Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

INNOVATION Quebec

UQAT

INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE EN MINES ET EN ENVIRONNEMENT (IRME)

L’IRME, des solutions pour un développement minier durableLocalisé au cœur d’un centre minier de calibre international, l’Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (IRME-UQAT) a été créé en 2012, une décision stratégique démontrant l’engagement de l’institution envers le développement durable du secteur minier. Avec une croissance continue et forte...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón® (AD&V®) is the largest Architecture and Interior Design Firm in Puerto Rico. The firm is dedicated to sustainable design that enhances people’s experience and improves their lives. Cristina Villalón, Co-Founder | Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, Co-Founder | Monique Lugo López, President Throughout AD&V’s ® history, they have been reinventing...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE CENTRE FOR OPTICS, PHOTONICS AND LASERS (COPL)

THE COPL IS AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND INCLUSIVE TRAINING BRINGING TOGETHER MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE

Its leadership at the national level contributes greatly to the scientific and economic development of optics and photonics technologies in Quebec. Since 1989, COPL has facilitated collaborations between multidisciplinary research teams and promoted the pooling of research infrastructures and expertise. Its contribution has extended the benefits of optics-photonics research to...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SMALL & LOCAL

REDEFINING LOCAL CONNECTIONS: THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND PLATFORM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES & BUY LOCAL SHOPPERS

Many online users face a similar dilemma: they love supporting local but are too tempted by the ease of filling up their Big Box Store online shopping cart and pressing “Order.” If only there was another option—one that could effortlessly help users find and buy from local businesses instead. Good...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Claflin University

Enduring Legacy of Innovation

Claflin University’s enduring legacy of innovation reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, creativity, and transformative leadership. Founded in 1869, Claflin is the oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in South Carolina. It was the first higher education institution in South Carolina to admit students regardless of their ethnic origin,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

3PARK

GROWING ADVENTURES IN HARMONY WITH NATURE

What if playgrounds could grow with the forest instead of replacing it? At 3park, the team designs and builds adventure parks that blend safety, creativity, and sustainability. Born in Estonia, 3park believes play should bring people together and strengthen communities. Their parks are more than climbing frames: they are safe...

Global Innovation Spotlight

ZORROSIGN

ZORROSIGN-BRINGS BLOCKCHAIN TO DUBAI FOR DIGITAL PRIVACY & SECURITY

BRINGS BLOCKCHAIN TO DUBAI FOR DIGITAL PRIVACY & SECURITY

ZorroSign, Inc. is a global technology company with deep roots in the United Arab Emirates. Co-founded by a third-generation member of the Hadi family who have called Dubai their home for the last 55 years, the company uses blockchain technology for digital signatures to ensure superior privacy and security. ZorroSign...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

STEP AHEAD CONSULTING

STEP AHEAD CONSULTING- Make It Happen

Make It Happen

Born in the year of the millennium, Step Ahead Consulting, headquartered in Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, quickly asserted itself in two aspects: Despite a very strong presence in Angola, the company remained committed to several outstanding national projects, such as the Nationality Process, and other management projects, in clients...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON NUENERGY

REVOLUTIONIZING LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLINGTHE RISE OF PRINCETON NUENERGY

In the heart of innovation, within Princeton University, a remarkable journey began that will soon redefine the landscape of lithium-ion battery recycling. Founded in 2019, Princeton NuEnergy (PNE) embarked on a mission to revolutionize the way we view, handle, and recycle critical materials throughout all stages of battery production and...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LACTEC

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Lactec is one of Brazil’s largest private, self-sustaining and non-profit research centers, which for over 60-years has been at the service of the market and society, offering solutions based on science, technology and innovation. It operates strongly in the Energy, Sanitation, Environment, Industry and Infrastructure markets, throughout the innovation cycle,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

From Ideas to Impact: MUSC’s Culture of Innovation.

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) serves as the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, dedicated to preserving and optimizing human life in South Carolina through education, research, and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students across six colleges—Dental Medicine, Graduate...

INNOVATION Quebec

ZONE AGTECH

STIMULATING THE EMERGENCE AND PROPELLING INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES IN QUEBEC

Since 2020, Quebec has been a pioneer in innovative agricultural technologies and plant bioproducts thanks to the development of Zone Agtech, a localized innovation ecosystem near the city of Montreal in the MRC of L’Assomption. Its mission? It is to intensify the development of clean, efficient and viable innovative technologies...

INNOVATION Quebec

CRISES

CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SURLES INNOVATIONS SOCIALES DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL (UQAM)

Fondé au Québec en 1986, le Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES) fut un pionnier de la recherche sur les innovations sociales et il est aujourd’hui le principal centre de recherche francophone dans ce domaine à l’échelle internationale. Sa programmation scientifique actuelle étudie la contribution des innovations sociales...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

Freeborn & Peters LLP

Freeborn & Peters LLP-Is A Chambers-Ranked

Is A Chambers-Ranked, Leading Mid-Size Law Firm With Global Capabilities And A Vast Array Of Practice Areas

Freeborn is proud to deliver sector-specific legal advice that stems from decades of experience and a rich understanding of business and industry perspectives. Along with providing exceptional legal services, each Freeborn attorney embodies the firm’s five Core Values, integrity, caring, effectiveness, teamwork, and commitment, through high standards of client service...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

REX K-12-FROM VISION TO IMPACT

FROM VISION TO IMPACT

Rex K-12 is at the forefront of a transformative wave redefining the educational landscape in Milwaukee – and beyond. It is a company preparing the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital world. This story isn’t just about innovation; it’s a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and the...

INNOVATE® Nashville

SolidBase Structural Engineers

Solid Foundations, Strong Futures

THE STORY OF SOLIDBASE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS For SolidBase Structural Engineers (SBSE), every project begins with one guiding principle — that a structure is only as strong as the foundation it’s built on. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, SBSE has earned a reputation as a trusted name in residential and commercial structural...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

ABB - ASEA BROWN BOVERI PORTUGAL

ABB - ASEA BROWN BOVERI PORTUGAL-Innovation. We've Been Doing It For Over 100 Years

Innovation. We've Been Doing It For Over 100 Years

If there is one thing that characterizes ABB, it is our technological leadership. It has been an intrinsic part of our DNA since we started our journey more than a century ago, and it has been at the heart of everything we have done since then. When everything startedABB results...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

SEMETRON

INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE: MOBILE MODULAR HOSPITAL

The healthcare sector faces increasingly complex challenges — from the impacts of climate change and natural disasters to global pandemics and conflict-related crises. In these situations, timely access to quality medical care can be a matter of life and death. This is where Semetron steps in, an innovative leader from...

INNOVATION Quebec

MEDTECH CANADA

MEDTECH CANADA-Advocate for Healthcare Innovation

Advocate for Healthcare Innovation

For five decades, Medtech Canada has been a strong advocate for healthcare innovation in Quebec. As the national association representing the medical technology industry, our members provide innovations that are used every day to diagnose, treat, and enhance the quality of life of patients in Canada, and around the world....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DC DAO AND ETHDC

Building a Web3 Hub in the Nation’s Capital

“Our mission is to build a vibrant community that empowers connection, champions innovation, and works with leading industry participants to add a builder-focused voice to forward-thinking policies.” DC DAO and ETHDC are at the forefront of a transformative movementin the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. As a steward of...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

PECHAKUCHA

This Japanese-Inspired Creator Platform Inspires Meaningful Connections – In Real Life And VIrtually – Using Time As Its Superpower

PechaKucha was born in 2003 because people talk too much. That’s what happens when passionate people gather together to share ideas and creations. PechaKucha, which means “chit-chat” in Japanese, was founded in Tokyo by architects Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein of Klein Dytham architecture. It originated as a “20×20’’ live...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PONTOMAIS

MESHED STORIES OF INNOVATION AND SOCIAL IMPACT

Founded in 2016 in the city of Curitiba, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil, Pontomais was created to solve the challenges of Human Resource units by means of digitalization and automation of processes. Until then, many of the routines were performed manually, and, with the arrival of Pontomais, HR professionals were...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

MERIC S. GERTLER

MERIC S. GERTLER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ” INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE ” “U of T’s remarkable diversity provides both a springboard to social mobility and a superb environment for education, research and innovation.” – MERIC S. GERTLER, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO The strength of Toronto’s higher education, research and innovation enterprise...

INNOVATION Quebec

UQAT

INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE EN MINES ET EN ENVIRONNEMENT (IRME)

L’IRME, des solutions pour un développement minier durableLocalisé au cœur d’un centre minier de calibre international, l’Institut de recherche en mines et en environnement (IRME-UQAT) a été créé en 2012, une décision stratégique démontrant l’engagement de l’institution envers le développement durable du secteur minier. Avec une croissance continue et forte...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

ÁLVAREZ-DÍAZ & VILLALÓN

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón® (AD&V®) is the largest Architecture and Interior Design Firm in Puerto Rico. The firm is dedicated to sustainable design that enhances people’s experience and improves their lives. Cristina Villalón, Co-Founder | Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, Co-Founder | Monique Lugo López, President Throughout AD&V’s ® history, they have been reinventing...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE CENTRE FOR OPTICS, PHOTONICS AND LASERS (COPL)

THE COPL IS AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND INCLUSIVE TRAINING BRINGING TOGETHER MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE

Its leadership at the national level contributes greatly to the scientific and economic development of optics and photonics technologies in Quebec. Since 1989, COPL has facilitated collaborations between multidisciplinary research teams and promoted the pooling of research infrastructures and expertise. Its contribution has extended the benefits of optics-photonics research to...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

SMALL & LOCAL

REDEFINING LOCAL CONNECTIONS: THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND PLATFORM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES & BUY LOCAL SHOPPERS

Many online users face a similar dilemma: they love supporting local but are too tempted by the ease of filling up their Big Box Store online shopping cart and pressing “Order.” If only there was another option—one that could effortlessly help users find and buy from local businesses instead. Good...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

UNIVERSITY STARTUPS

Empowering Tomorrow

In the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, two Georgetown University McDonough School of Business professors found themselves contemplating a way to bring more purpose to their work and students’ lives. Marc Steren and John Jabara, both seasoned academics and entrepreneurs, decided to channel their expertise into something transformative. What...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Claflin University

Enduring Legacy of Innovation

Claflin University’s enduring legacy of innovation reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, creativity, and transformative leadership. Founded in 1869, Claflin is the oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in South Carolina. It was the first higher education institution in South Carolina to admit students regardless of their ethnic origin,...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

3PARK

GROWING ADVENTURES IN HARMONY WITH NATURE

What if playgrounds could grow with the forest instead of replacing it? At 3park, the team designs and builds adventure parks that blend safety, creativity, and sustainability. Born in Estonia, 3park believes play should bring people together and strengthen communities. Their parks are more than climbing frames: they are safe...

Global Innovation Spotlight

ZORROSIGN

ZORROSIGN-BRINGS BLOCKCHAIN TO DUBAI FOR DIGITAL PRIVACY & SECURITY

BRINGS BLOCKCHAIN TO DUBAI FOR DIGITAL PRIVACY & SECURITY

ZorroSign, Inc. is a global technology company with deep roots in the United Arab Emirates. Co-founded by a third-generation member of the Hadi family who have called Dubai their home for the last 55 years, the company uses blockchain technology for digital signatures to ensure superior privacy and security. ZorroSign...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

STEP AHEAD CONSULTING

STEP AHEAD CONSULTING- Make It Happen

Make It Happen

Born in the year of the millennium, Step Ahead Consulting, headquartered in Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, quickly asserted itself in two aspects: Despite a very strong presence in Angola, the company remained committed to several outstanding national projects, such as the Nationality Process, and other management projects, in clients...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

PRINCETON NUENERGY

REVOLUTIONIZING LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLINGTHE RISE OF PRINCETON NUENERGY

In the heart of innovation, within Princeton University, a remarkable journey began that will soon redefine the landscape of lithium-ion battery recycling. Founded in 2019, Princeton NuEnergy (PNE) embarked on a mission to revolutionize the way we view, handle, and recycle critical materials throughout all stages of battery production and...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

LACTEC

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Lactec is one of Brazil’s largest private, self-sustaining and non-profit research centers, which for over 60-years has been at the service of the market and society, offering solutions based on science, technology and innovation. It operates strongly in the Energy, Sanitation, Environment, Industry and Infrastructure markets, throughout the innovation cycle,...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

From Ideas to Impact: MUSC’s Culture of Innovation.

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) serves as the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, dedicated to preserving and optimizing human life in South Carolina through education, research, and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students across six colleges—Dental Medicine, Graduate...

INNOVATION Quebec

ZONE AGTECH

STIMULATING THE EMERGENCE AND PROPELLING INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES IN QUEBEC

Since 2020, Quebec has been a pioneer in innovative agricultural technologies and plant bioproducts thanks to the development of Zone Agtech, a localized innovation ecosystem near the city of Montreal in the MRC of L’Assomption. Its mission? It is to intensify the development of clean, efficient and viable innovative technologies...

INNOVATION Quebec

CRISES

CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SURLES INNOVATIONS SOCIALES DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL (UQAM)

Fondé au Québec en 1986, le Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES) fut un pionnier de la recherche sur les innovations sociales et il est aujourd’hui le principal centre de recherche francophone dans ce domaine à l’échelle internationale. Sa programmation scientifique actuelle étudie la contribution des innovations sociales...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

Freeborn & Peters LLP

Freeborn & Peters LLP-Is A Chambers-Ranked

Is A Chambers-Ranked, Leading Mid-Size Law Firm With Global Capabilities And A Vast Array Of Practice Areas

Freeborn is proud to deliver sector-specific legal advice that stems from decades of experience and a rich understanding of business and industry perspectives. Along with providing exceptional legal services, each Freeborn attorney embodies the firm’s five Core Values, integrity, caring, effectiveness, teamwork, and commitment, through high standards of client service...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

REX K-12-FROM VISION TO IMPACT

FROM VISION TO IMPACT

Rex K-12 is at the forefront of a transformative wave redefining the educational landscape in Milwaukee – and beyond. It is a company preparing the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital world. This story isn’t just about innovation; it’s a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and the...

INNOVATE® Nashville

SolidBase Structural Engineers

Solid Foundations, Strong Futures

THE STORY OF SOLIDBASE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS For SolidBase Structural Engineers (SBSE), every project begins with one guiding principle — that a structure is only as strong as the foundation it’s built on. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, SBSE has earned a reputation as a trusted name in residential and commercial structural...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

ABB - ASEA BROWN BOVERI PORTUGAL

ABB - ASEA BROWN BOVERI PORTUGAL-Innovation. We've Been Doing It For Over 100 Years

Innovation. We've Been Doing It For Over 100 Years

If there is one thing that characterizes ABB, it is our technological leadership. It has been an intrinsic part of our DNA since we started our journey more than a century ago, and it has been at the heart of everything we have done since then. When everything startedABB results...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

SEMETRON

INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE: MOBILE MODULAR HOSPITAL

The healthcare sector faces increasingly complex challenges — from the impacts of climate change and natural disasters to global pandemics and conflict-related crises. In these situations, timely access to quality medical care can be a matter of life and death. This is where Semetron steps in, an innovative leader from...

INNOVATION Quebec

MEDTECH CANADA

MEDTECH CANADA-Advocate for Healthcare Innovation

Advocate for Healthcare Innovation

For five decades, Medtech Canada has been a strong advocate for healthcare innovation in Quebec. As the national association representing the medical technology industry, our members provide innovations that are used every day to diagnose, treat, and enhance the quality of life of patients in Canada, and around the world....

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DC DAO AND ETHDC

Building a Web3 Hub in the Nation’s Capital

“Our mission is to build a vibrant community that empowers connection, champions innovation, and works with leading industry participants to add a builder-focused voice to forward-thinking policies.” DC DAO and ETHDC are at the forefront of a transformative movementin the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. As a steward of...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

PECHAKUCHA

This Japanese-Inspired Creator Platform Inspires Meaningful Connections – In Real Life And VIrtually – Using Time As Its Superpower

PechaKucha was born in 2003 because people talk too much. That’s what happens when passionate people gather together to share ideas and creations. PechaKucha, which means “chit-chat” in Japanese, was founded in Tokyo by architects Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein of Klein Dytham architecture. It originated as a “20×20’’ live...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PONTOMAIS

MESHED STORIES OF INNOVATION AND SOCIAL IMPACT

Founded in 2016 in the city of Curitiba, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil, Pontomais was created to solve the challenges of Human Resource units by means of digitalization and automation of processes. Until then, many of the routines were performed manually, and, with the arrival of Pontomais, HR professionals were...

Ecosystems