Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Castano Group-Changes the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments.
When innovation is combined with creativity, it not only captures attention, it can create an experience that can lead to change. Castano Group specializes in designing and producing these experiences: multimedia, multisensory engagements that change the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments. Castano Group was launched...
INNOVATE® Detroit
DETROIT’S ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE
The Detroit Development Fund’s 25-Year Journey
DETROIT’S ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE-The Detroit Development Fund’s 25-Year Journey Towards Inclusive Prosperity In the heart of Detroit’s vibrant entrepreneurial landscape, the Detroit Development Fund (DDF) has emerged as a devoted ally for local businesses, catalyzing economic growth and fostering lasting community development. Over the past 25 years, this organization, originally known...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
ECOHUB (PTY) LTD
“ONE MAN’S WASTE, ANOTHER MAN’S SUSTAINABLE ECO BUILDING”
July 2017 I left my 9-5 job of being a full time Lecturer, and founded Ecohub (Pty) Ltd, a startup that innovatively uses plastic waste combined with other additives to produce affordable, architect designed flat pack ecobricks to build ecohouses. As the only Founder, I took a risk and sold...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
IBM
CANADA
As digital transformation accelerates across industries in Canada, companies are looking to build a much stronger digital foundation to fundamentally change the way their business works. Artificial Intelligence (AI), hybrid cloud and quantum computing are playing a significant part in helping private and public organizations further advance and contribute to...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOBES
UN CCTT DÉDIÉ À RÉSOUDRE LES INÉGALITÉS SOCIALES EN ÉDUCATION ET EN SANTÉ
UN CCTT DÉDIÉ À RÉSOUDRE LES INÉGALITÉS SOCIALES EN ÉDUCATION ET EN SANTÉ AU MOYEN DE LA RECHERCHE APPLIQUÉE ET PARTENARIALE COMPRENDRE, COCONSTRUIRE, AGIR Le Centre d’Étude sur les COnditions de vie et BESoins de la population (ÉCOBES) s’affirme en tant que chef de file dans le domaine de l’innovation...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
MERCK
Curiosity Is In Our DNA
At Merck, we are curious, we constantly ask questions and seek out answers. Why? Because we believe breakthroughs begin with curiosity and it’s this curiosity that allows us to introduce ourselves as a vibrant science and technology company able to make a positive difference in millions of people’s lives every...
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,...
INNOVATION Quebec
HACKING HEALTH
MONTRÉAL ET VILLE DE QUÉBEC
FACILITATEURS D’ÉCOSYSTÈMES LOCAUX D’INNOVATION EN SANTÉ LIÉS À 40 CHAPITRES HH AU CANADA ET DANS LE MONDE Hacking Health est un mouvement bénévole, à but non lucratif, né à Montréal en 2012. Aujourd’hui, l’organisation compte 40 chapitres sur les cinq continents et anime une communauté internationale de facilitateurs d’écosystèmes locaux...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
MKE Tech
The World of Talent is Changing. Is Your Business Ready?
Since the inception of the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, we’ve been guided by a bold vision of technology as an economic driver in the region. We’ve operated with a civic mindset, while remaining curious to address the region’s most pressing needs in tech. As the region has advanced, we’ve kept...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VANNADIUM, INC.
Shaping the Future of Data Sovereignty
“We believe in data sovereignty for everybody and that data should be in the control of those originating it.” At the forefront of technological innovation, Vannadium, Inc. is a pioneering DeepTech solution provider committed to redefining data security and sovereignty. Through groundbreaking advancements in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT),...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
SPOON
CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE
Founded in 2012 by Paulina Salach and Gustavo Antonetti, Spoon is Puerto Rico’s leading tour operator and travel planning & logistics company with a specialization in culinary experiences. We craft immersive, authentic, and educational gastronomic & cultural experiences for the leisure and corporate markets. On the leisure segment we service...
INNOVATION Quebec
HEC MONTRÉAL
UN CARREFOUR DU SAVOIR EN GESTION QUI INSPIRE, INNOVE ET RAYONNE MONDIALEMENT
École de gestion parmi les plus réputées dans le monde pour la qualité de ses programmes, pour la réussite de ses diplômées et diplômés et pour son influence en recherche, HEC Montréal fait bien plus que propulser les carrières. Elle propulse les nouvelles idées HEC Montréal est un espace de...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
OxiWear
Revolutionizing Health Monitoring with Innovation and Perseverance
“I developed OxiWear for myself to demonstrate that I could live a normal life without letting the disease define me.” In 2019, Shavini Fernando, a visionary innovator and determined entrepreneur, founded OxiWear – a groundbreaking company dedicated to transforming how we monitor and respond to critical health metrics. Diagnosed with...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Finwell
Innovating Access: How Finwell Makes Professional Advice Inclusive
How Finwell Innovates Finwell has reimagined financial advice by removing the traditional barriers that prevent most people from accessing professional, unbiased wealth management and comprehensive financial planning. Unlike firms driven by product sales, Finwell focuses on serving individuals and families often overlooked by traditional wealth managers. By prioritizing education, planning,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
BRBATEL
WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER 2020 BY ENTREPRENEURS
BRBATEL WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER 2020 BY ENTREPRENEURS LUCAS FLORES, GABRIEL NASSER, AND MARCOS MENDONÇA WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO THE DEBT CAPITAL MARKET (DCM), USING A UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY FOR ORIGINATION AND STRUCTURING DEVELOPED BY THE COMPANY ITSELF. The company originated more than 1,100 deals through its over...
INNOVATE® Miami
Social Impact Movement
Builds partnerships to promote social change in Miami
Social Impact Movement builds partnerships to promote social change in Miami by highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Connecting business leaders, enterprises, organizations, and government, linking local social responsibility actions to the global goals. Social Impact Movement was founded in 2016 with the mission to connect people to social-related topics....
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BIGGINS LACEY SHAPIRO & CO
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMPANIES AND THEIR SITE SELECTION NEEDS THROUGH LOCATION ECONOMICS®
OUR STORYBiggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) is one of the largest independent firms in the specialty fields of site selection and economic development incentives advisory services. Our principals have been delivering our mix of services for more than twenty-five years and arehighly respected leaders in their field....
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
BENCHMARK SIXTY
THINK DIFFERENTLY. PROTECT PEOPLE. CHANGE RESTAURANTS
Benchmark Sixty is not your usual entrepreneurial story. It wasn’t an idea that was burning inside of a serial entrepreneur, or a strategically thought out plan. It was an “accidental startup” that sprouted from the pain points of an industry that was devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. What started as...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
WETHINK
Build Better Humans By Empowering Individuals With Data-Driven Feedback In Regards To How They Interact With Others Through Esports And Gaming
The team at weThink spent years working directly with schools, coaches and players to develop programs that focused on social and emotional skill growth backed by research with the Assessment and Achievement institute at Kansas University. Team-based games and esports are the perfect environment for social skills to flourish, and...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NEW ORCHARD
Leaders are getting catfished by the promise of data. New Orchard helps lessen those odds
If 2020 proved anything, it’s that change is inevitable, whether that is decided on internally or not. “The ability to be resilient lies within confidently understanding where your organization is today, where it desires to be, the team that makes it up, and the processes that support it, fast,” says...
INNOVATE® Seattle
SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK
SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOFAUNE BORÉALE
CCTT EN INNOVATION ÉCORESPONSABLE DU SECTEUR CUIR, FOURRURE ET PRODUITS DÉRIVÉS
La mission du centre collégial de transfert technologique du Cégep de St-Félicien, Écofaune boréale, comprend principalement de la recherche appliquée combinant le développement technologique, l’aide technique, le transfert de connaissances, la diffusion d’information scientifique ainsi que l’acquisition de pratiques sociales novatrices permettant aux acteurs socio-économiques de la fourrure et du...
INNOVATION Quebec
PARI-G
REGIONAL SUPPORT PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION – ENGINEERING (PARI-G)
The need for companies to innovate is no longer to be demonstrated in a world where product development is happening on increasingly shorter cycles and where competition is more intense and less predictable. Innovation, whether it is related to the company’s products or its processes and equipment, is essential. Recognizing...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Castano Group-Changes the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments.
When innovation is combined with creativity, it not only captures attention, it can create an experience that can lead to change. Castano Group specializes in designing and producing these experiences: multimedia, multisensory engagements that change the way people communicate with brands in digital and physical environments. Castano Group was launched...
INNOVATE® Detroit
DETROIT’S ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE
The Detroit Development Fund’s 25-Year Journey
DETROIT’S ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE-The Detroit Development Fund’s 25-Year Journey Towards Inclusive Prosperity In the heart of Detroit’s vibrant entrepreneurial landscape, the Detroit Development Fund (DDF) has emerged as a devoted ally for local businesses, catalyzing economic growth and fostering lasting community development. Over the past 25 years, this organization, originally known...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
ECOHUB (PTY) LTD
“ONE MAN’S WASTE, ANOTHER MAN’S SUSTAINABLE ECO BUILDING”
July 2017 I left my 9-5 job of being a full time Lecturer, and founded Ecohub (Pty) Ltd, a startup that innovatively uses plastic waste combined with other additives to produce affordable, architect designed flat pack ecobricks to build ecohouses. As the only Founder, I took a risk and sold...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
IBM
CANADA
As digital transformation accelerates across industries in Canada, companies are looking to build a much stronger digital foundation to fundamentally change the way their business works. Artificial Intelligence (AI), hybrid cloud and quantum computing are playing a significant part in helping private and public organizations further advance and contribute to...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOBES
UN CCTT DÉDIÉ À RÉSOUDRE LES INÉGALITÉS SOCIALES EN ÉDUCATION ET EN SANTÉ
UN CCTT DÉDIÉ À RÉSOUDRE LES INÉGALITÉS SOCIALES EN ÉDUCATION ET EN SANTÉ AU MOYEN DE LA RECHERCHE APPLIQUÉE ET PARTENARIALE COMPRENDRE, COCONSTRUIRE, AGIR Le Centre d’Étude sur les COnditions de vie et BESoins de la population (ÉCOBES) s’affirme en tant que chef de file dans le domaine de l’innovation...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
MERCK
Curiosity Is In Our DNA
At Merck, we are curious, we constantly ask questions and seek out answers. Why? Because we believe breakthroughs begin with curiosity and it’s this curiosity that allows us to introduce ourselves as a vibrant science and technology company able to make a positive difference in millions of people’s lives every...
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,...
INNOVATION Quebec
HACKING HEALTH
MONTRÉAL ET VILLE DE QUÉBEC
FACILITATEURS D’ÉCOSYSTÈMES LOCAUX D’INNOVATION EN SANTÉ LIÉS À 40 CHAPITRES HH AU CANADA ET DANS LE MONDE Hacking Health est un mouvement bénévole, à but non lucratif, né à Montréal en 2012. Aujourd’hui, l’organisation compte 40 chapitres sur les cinq continents et anime une communauté internationale de facilitateurs d’écosystèmes locaux...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
MKE Tech
The World of Talent is Changing. Is Your Business Ready?
Since the inception of the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, we’ve been guided by a bold vision of technology as an economic driver in the region. We’ve operated with a civic mindset, while remaining curious to address the region’s most pressing needs in tech. As the region has advanced, we’ve kept...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
VANNADIUM, INC.
Shaping the Future of Data Sovereignty
“We believe in data sovereignty for everybody and that data should be in the control of those originating it.” At the forefront of technological innovation, Vannadium, Inc. is a pioneering DeepTech solution provider committed to redefining data security and sovereignty. Through groundbreaking advancements in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT),...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
SPOON
CHOOSE YOUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE
Founded in 2012 by Paulina Salach and Gustavo Antonetti, Spoon is Puerto Rico’s leading tour operator and travel planning & logistics company with a specialization in culinary experiences. We craft immersive, authentic, and educational gastronomic & cultural experiences for the leisure and corporate markets. On the leisure segment we service...
INNOVATION Quebec
HEC MONTRÉAL
UN CARREFOUR DU SAVOIR EN GESTION QUI INSPIRE, INNOVE ET RAYONNE MONDIALEMENT
École de gestion parmi les plus réputées dans le monde pour la qualité de ses programmes, pour la réussite de ses diplômées et diplômés et pour son influence en recherche, HEC Montréal fait bien plus que propulser les carrières. Elle propulse les nouvelles idées HEC Montréal est un espace de...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
OxiWear
Revolutionizing Health Monitoring with Innovation and Perseverance
“I developed OxiWear for myself to demonstrate that I could live a normal life without letting the disease define me.” In 2019, Shavini Fernando, a visionary innovator and determined entrepreneur, founded OxiWear – a groundbreaking company dedicated to transforming how we monitor and respond to critical health metrics. Diagnosed with...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Finwell
Innovating Access: How Finwell Makes Professional Advice Inclusive
How Finwell Innovates Finwell has reimagined financial advice by removing the traditional barriers that prevent most people from accessing professional, unbiased wealth management and comprehensive financial planning. Unlike firms driven by product sales, Finwell focuses on serving individuals and families often overlooked by traditional wealth managers. By prioritizing education, planning,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
BRBATEL
WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER 2020 BY ENTREPRENEURS
BRBATEL WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER 2020 BY ENTREPRENEURS LUCAS FLORES, GABRIEL NASSER, AND MARCOS MENDONÇA WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO THE DEBT CAPITAL MARKET (DCM), USING A UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY FOR ORIGINATION AND STRUCTURING DEVELOPED BY THE COMPANY ITSELF. The company originated more than 1,100 deals through its over...
INNOVATE® Miami
Social Impact Movement
Builds partnerships to promote social change in Miami
Social Impact Movement builds partnerships to promote social change in Miami by highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Connecting business leaders, enterprises, organizations, and government, linking local social responsibility actions to the global goals. Social Impact Movement was founded in 2016 with the mission to connect people to social-related topics....
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
BIGGINS LACEY SHAPIRO & CO
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMPANIES AND THEIR SITE SELECTION NEEDS THROUGH LOCATION ECONOMICS®
OUR STORYBiggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) is one of the largest independent firms in the specialty fields of site selection and economic development incentives advisory services. Our principals have been delivering our mix of services for more than twenty-five years and arehighly respected leaders in their field....
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
BENCHMARK SIXTY
THINK DIFFERENTLY. PROTECT PEOPLE. CHANGE RESTAURANTS
Benchmark Sixty is not your usual entrepreneurial story. It wasn’t an idea that was burning inside of a serial entrepreneur, or a strategically thought out plan. It was an “accidental startup” that sprouted from the pain points of an industry that was devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. What started as...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
WETHINK
Build Better Humans By Empowering Individuals With Data-Driven Feedback In Regards To How They Interact With Others Through Esports And Gaming
The team at weThink spent years working directly with schools, coaches and players to develop programs that focused on social and emotional skill growth backed by research with the Assessment and Achievement institute at Kansas University. Team-based games and esports are the perfect environment for social skills to flourish, and...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NEW ORCHARD
Leaders are getting catfished by the promise of data. New Orchard helps lessen those odds
If 2020 proved anything, it’s that change is inevitable, whether that is decided on internally or not. “The ability to be resilient lies within confidently understanding where your organization is today, where it desires to be, the team that makes it up, and the processes that support it, fast,” says...
INNOVATE® Seattle
SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK
SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCOFAUNE BORÉALE
CCTT EN INNOVATION ÉCORESPONSABLE DU SECTEUR CUIR, FOURRURE ET PRODUITS DÉRIVÉS
La mission du centre collégial de transfert technologique du Cégep de St-Félicien, Écofaune boréale, comprend principalement de la recherche appliquée combinant le développement technologique, l’aide technique, le transfert de connaissances, la diffusion d’information scientifique ainsi que l’acquisition de pratiques sociales novatrices permettant aux acteurs socio-économiques de la fourrure et du...
INNOVATION Quebec
PARI-G
REGIONAL SUPPORT PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION – ENGINEERING (PARI-G)
The need for companies to innovate is no longer to be demonstrated in a world where product development is happening on increasingly shorter cycles and where competition is more intense and less predictable. Innovation, whether it is related to the company’s products or its processes and equipment, is essential. Recognizing...