Stories of Innovation

BANKING REINVENTED FOR SOUTH FLORIDA’S ENTREPRENEURS Empowering Local Businesses to Maximize Their Potential In Fort Lauderdale, a new kind of community bank is reshaping what it means to trust your banker. Locality Bank, founded in 2021 by Keith Costello, Drew Saito, and Corey LeBlanc, is on a mission to serve...

FOUR RESEARCH AREASDigital territoriesTo promote the development of digital, collaborative, and entrepreneurial skills among the ecosystem stakeholders. SMEs digital transitionSupport small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transition by fostering the digital skills of leaders, team managers and employees through digital transformation support. Digital entrepreneurship & leadershipStimulate digital entrepreneurship in...

Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...

How Tractor Supply Blends Tradition, Technology and Trust to Serve Rural America. Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO) has quietly become one of the most successful and innovative retailers in the United States, earning a loyal following while staying true to its core mission: serving the needs of rural lifestyles. Since...

Starting IBO Engineering S.L., established in 1998 in Barcelona, specializes in automotive design and engineering. Over the years, IBO Group has expanded its services to renowned companies such as SEAT, VW, Audi, Ford, Nissan, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, SMP, PlasticOmnium, Faurecia, Simoldes, and more. While the primary focus is on the...

Perched on a cliffside above the historic harbour of North America’s oldest city, Genesis is literally and figuratively at the edge of innovation, helping shape one of Atlantic Canada’s most vibrant startup communities. Since its launch in 1997, Genesis programming has been the starting point for over 1,000 aspiring tech...

As businesses go, restaurants aren’t for the faint of heart. The hospitality industry is one of cutthroat competition. This industry demands discipline, dedication, constant innovation, passion, opportunity, and perseverance from restaurateurs, managers, kitchen staff, and front-of-house staff. Creating fine-dining cuisine is as much an art form as it is the science...

Mannesoft (software solutions) originated in Brazil, in the city of Curitiba in 1993, founded by Luis Armando Dias, a student who discovered his passion for technology. With an entrepreneurial vision, he recognized the potential of information technology, leading to the creation of various software solutions. The company evolved alongside technological...

THE INDUSTRIAL CITY OF CURITIBAThe Industrial City of Curitiba (Cidade Industrial de Curitiba – CIC), was founded on July 8, 1973. It is the largest neighborhood in the city of Curitiba in terms of geographic area (43.38km²). Today Cidade Industrial is the most populous neighborhood in Curitiba with approximately 220,000...

Taurus Helmets is a Brazilian company pioneer in the manufacture of helmets in Brazil. It has been in the market for over 40 years and hasestablished itself as the largest in the segment, with a market share of around 50%. It has national sales coverage with more than 12,000 points...

QUATRE AXES DE RECHERCHETerritoires numériquesFavoriser le développement des compétences numériques, collaboratives et entrepreneuriales des acteur·trice·s de l’écosystème. Transition numérique des PMESupporter la transition numérique des PME en développant les compétences numériques des leaders, des gestionnaires et des employé·e·s, en les accompagnant dans une démarche de transformation numérique. Entrepreneuriat et apprentissages...

A new era is unfolding in the vast expanse of space. “Space is becoming an incredibly crowded place,” says Eric Ingram, Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Scout Space, a pioneering company based in Washington, D.C. With this opening, we step into the world of Scout Space, a company committed...

A SMART CITY IS ONLY MADE WITH GREAT CARE, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT CAPACITY, AND TECHNOLOGY. For over 25 years, the Institute of Smart Cities (ICI), a social organization located in Curitiba, has been involved in developing Information Technology and Communication solutions for public management. With recognized experience throughout Brazil in the...

Kansas City has long been a center of industry and grit. In recent years, it has also proven itself to be a center of innovation. Pipeline Entrepreneurs sits at the heart of that shift. Founded in 2007, the organization supports the Midwest’s most driven founders and proves that world-class companies...

Social casinos were designed to be fun, especially for those who want to enjoy their favorite casino games without any pressure. However, players might sometimes feel stuck in a losing streak. While luck remains a crucial factor when it comes to winning at social casinos, it might be that you’ve...

We were never just advertising people wanting to do big TV ads, we were entrepreneurs wanting to build brands and businesses. We were also very inexperienced and naïve and while that made things much more challenging in the early years, it has made us more effective the more time has...

EBANX is a global technology company that offers payment solutions to connect clients from rising markets and global companies, promoting access to their products and services. Through technology and a proprietary platform, EBANX enables global companies to offer local payment methods from countries in the fastest-growing regions: Latin America, Africa...

Since its inception in 2015, Stone & Chalk’s mission has been to transform Australia into a sustainable, technology-driven economy. As a not-for-profit, purpose-driven, and sustainable organisation, Stone & Chalk works to support startups, scaleups, corporations, and governments through every stage of their innovation journey. The Stone & Chalk capital G...

The arrival of Ligga’s fiber optic network in rural schools supports the work of teachers and encourages students’ knowledge and access to technology, benefiting the entire teaching ecosystem and the local community. Ligga, the main internet company and connectivity provider in Paraná, in partnership with the State Department of Education...

Robohood is a groundbreaking startup that enables anyone to turn an image into a painting with their software and robotic arms. Originally founded by Anna Mishchenko and Nikolay Gavrilin, the company was inspired by Anna’s personal journey. Anna grew up with hand tremors that prevented her from painting, so she...

For 35 years the Arts & Business Council has led the movement to empower the creative ecosystem with high-impact partnerships between business, entrepreneurs, and the arts. As Miami’s only organization that leverages the arts for economic vitality, ABC programs inspire employees, stimulate innovation & foster creativity. We assist 500+ arts...

What’s preventing a company from achieving its innovation and technology goals? How can technology companies accelerate their Digital Initiatives to respond to the 24/7 world? What’s the cost of failure? Matt Domo, Founder and CEO Meet Matt Domo, Founder and CEO helps technology businesses reimagine and re-engineer their technology for...

In 1993, the first GSM Networks were installed in Africa opening the door to exciting new business opportunities in the telecommunications sector. 4C Group’s journey began a decade later when our pioneering founder, Rudolph Du Plessis, combined his extensive on the ground experience in information technology with a desire to...

Groupe CTT is a non-profit organization specializing in applied research, development and analysis in the fields of technical textiles, geosynthetics and advanced textile-based materials. Created in 1983, Groupe CTT was one of the first college centres for the transfer oftechnology in Quebec. It is located on the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe...