITIVE YOUTH ESPORTS LEAGUE
Despite launching in September 2020, during the height of a global pandemic, XP League quickly caught the attention of tech-savvy franchisees looking to turn their passion into a career. And esports are certainly a lucrative activity worthy of franchise investment; by 2023, it’s predicted that the industry could see revenues...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CAVRNUS
OFFERS A BLOCKCHAIN AND NFT-READY DESTINATION METAVERSE BUILDER PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS TRUE TO-LIFE EXPERIENCES TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ON ANY DEVICE
Cavrnus, Inc. is an innovative technology startup that enables every enterprise, brand and creator to intuitively design, build and share their vision of immersive reality with anyone, anywhere, and on any device. The Cavrnus metaverse builder platform delivers highly realistic visuals and interactions that bring any experience–from virtual product showrooms...
INNOVATE® Nashville
VIDEOBOMB
MAKES ANY BRAND ENGAGEMENT MORE IMMERSIVE AND COMPELLING
According to Chad Marcum, VideoBomb’s Founder and CEO, “Our mission is to make augmented reality available to businesses of all sizes. AR is the next big thing in customer engagement, and it should not be limited to only the big brands with big budgets. We’ve made it easy and affordable...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
Caleño
The Story SO FAR!
About UsCaleño is a range of distilled non-alcoholic spirits inspired by the sun-drenched spirit of Colombia that take you seamlessly from day to night. Light & Zesty is a tropical blend of Inca berry, citrus and spice botanicals and Dark & Spicy, a warming infusion of dark tropical pineapple notes...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
AUCHAN RETAIL PORTUGAL
Global And Family Group
Auchan Retail is a global and family group, a people-centred company, a historic distributor and a next generation retailer present in 13 countries. In Portugal Auchan claims to be a militant brand of what is “Bom, São e Local” (Good, Healthy and Local). This is a movement that invests in...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Alcon Portugal
Driving Innovation To Help People See Brilliantly
Impulsionar A Inovação Para Ajudar As Pessoas A Ver Brilhantemente
Alcon is the global leader in eye care, dedicated to helping people see brilliantly. With a heritage of more than seven decades, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to improve people’s vision and lives. Our surgical and vision care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people...
INNOVATE® South Florida
Premier Virtual
LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’
LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’ From the very beginning, we knew that our virtual hiring event platform was ahead of its time and that employers would have to be ‘Future Focused’ to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards,...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
KEVANE GRANT THORTON
Accounting Experts, Kevane Grant Thornton Continues to Lead the Industry
Kevane Grant Thornton (KGT) continues to grow successfully and provide the community with accounting and tax-related needs. Through the years, KGT continues to support numerous businesses and personal goals for many. We have steadily become the leading professional service firm in Puerto Rico to provide accounting, audits, tax, and advisory...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LIFE WHISPERER
AI to help patients struggling for children
Life WhispererLife Whisperer uses state-of-the-art AI and computer vision technology to help select healthy embryos for IVF. Using Life Whisperer, a clinician can drag-and-drop microscope images of embryos onto the website for an instant report on the likelihoods that the embryo is genetically healthy, or will lead to a pregnancy....
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
MARSH
OUR PURPOSE IS POSSIBILITY. AT MARSH, THE IDEA OF POSSIBILITY ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT
OUR PURPOSE IS POSSIBILITY. AT MARSH, THE IDEA OF POSSIBILITY ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT — IT’S SOMETHING WE’VE LIVED FOR OVER 150 YEARS. We help our clients and colleagues grow — and our communities thrive — by protecting and promoting Possibility. We seek better ways to manage risk...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LEIDOS AUSTRALIA
Leading the way in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems engineering
Leidos Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune 500 company Leidos, has been a trusted partner to the Australian Government for over 25 years, having delivered some of the most complex software and systems integration projects in Australia. Led by a local leadership team, Leidos delivers projects and services through...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
KNIFE CAPITAL
IS A SOUTH AFRICAN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FIRM FOCUSING ON INNOVATION-DRIVEN VENTURES WITH PROVEN TRACTION
Established in 2010 as the incarnation of the South African venture capital division of ‘Here Be Dragons’ – a privately owned emerging market investment group founded by internet entrepreneur and cosmonaut Mark Shuttleworth. By leveraging knowledge, networks & funding, Knife Capital accelerates the international expansion of entrepreneurial businesses that achieved...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Pittsburgh Institute for Aeronautics
Keeping America’s Aviation Industry Flying High
Originally founded in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1929, PIA has offered industry-leading aviation training for nearly a century. As the organization’s newest campus, PIA Myrtle Beach first opened its doors in January 2012 in the same building that once housed the avionics facilities for the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. This...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BUSINESS RITES INVESTMENTS (BSSR)
BEGAN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER 2020 AND HAS BEEN FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON HIGH QUALITY AND COSTEFFECTIVE BIG DATA SOLUTIONS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES
We are advancing at a tremendous pace and with the involvement of skilled and experienced people working in the organization. BSSR is currently doing business with local SMEs and is actively taking part in hackathons and competitions, developing innovative solutions, and becoming key players in the country’s digital transformation. The...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
CONTINUUS
DATA ENABLEMENT FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES INNOVATORS
Continuus is a data and analytics consulting firm headquartered in the heart of Milwaukee’s bustling Third Ward. Continuus is uniquely positioned to be the integrator and advisor that brings the Financial Services Data Cloud ecosystem together through technical expertise, partnerships, and core differentiator: industry expertise. Founder’s StoryMatt Moeser founded Continuus...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Newlab
Building the Future of Sustainable Mobility at Michigan Central
Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...
INNOVATION Quebec
Centre ACER
Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique en acériculture, est un leader mondial en innovation pour l’industrie acéricole depuis 1998
C’est en effet depuis près de 25 ans que le Centre ACER stimule l’excellence, soutient la qualité et la rentabilité de la filière acéricole. En conjuguant savoir et vision, ce véritable réseau d’innovation promeut le rayonnement, le développement international et assure la pérennité de l’industrie de l’érable au Québec. ...
INNOVATE® Detroit
Menace Media
A Movement of Creativity, Community, and Change
Menace Media was born in the heart of Detroit, a city built on resilience, creativity, and cultural revolution. More than just a media company, Menace Media is a movement—a platform designed to uplift, empower, and unite creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. What started as a passion project among friends has grown...
INNOVATION Quebec
TechniTextile Québec
Since 2017, TechniTextile Québec has been working in conjunction with companies and other key members of the textile industry. Serving as a vehicle for collaboration, this textile cluster promotes innovation, enhanced opportunities, commercialization and companies’ competitiveness
Supported by the Québec Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s ACCORD approach, the TechniTextile team assists industry leaders with implementing innovative, collaborative projects driven by their own needs. Innovation-Focused Cluster ProjectsThe projects backed or managed by TechniTextile provide a springboard for companies to reduce the risks involved in collaboration,...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
SITTERCITY
As the first and largest digital platform for finding in-home care, Sittercity, a Bright Horizons company, has come a long way since 2001. , We were the first to make online child care an employee benefit and we continue to connect millions of parents with babysitters and nannies every year....
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TACIT EDGE
Disrupting the ambiguity in Product Management
When Renee Matsalla and Christa Hill first met, they were on the team that would scale a Calgary-based tech startup to global heights. The two women formed an immediate connection through their passion for Product Management and problem-solving, yet in those early days on the team of Benevity — a...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
INVEST PUERTO RICO
WHY PUERTO RICO?
“ARMED WITH AN AMBITIOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, PUERTO RICO IS GIVING GAME-CHANGERS FROM MYRIAD FIELDS THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE “IT” HAPPEN.” – ELLA WOGER-NIEVES – CEO, INVEST PUERTO RICO The day began like any other: a morning power-walk along the beach under a rising 7:00 a.m....
INNOVATE® Maryland
Upling
Delivering Equity, One Order at a Time.
In a world that often overlooks the most vulnerable, Upling is doing more than just delivering cannabis — it’s delivering purpose, access, and social equity. This Maryland-based, AI-powered cannabis delivery platform is rewriting the rules of healthcare access and digital entrepreneurship, all while confronting long-standing injustices in the cannabis industry....
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LUMINATION LEARNING LAB
REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY YOU TEACH, LEARN AND WORK
What is a Lumination Learning Lab?Built within schools nationally Lumination Learning Labs are automated, multi-purpose and immersive smart classrooms supporting students and schools in achieving exceptional results using immersive learning. How are we revolutionising the learning experience?The future of the workforce depends on effective education and continuous upskilling, meaning education,...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
XP LEAGUE
NORTH AMERICA’S PREMIER COACH-LED COMPETITIVE YOUTH ESPORTS LEAGUE
Despite launching in September 2020, during the height of a global pandemic, XP League quickly caught the attention of tech-savvy franchisees looking to turn their passion into a career. And esports are certainly a lucrative activity worthy of franchise investment; by 2023, it’s predicted that the industry could see revenues...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
CAVRNUS
OFFERS A BLOCKCHAIN AND NFT-READY DESTINATION METAVERSE BUILDER PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS TRUE TO-LIFE EXPERIENCES TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ON ANY DEVICE
Cavrnus, Inc. is an innovative technology startup that enables every enterprise, brand and creator to intuitively design, build and share their vision of immersive reality with anyone, anywhere, and on any device. The Cavrnus metaverse builder platform delivers highly realistic visuals and interactions that bring any experience–from virtual product showrooms...
INNOVATE® Nashville
VIDEOBOMB
MAKES ANY BRAND ENGAGEMENT MORE IMMERSIVE AND COMPELLING
According to Chad Marcum, VideoBomb’s Founder and CEO, “Our mission is to make augmented reality available to businesses of all sizes. AR is the next big thing in customer engagement, and it should not be limited to only the big brands with big budgets. We’ve made it easy and affordable...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
Caleño
The Story SO FAR!
About UsCaleño is a range of distilled non-alcoholic spirits inspired by the sun-drenched spirit of Colombia that take you seamlessly from day to night. Light & Zesty is a tropical blend of Inca berry, citrus and spice botanicals and Dark & Spicy, a warming infusion of dark tropical pineapple notes...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
AUCHAN RETAIL PORTUGAL
Global And Family Group
Auchan Retail is a global and family group, a people-centred company, a historic distributor and a next generation retailer present in 13 countries. In Portugal Auchan claims to be a militant brand of what is “Bom, São e Local” (Good, Healthy and Local). This is a movement that invests in...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Alcon Portugal
Driving Innovation To Help People See Brilliantly
Impulsionar A Inovação Para Ajudar As Pessoas A Ver Brilhantemente
Alcon is the global leader in eye care, dedicated to helping people see brilliantly. With a heritage of more than seven decades, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to improve people’s vision and lives. Our surgical and vision care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people...
INNOVATE® South Florida
Premier Virtual
LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’
LAUNCHED IN LATE 2019 WHERE OUR MOTTO AT THE TIME WAS ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’ From the very beginning, we knew that our virtual hiring event platform was ahead of its time and that employers would have to be ‘Future Focused’ to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards,...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
KEVANE GRANT THORTON
Accounting Experts, Kevane Grant Thornton Continues to Lead the Industry
Kevane Grant Thornton (KGT) continues to grow successfully and provide the community with accounting and tax-related needs. Through the years, KGT continues to support numerous businesses and personal goals for many. We have steadily become the leading professional service firm in Puerto Rico to provide accounting, audits, tax, and advisory...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LIFE WHISPERER
AI to help patients struggling for children
Life WhispererLife Whisperer uses state-of-the-art AI and computer vision technology to help select healthy embryos for IVF. Using Life Whisperer, a clinician can drag-and-drop microscope images of embryos onto the website for an instant report on the likelihoods that the embryo is genetically healthy, or will lead to a pregnancy....
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
MARSH
OUR PURPOSE IS POSSIBILITY. AT MARSH, THE IDEA OF POSSIBILITY ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT
OUR PURPOSE IS POSSIBILITY. AT MARSH, THE IDEA OF POSSIBILITY ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT — IT’S SOMETHING WE’VE LIVED FOR OVER 150 YEARS. We help our clients and colleagues grow — and our communities thrive — by protecting and promoting Possibility. We seek better ways to manage risk...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LEIDOS AUSTRALIA
Leading the way in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems engineering
Leidos Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune 500 company Leidos, has been a trusted partner to the Australian Government for over 25 years, having delivered some of the most complex software and systems integration projects in Australia. Led by a local leadership team, Leidos delivers projects and services through...