Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® Maryland

Athelas

Creating Opportunity Without Limits

Long before innovation becomes a product or a breakthrough technology, it often begins with a different question: What becomes possible when people are given the opportunity to be seen for their abilities rather than their limitations? For more than four decades, Athelas Institute has worked to answer that question. Across...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DOT LEMON

REMON HENES-DC ZESTY STORY-AN INNOVATOR SHAPING THE NARRATIVE OF D.C.

A Visionary Among D.C.’s Top 100 InnovatorsRemon Henes stands out as one of the District of Columbia’s 100 leading innovators, offering the world a fresh perspective on Washington through his groundbreaking project, DC Zesty Story. An award-winning producer and filmmaker from Cairo, Remon’s dynamic vision led to the inception of...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

NEDBANK

NEDBANK -A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON DIGITISATION ALLOWS NEDBANK TO MEET FAST-CHANGING BANKING CUSTOMER NEEDS

A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON DIGITISATION ALLOWS NEDBANK TO MEET FAST-CHANGING BANKING CUSTOMER NEEDS

Digitisation and technological innovation are nothing new to the South African banking industry, but those banks that had made significant progress on their digital journeys before the Covid-19 pandemic, have been best placed to meet the fast-changing needs of their clients and, as is the case with Nedbank, gain efficiencies...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS- MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

  Wavicle Data Solutions is a nimble consulting firm that focuses 100% on providing end-to-end data and analytics strategy, services, and support. Thanks to its deep technical expertise, business acumen, and proprietary accelerators Wavicle is able to help its clients drastically reduce the time, cost, and risk of collecting, analyzing,...

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® 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™ South Africa

AWCA INVESTMENT HOLDINGS

AWCA INVESTMENT HOLDINGS- AFRICAN WOMEN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (AWCA) PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE ENTRY OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO THE HISTORICALLY ALMOST IMPENETRABLE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY (CA) PROFESSION

AFRICAN WOMEN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (AWCA) PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE ENTRY OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO THE HISTORICALLY ALMOST IMPENETRABLE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY (CA) PROFESSION

Having overcome exactly the struggles with which AWCA exists to assist, inspirational Founder, Sindi Mabaso-Koyana talks us through some of what makes the organization so special and valuable to aspirational women who are mentored and supported throughout their journey of becoming and CA and even beyond, to ensure their successful...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

AUGUST BROWN

TRANSFORMING INNOVATION INTO MARKET SUCCESS

INSIGHT. INNOVATE. IMPROVE. August Brown has established itself as a trailblazer in Milwaukee’s innovation ecosystem, bridging the often-daunting gap between research and market execution. Founded by Dr. Gordon Nameni and Erik Vickstrom, this boutique agency has become synonymous with strategic excellence and groundbreaking impact. “It all really started in 2018,”...

INNOVATION Quebec

2 DEGRÉS

EST UN INCUBATEUR SPÉCIALISÉ EN TECHNOLOGIES PROPRES AU QUÉBEC

2 Degrés accompagne des startups au stade de pré-démarrage, jusqu’au démarrage, qui proposent une solution innovante démontrant un fort potentiel de croissance et d’impact dans les secteurs des énergies, des matières résiduelles et de l’eau. Basé dans la Ville de Québec, 2 Degrés est né d’un rassemblement de jeunes gens...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

MARS SOLUTIONS GROUP

DISCOVERING DIVERSE TALENT THROUGH ALTERNATE PIPELINES

MARS Solutions Group is an award-winning talent solution supplier for information technology (IT), engineering, manufacturing, admin-clerical, healthcare, and professional roles located in Waukesha, WI. Founded by Rashi Arora-Khosla, an accomplished Enterprise Architect, and CEO of MARS Solutions Group, she launched MARS with boot strap capital and grew it organically into...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

CareerBeacon

A Human Approach to HR Technology

While the recruitment industry changes faster than ever, CareerBeacon stands apart through a fundamental principle often overlooked in tech innovation: empathy. When Yves Boudreau and co-founder Benoit Bourque acquired CareerBeacon in 2021, they saw more than just a job board – they saw the opportunity to transform how talent connects...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

GOPURSUE

Empowering the Next Generation

GoPursue is a revolutionary organization transforming the landscape of career exploration for K-12 students. This vibrant social impact company has carved a unique niche in the educational technology space, addressing critical gaps in workforce development and career preparedness. Founded by Kathryn Adabonyan, a former math teacher and career and technical...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

CLEANTECH

ESTONIA’S CLEAN TECHNOLOGY POWERHOUSE

The Estonian Cleantech Association (Cleantech Estonia) is the driving force behind Estonia’s clean technology sector. Founded in 2016, the organization has been supporting clean technology innovation and entrepreneurship since its early days. Over the years, Cleantech Estonia has accompanied a growing number of companies in building a key economic sector...

INNOVATE® Nashville

RJ Young

How RJ Young and Velocity1 Are Redefining Technology Solutions Across the Southeast

For more than 70 years, RJ Young has stood at the forefront of helping businesses adapt to change. What began in 1955 as a local provider of office equipment in Nashville has grown into one of the Southeast’s most respected and comprehensive business technology partners. Over the decades, RJ Young...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BAZ ART

ART SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS -BAZ-ART CREATES PUBLIC INTERACTION THROUGH URBAN ART

Co-founders Alexandre Tilmans (Sales, Marketing and Financial Director) and Melissa Cucci (Operations and Art Director) started the company in 2016 with the vision to make South Africa a flagship and main actor in the public art and marketing sector....

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ARLEQUIM

IS A BRAZILIAN COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN CURITIBA WITH A NATIONWIDE PRESENCE

PITCHArlequim Technologies S.A. – www.arlequim.com – is a Brazilian company headquartered in Curitiba with a nationwide presence. With ambitious international expansion plans, Arlequim aims to revolutionize how people use personal computers for work, business, and pleasure through an innovative Desktop as a Service (DaaS) model. OUR HISTORYFounded by the end...

INNOVATE® Georgia

GEORGIA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MANUFACTURING (GEORGIA AIM)

BUILDING A RESILIENT MANUFACTURING

Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) represents a bold vision for the future of manufacturing in Georgia and serves as a blueprint for the nation. This future is inclusive, innovative, and impactful, propelling the state of Georgia into the forefront of AI-driven manufacturing. STATEWIDE REACH AND FOCUS At its...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

ZAS

The leading hospital network of the City of Antwerp

Two hospital networks merged in July 2024 in order to create ZAS, the largest healthcare organization in Belgium. ZAS stands for ‘Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom’ (‘Hospital by the river’), a reference to the Schelde, the river of commercial and strategic importance that defines the city. In similar fashion, ZAS plays...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

FREESTYLE TRAMPOLINE ASSOCIATION

WORLD’S FIRST 3D TRAMPOLINE SIMULATOR TRAMPOLINE AND GYMNASTICS ‘JUMP’ INTO ESPORTS FOR THE FIRST TIME!

GRT Pro Flipper is a brand-new Mobile Trampoline Simulator that takes trampoline to the next level. All other trampoline-based apps on the App stores are based on simpler 2D gameplay that does not truly match what a trampolinist actually does in the air at the Olympics. Developed by the Freestyle...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

FOUR & FIVE

Business Advisors Disguised as Lawyers

In a rapidly evolving world where technology consistently outpaces the law, bridging the divide between legal frameworks and innovation has become more critical than ever. At the heart of this intersection lies Four & Five, a boutique law firm founded six years ago by Dimitri Coun and Anneleen Vander Elstraeten...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SnapIT Solutions

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW PEOPLE

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW PEOPLE SnapIT Solutions, based in Overland Park, Kansas, is an innovative technology solutions and services company specializing in web and mobile applications, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, DevOps, IT Managed services and cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), and 3Dphotogrammetry. Established in...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

TECHARENA

WHERE INNOVATION BEGINS WITH HUMAN CONNECTION

Techarena is a Nordic-born platform for innovation and entrepreneurship that brings together thousands of founders, investors, business leaders, and policymakers every year. Through high-impact events, accelerator programs, and media channels, Techarena creates opportunities for cross-border collaboration and sustainable growth. From Local Competition to Global Platform What began in 2014 as...

INNOVATE® Nashville

CURCIO DERMATOLOGY

CURCIO DERMATOLOGY

A Life-Long Calling To Heal, Cutting-Edge Medical Expertise, And An Entrepreneurship-Mindset Are At The Heart Of Helping Others

ANSWERING THE CALL TO HEALFor as long as I can remember, medicine has been a special calling for me. And nearly as long, I realized my passion for healing was through dermatology. This was a gift that I inherited from my father, Frederick David Curcio, III, M.D. He knew that...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Citibot

Revolutionizes how local governments interact with their residents.

Local governments have struggled to engage residents, ensure accessibility, and provide timely responses to community needs for a long time. In 2016, Bratton Riley founded Citibot to revolutionize how local governments interact with their residents. With a deep-rooted passion for public service and a desire to foster community connections, Riley...

INNOVATE® Maryland

Athelas

Creating Opportunity Without Limits

Long before innovation becomes a product or a breakthrough technology, it often begins with a different question: What becomes possible when people are given the opportunity to be seen for their abilities rather than their limitations? For more than four decades, Athelas Institute has worked to answer that question. Across...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

DOT LEMON

REMON HENES-DC ZESTY STORY-AN INNOVATOR SHAPING THE NARRATIVE OF D.C.

A Visionary Among D.C.’s Top 100 InnovatorsRemon Henes stands out as one of the District of Columbia’s 100 leading innovators, offering the world a fresh perspective on Washington through his groundbreaking project, DC Zesty Story. An award-winning producer and filmmaker from Cairo, Remon’s dynamic vision led to the inception of...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

NEDBANK

NEDBANK -A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON DIGITISATION ALLOWS NEDBANK TO MEET FAST-CHANGING BANKING CUSTOMER NEEDS

A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON DIGITISATION ALLOWS NEDBANK TO MEET FAST-CHANGING BANKING CUSTOMER NEEDS

Digitisation and technological innovation are nothing new to the South African banking industry, but those banks that had made significant progress on their digital journeys before the Covid-19 pandemic, have been best placed to meet the fast-changing needs of their clients and, as is the case with Nedbank, gain efficiencies...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS- MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

  Wavicle Data Solutions is a nimble consulting firm that focuses 100% on providing end-to-end data and analytics strategy, services, and support. Thanks to its deep technical expertise, business acumen, and proprietary accelerators Wavicle is able to help its clients drastically reduce the time, cost, and risk of collecting, analyzing,...

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® 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™ South Africa

AWCA INVESTMENT HOLDINGS

AWCA INVESTMENT HOLDINGS- AFRICAN WOMEN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (AWCA) PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE ENTRY OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO THE HISTORICALLY ALMOST IMPENETRABLE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY (CA) PROFESSION

AFRICAN WOMEN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (AWCA) PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE ENTRY OF YOUNG WOMEN INTO THE HISTORICALLY ALMOST IMPENETRABLE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY (CA) PROFESSION

Having overcome exactly the struggles with which AWCA exists to assist, inspirational Founder, Sindi Mabaso-Koyana talks us through some of what makes the organization so special and valuable to aspirational women who are mentored and supported throughout their journey of becoming and CA and even beyond, to ensure their successful...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

AUGUST BROWN

TRANSFORMING INNOVATION INTO MARKET SUCCESS

INSIGHT. INNOVATE. IMPROVE. August Brown has established itself as a trailblazer in Milwaukee’s innovation ecosystem, bridging the often-daunting gap between research and market execution. Founded by Dr. Gordon Nameni and Erik Vickstrom, this boutique agency has become synonymous with strategic excellence and groundbreaking impact. “It all really started in 2018,”...

INNOVATION Quebec

2 DEGRÉS

EST UN INCUBATEUR SPÉCIALISÉ EN TECHNOLOGIES PROPRES AU QUÉBEC

2 Degrés accompagne des startups au stade de pré-démarrage, jusqu’au démarrage, qui proposent une solution innovante démontrant un fort potentiel de croissance et d’impact dans les secteurs des énergies, des matières résiduelles et de l’eau. Basé dans la Ville de Québec, 2 Degrés est né d’un rassemblement de jeunes gens...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

MARS SOLUTIONS GROUP

DISCOVERING DIVERSE TALENT THROUGH ALTERNATE PIPELINES

MARS Solutions Group is an award-winning talent solution supplier for information technology (IT), engineering, manufacturing, admin-clerical, healthcare, and professional roles located in Waukesha, WI. Founded by Rashi Arora-Khosla, an accomplished Enterprise Architect, and CEO of MARS Solutions Group, she launched MARS with boot strap capital and grew it organically into...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

CareerBeacon

A Human Approach to HR Technology

While the recruitment industry changes faster than ever, CareerBeacon stands apart through a fundamental principle often overlooked in tech innovation: empathy. When Yves Boudreau and co-founder Benoit Bourque acquired CareerBeacon in 2021, they saw more than just a job board – they saw the opportunity to transform how talent connects...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

GOPURSUE

Empowering the Next Generation

GoPursue is a revolutionary organization transforming the landscape of career exploration for K-12 students. This vibrant social impact company has carved a unique niche in the educational technology space, addressing critical gaps in workforce development and career preparedness. Founded by Kathryn Adabonyan, a former math teacher and career and technical...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

CLEANTECH

ESTONIA’S CLEAN TECHNOLOGY POWERHOUSE

The Estonian Cleantech Association (Cleantech Estonia) is the driving force behind Estonia’s clean technology sector. Founded in 2016, the organization has been supporting clean technology innovation and entrepreneurship since its early days. Over the years, Cleantech Estonia has accompanied a growing number of companies in building a key economic sector...

INNOVATE® Nashville

RJ Young

How RJ Young and Velocity1 Are Redefining Technology Solutions Across the Southeast

For more than 70 years, RJ Young has stood at the forefront of helping businesses adapt to change. What began in 1955 as a local provider of office equipment in Nashville has grown into one of the Southeast’s most respected and comprehensive business technology partners. Over the decades, RJ Young...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BAZ ART

ART SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS -BAZ-ART CREATES PUBLIC INTERACTION THROUGH URBAN ART

Co-founders Alexandre Tilmans (Sales, Marketing and Financial Director) and Melissa Cucci (Operations and Art Director) started the company in 2016 with the vision to make South Africa a flagship and main actor in the public art and marketing sector....

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ARLEQUIM

IS A BRAZILIAN COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN CURITIBA WITH A NATIONWIDE PRESENCE

PITCHArlequim Technologies S.A. – www.arlequim.com – is a Brazilian company headquartered in Curitiba with a nationwide presence. With ambitious international expansion plans, Arlequim aims to revolutionize how people use personal computers for work, business, and pleasure through an innovative Desktop as a Service (DaaS) model. OUR HISTORYFounded by the end...

INNOVATE® Georgia

GEORGIA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MANUFACTURING (GEORGIA AIM)

BUILDING A RESILIENT MANUFACTURING

Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) represents a bold vision for the future of manufacturing in Georgia and serves as a blueprint for the nation. This future is inclusive, innovative, and impactful, propelling the state of Georgia into the forefront of AI-driven manufacturing. STATEWIDE REACH AND FOCUS At its...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

ZAS

The leading hospital network of the City of Antwerp

Two hospital networks merged in July 2024 in order to create ZAS, the largest healthcare organization in Belgium. ZAS stands for ‘Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom’ (‘Hospital by the river’), a reference to the Schelde, the river of commercial and strategic importance that defines the city. In similar fashion, ZAS plays...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

FREESTYLE TRAMPOLINE ASSOCIATION

WORLD’S FIRST 3D TRAMPOLINE SIMULATOR TRAMPOLINE AND GYMNASTICS ‘JUMP’ INTO ESPORTS FOR THE FIRST TIME!

GRT Pro Flipper is a brand-new Mobile Trampoline Simulator that takes trampoline to the next level. All other trampoline-based apps on the App stores are based on simpler 2D gameplay that does not truly match what a trampolinist actually does in the air at the Olympics. Developed by the Freestyle...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

FOUR & FIVE

Business Advisors Disguised as Lawyers

In a rapidly evolving world where technology consistently outpaces the law, bridging the divide between legal frameworks and innovation has become more critical than ever. At the heart of this intersection lies Four & Five, a boutique law firm founded six years ago by Dimitri Coun and Anneleen Vander Elstraeten...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

SnapIT Solutions

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW PEOPLE

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GROW PEOPLE SnapIT Solutions, based in Overland Park, Kansas, is an innovative technology solutions and services company specializing in web and mobile applications, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, DevOps, IT Managed services and cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), and 3Dphotogrammetry. Established in...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

TECHARENA

WHERE INNOVATION BEGINS WITH HUMAN CONNECTION

Techarena is a Nordic-born platform for innovation and entrepreneurship that brings together thousands of founders, investors, business leaders, and policymakers every year. Through high-impact events, accelerator programs, and media channels, Techarena creates opportunities for cross-border collaboration and sustainable growth. From Local Competition to Global Platform What began in 2014 as...

INNOVATE® Nashville

CURCIO DERMATOLOGY

CURCIO DERMATOLOGY

A Life-Long Calling To Heal, Cutting-Edge Medical Expertise, And An Entrepreneurship-Mindset Are At The Heart Of Helping Others

ANSWERING THE CALL TO HEALFor as long as I can remember, medicine has been a special calling for me. And nearly as long, I realized my passion for healing was through dermatology. This was a gift that I inherited from my father, Frederick David Curcio, III, M.D. He knew that...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Citibot

Revolutionizes how local governments interact with their residents.

Local governments have struggled to engage residents, ensure accessibility, and provide timely responses to community needs for a long time. In 2016, Bratton Riley founded Citibot to revolutionize how local governments interact with their residents. With a deep-rooted passion for public service and a desire to foster community connections, Riley...

Ecosystems