Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ESTONIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
A UNIVERSITY BORN OF A VISION
When Estonia regained independence in the early 1990s, its economy was in flux. The country was moving rapidly from a socialist system into the unpredictable, high-speed world of open markets. At that critical juncture, one man – Ülo Pärnits – saw a gap that urgently needed filling. Estonia had bright...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
CONNECTPLUG
RETAIL AUTOMATION CAN BE MORE AFFORDABLE AND EFFECTIVE FOR EVERYONE
2014 doesn’t seem like a long time ago, but the technology was very different back then. AI was just science fiction, the internet was much slower — and retail software was expensive and unnecessarily complex. This scenario led to ConnectPlug’s creation by computer engineer Rafael Hasson. Hasson, who has worked...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
QUANTA
FOUNDED IN 2004 AND INTEGRATED INTO THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM OF CURITIBA
FOUNDED IN 2004 AND INTEGRATED INTO THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM OF CURITIBA, QUANTA HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR TWO DECADES IN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICINE WITH MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Innovative sight bringing together Science and TechnologyThrough Inova, its Research and Innovation Department, Quanta Imaging Diagnosis invests and participates in various...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
THE FIRST NATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
CONNECTING INDIGENOUS LEARNERS TO A DIGITAL FUTURE
The First Nations Technology Council (The Technology Council) is an Indigenous-led organization that serves all 204 First Nations communities across the Province of British Columbia. Established in 2002, they are mandated by BC First Nations Leadership to provide digital skills training to Indigenous learners, realize digital equity, and ensure Indigenous...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
2iM
A STORY OF INNOVATION AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The history of 2iM permeates and reflects the life purpose of its founders, Cesar Abicalaffe and Josiane Justus who were born in the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil. They have developed their careers as healthcare professionals and have dedicated themselves since their postgraduation to supporting and influencing the transformation...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MYSOCIALIFE
IS AN EDTECH TRAINING PROGRAM THAT TRAINS PRE-TEENS AND TEENS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND MEDIA LITERACY, IN ORDER TO FIRST MAKE THEM CONSCIOUS AND AWARE OF SAFETY ONLINE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY ALLOW THEM TO EXPLORE INTELLIGENTLY AND LATER EXCEL IN A COMPETITIVE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
In order to ensure this is successful, the South African-based educators also teach learners’ parents and their teachers too, as well as mental health professionals, helping to bridge the technological divide and provide the much-needed insights and tools to navigate a complex social landscape. “The more we do that,...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
VOKA - CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MECHELEN-KEMPEN
YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER. LET’S GROW YOUR BUSINESS
With more than 13,000 chambers worldwide, the Chamber of Commerce is the largest entrepreneurial network in the world. In Flanders, too, the Voka Chambers are the largest network. Voka represents 18,000businesses, 70% of added value, 65% of private employment and 80% of exports. With a globally ramified network of 130...
INNOVATE® South Florida
PREMIERVIRTUAL
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’ in order to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards saw the shift to digital firsthand as he hosted in-person job...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ATIBA
TECH IS HARD. BITS, BYTES, ACRONYMS, AND BUZZWORDS— OH MY!
When we started our Nashville-based technology consulting firm Atiba all the way back in 1992, the tech services world was relatively simple. When a business needed tech help, they simply opened The Yellow Pages and looked under “Computer Consultants” to hire any one of the dozen or so Nashville IT...
INNOVATE® Detroit
FRANCO
The Power of Relationships, Culture & Innovation Propels Franco to 60 Years of Success
When you think of Detroit and the public relations industry, it may not be obvious at first how much they have in common. But anyone working in the PR industry in the city will tell you both have weathered significant changes over the past several decades. Founded in 1964 in...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ITL
ESTONIAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS – AN EXAMPLE THAT COOPERATION IS A KEY TO SUCCESS
Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL) is an association of Estonian most innovative technology companies, it is a community that speaks for the innovation of the digital society. It seems that our tech-sector is by its nature ahead of its time, with technology companies playing the role of...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
HIGHER STATE TECHNOLOGY
HUMANS HELPING HUMANS MANAGE TECH
CYBER RESILIENCE What we care about: We are all connected. Technology is the current that runs through our businesses and global villages. Higher State Technology (HST) serves SMBs in a “Techno-city” where we can focus on what matters – taking care of employees and clients. Cyber Resilience is at the...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Trupanion
Medical Insurance for the life of your pet.
SUPERPOWERED PET INSURANCE On a breezy September day in 2006, Darryl Rawlings was sitting on a beach in a tent in Mexico enjoying the warm sun and crashing waves and having a chat with his wife. Trupanion, the pet medical insurance company Darryl had founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 1999,...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEW BRUNSWICK
Excellence in Scholarly Leadership, Innovative Research, Student Success, and Community Engagement
Rutgers University–New Brunswick, a top 20 public university (U.S. News and World Report), is proud to show the world what excellence looks like. What fuels our innovation? Membership in the Big Ten Academic Alliance and the Association of American Universities. More than 20 programs and schools in the nation’s top...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
EDSVÄRD
THE MILLION-DOLLAR SMILE
“Don’t worry I am not gonna steal it,” says one of Edsvärd’s co-founders to a man who sits by himself at a table. He is holding on to his backpack for dear life. The man cracks into a warm, bubbly laughter showing off his flawless white smile. His name is...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TALK SHOP
ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO
Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....
INNOVATION Quebec
INÉDI
CCTT IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Industrial designers contribute to the creation of the products that you interact with. Whether you are a farmer, athlete, therapist, circus performer or manufacturer, it is likely that an industrial designer has been involved in the design of the experiences, services and products that you use on a daily basis....
SharpSpring
The company, built in Gainesville, is committed to fueling growth and deepening roots in its hometown
When SharpSpring CEO Rick Carlson gets questions about moving his growing tech company to a larger, more metropolitan city, his answer is always the same. “We have no plans to go anywhere. The talent coming out of the university is fueling the emergence of a true tech center in Gainesville,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDVALLEY
REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
Mindvalley is the world’s leading personal growth education platform, serving over 20 million students across the globe. Its mission is ambitious yet profoundly simple: to transform education by teaching the skills that truly matter for human flourishing – from mindset and well-being to leadership and entrepreneurship. Founded in 2003 by...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
METTĀ CREATIVE
GATHERING INTENTIONALLY IN THE PRESENT TO CO-CREATE A BETTER FUTURE
Born out of a desire for an alternative to unfulfilling college night-life, Mettā Creative has existed on the fringes of DMV culture since November 2016. Mettā, which means “loving-kindness” in Sanskrit, is a bonding agent, a glue between people, their community, and the public good. In the early days, Creative...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CARMELLA
TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES
Carmella, an award-winning, nationally certified, net-zero, woman-owned, and women-led full-service marketing and sales agency, is on a mission to transform communities and make a significant GDP level impact. Grounded in a philosophy of providing complimentary education without expectations, offering extraordinary hospitality, relentlessly pursuing excellence, Carmella delivers the ultimate customer experience....
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
PS27 Female Founders Forum
To Motivate and Improve the Skills of Female Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Intrepreneurs
The Female Founders Forum is an annual event, organized by PS27 Empowerment, to motivate and improve the skills of Female Founders, entrepreneurs, and intrepreneurs. The event brings successful women role models together with early-stage female founders. Each year the event takes place on International Women’s Day. During the event,...
INNOVATION Quebec
CIRRELT
CIRRELT Interuniversity Research Center on Enterprise Networks, Logistics and Transportation
What does challenges such as climate change, labor shortage, health logistics and economic uncertainty have in common? Certainly, then need to better understand these phenomena, to accurately predict trends, and design efficient, resilient, sustainable and safer systems, that guide our future actions towards a more prosperous and fairer world. For...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ESTONIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
A UNIVERSITY BORN OF A VISION
When Estonia regained independence in the early 1990s, its economy was in flux. The country was moving rapidly from a socialist system into the unpredictable, high-speed world of open markets. At that critical juncture, one man – Ülo Pärnits – saw a gap that urgently needed filling. Estonia had bright...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
CONNECTPLUG
RETAIL AUTOMATION CAN BE MORE AFFORDABLE AND EFFECTIVE FOR EVERYONE
2014 doesn’t seem like a long time ago, but the technology was very different back then. AI was just science fiction, the internet was much slower — and retail software was expensive and unnecessarily complex. This scenario led to ConnectPlug’s creation by computer engineer Rafael Hasson. Hasson, who has worked...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
QUANTA
FOUNDED IN 2004 AND INTEGRATED INTO THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM OF CURITIBA
FOUNDED IN 2004 AND INTEGRATED INTO THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM OF CURITIBA, QUANTA HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR TWO DECADES IN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICINE WITH MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Innovative sight bringing together Science and TechnologyThrough Inova, its Research and Innovation Department, Quanta Imaging Diagnosis invests and participates in various...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
THE FIRST NATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
CONNECTING INDIGENOUS LEARNERS TO A DIGITAL FUTURE
The First Nations Technology Council (The Technology Council) is an Indigenous-led organization that serves all 204 First Nations communities across the Province of British Columbia. Established in 2002, they are mandated by BC First Nations Leadership to provide digital skills training to Indigenous learners, realize digital equity, and ensure Indigenous...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
2iM
A STORY OF INNOVATION AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The history of 2iM permeates and reflects the life purpose of its founders, Cesar Abicalaffe and Josiane Justus who were born in the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil. They have developed their careers as healthcare professionals and have dedicated themselves since their postgraduation to supporting and influencing the transformation...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MYSOCIALIFE
IS AN EDTECH TRAINING PROGRAM THAT TRAINS PRE-TEENS AND TEENS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND MEDIA LITERACY, IN ORDER TO FIRST MAKE THEM CONSCIOUS AND AWARE OF SAFETY ONLINE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY ALLOW THEM TO EXPLORE INTELLIGENTLY AND LATER EXCEL IN A COMPETITIVE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
In order to ensure this is successful, the South African-based educators also teach learners’ parents and their teachers too, as well as mental health professionals, helping to bridge the technological divide and provide the much-needed insights and tools to navigate a complex social landscape. “The more we do that,...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
VOKA - CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MECHELEN-KEMPEN
YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER. LET’S GROW YOUR BUSINESS
With more than 13,000 chambers worldwide, the Chamber of Commerce is the largest entrepreneurial network in the world. In Flanders, too, the Voka Chambers are the largest network. Voka represents 18,000businesses, 70% of added value, 65% of private employment and 80% of exports. With a globally ramified network of 130...
INNOVATE® South Florida
PREMIERVIRTUAL
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’ in order to embrace it. Founder and President of Premier Virtual, Steve Edwards saw the shift to digital firsthand as he hosted in-person job...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ATIBA
TECH IS HARD. BITS, BYTES, ACRONYMS, AND BUZZWORDS— OH MY!
When we started our Nashville-based technology consulting firm Atiba all the way back in 1992, the tech services world was relatively simple. When a business needed tech help, they simply opened The Yellow Pages and looked under “Computer Consultants” to hire any one of the dozen or so Nashville IT...
INNOVATE® Detroit
FRANCO
The Power of Relationships, Culture & Innovation Propels Franco to 60 Years of Success
When you think of Detroit and the public relations industry, it may not be obvious at first how much they have in common. But anyone working in the PR industry in the city will tell you both have weathered significant changes over the past several decades. Founded in 1964 in...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ITL
ESTONIAN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS – AN EXAMPLE THAT COOPERATION IS A KEY TO SUCCESS
Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL) is an association of Estonian most innovative technology companies, it is a community that speaks for the innovation of the digital society. It seems that our tech-sector is by its nature ahead of its time, with technology companies playing the role of...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
HIGHER STATE TECHNOLOGY
HUMANS HELPING HUMANS MANAGE TECH
CYBER RESILIENCE What we care about: We are all connected. Technology is the current that runs through our businesses and global villages. Higher State Technology (HST) serves SMBs in a “Techno-city” where we can focus on what matters – taking care of employees and clients. Cyber Resilience is at the...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Trupanion
Medical Insurance for the life of your pet.
SUPERPOWERED PET INSURANCE On a breezy September day in 2006, Darryl Rawlings was sitting on a beach in a tent in Mexico enjoying the warm sun and crashing waves and having a chat with his wife. Trupanion, the pet medical insurance company Darryl had founded in Vancouver, B.C. in 1999,...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEW BRUNSWICK
Excellence in Scholarly Leadership, Innovative Research, Student Success, and Community Engagement
Rutgers University–New Brunswick, a top 20 public university (U.S. News and World Report), is proud to show the world what excellence looks like. What fuels our innovation? Membership in the Big Ten Academic Alliance and the Association of American Universities. More than 20 programs and schools in the nation’s top...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
EDSVÄRD
THE MILLION-DOLLAR SMILE
“Don’t worry I am not gonna steal it,” says one of Edsvärd’s co-founders to a man who sits by himself at a table. He is holding on to his backpack for dear life. The man cracks into a warm, bubbly laughter showing off his flawless white smile. His name is...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TALK SHOP
ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES, WITH HEAD OFFICES IN VANCOUVER AND TORONTO
Founded in Vancouver in 2011 by Beth Boyle, Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, and Sara Padidar, Talk Shop’s vision is to help it’s clients get known, and be understood. Under the leadership of the founding partners and Managing Partner Katie Stevens, Talk Shop has grown substantially to include more than fifty team members....
INNOVATION Quebec
INÉDI
CCTT IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Industrial designers contribute to the creation of the products that you interact with. Whether you are a farmer, athlete, therapist, circus performer or manufacturer, it is likely that an industrial designer has been involved in the design of the experiences, services and products that you use on a daily basis....
SharpSpring
The company, built in Gainesville, is committed to fueling growth and deepening roots in its hometown
When SharpSpring CEO Rick Carlson gets questions about moving his growing tech company to a larger, more metropolitan city, his answer is always the same. “We have no plans to go anywhere. The talent coming out of the university is fueling the emergence of a true tech center in Gainesville,...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDVALLEY
REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
Mindvalley is the world’s leading personal growth education platform, serving over 20 million students across the globe. Its mission is ambitious yet profoundly simple: to transform education by teaching the skills that truly matter for human flourishing – from mindset and well-being to leadership and entrepreneurship. Founded in 2003 by...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
METTĀ CREATIVE
GATHERING INTENTIONALLY IN THE PRESENT TO CO-CREATE A BETTER FUTURE
Born out of a desire for an alternative to unfulfilling college night-life, Mettā Creative has existed on the fringes of DMV culture since November 2016. Mettā, which means “loving-kindness” in Sanskrit, is a bonding agent, a glue between people, their community, and the public good. In the early days, Creative...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CARMELLA
TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES
Carmella, an award-winning, nationally certified, net-zero, woman-owned, and women-led full-service marketing and sales agency, is on a mission to transform communities and make a significant GDP level impact. Grounded in a philosophy of providing complimentary education without expectations, offering extraordinary hospitality, relentlessly pursuing excellence, Carmella delivers the ultimate customer experience....
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
PS27 Female Founders Forum
To Motivate and Improve the Skills of Female Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Intrepreneurs
The Female Founders Forum is an annual event, organized by PS27 Empowerment, to motivate and improve the skills of Female Founders, entrepreneurs, and intrepreneurs. The event brings successful women role models together with early-stage female founders. Each year the event takes place on International Women’s Day. During the event,...
INNOVATION Quebec
CIRRELT
CIRRELT Interuniversity Research Center on Enterprise Networks, Logistics and Transportation
What does challenges such as climate change, labor shortage, health logistics and economic uncertainty have in common? Certainly, then need to better understand these phenomena, to accurately predict trends, and design efficient, resilient, sustainable and safer systems, that guide our future actions towards a more prosperous and fairer world. For...