Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Bristol Private Equity Club

Bristol Private Equity Club

ELEVATOR PITCH Bristol Private Equity Club (BPEC) was founded by Jerry Barnes alongside five local influential and successful entrepreneurs in May 2016 and has, to date, provided circa £6M to 18 Bristol-based tech companies, some of whom are progressing to being globally-recognised leaders in their specialised sector. These investments have...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

MITACS

MAKING WAVES AND BUILDING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA

THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization, drives innovation across Atlantic Canada through strategic collaborations. With a network of over 197 postsecondary institutions across the country and more than 25 years of experience, Mitacs employs a collaborative approach to research and innovation, matching need with...

INNOVATE® Nashville

FORESIGHT

FORESIGHT-Bring Value To Life

Bring Value To Life

Foresight is elevating the sales profession by arming reps with their buyer’s unique needs and pain points so they can have more effective meetings. In the information age, buyers want consultants (not sales reps) to guide them through the process. We make that vision a reality. Freshly baked sourdough and heirloom...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

STEMLINGO

Unlocking Hidden Genius in STEM

Recognizing a significant gap in STEM exposure products and materials for students aged 13 and above, LINGO steps in to fill this void. Aisha Bowe, the Founder and CEO of LINGO, knows firsthand the importance of having access to quality STEM education. Graduating high school with a 2.3 GPA, she...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

//KOOD

FROM TAXI DRIVER TO PROGRAMMER WITH //KOOD PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING

When //kood’s first coding school, kood/Jõhvi, was founded in Estonia, it was an ambitious experiment to see if a practical, flexible programming school could be built to adapt quickly to the needs of the modern job market. Instead of following a traditional academic calendar or rigid curriculum, the goal was...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Future of Crypto Payments in E-Commerce

Discover how blockchain innovations, stablecoins, and new regulations are driving crypto adoption by merchants and consumers in e-commerce.

Cryptocurrencies are poised to reshape online retail payments by offering near-instant global transfers and lower fees compared to traditional methods. These advantages appeal to both merchants and consumers: a survey found about 46% of crypto users cite transaction speed and efficiency, and 41% value crypto’s borderless reach. Savvy retailers are...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

COLDS Collective

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AGE

COLDS Collective is a creator collective and digital native organisation helping people of African descent navigate and harness Web3 and other emerging technologies. United by the mission to educate, grow and innovate collectively, COLDS Collective is harnessing the power of bits (technology) to make tangible, positive changes in atoms (real...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Denmark Technical College

Reimagining the Rural College Landscape

Since 1947, Denmark Technical College has been a lifeline for education and economic mobility in South Carolina’s rural corridor. Established as a training center for African American veterans returning from World War II, Denmark Tech has grown into a proud HBCU with a legacy of service, resilience and transformation. For...

INNOVATE® Nashville

GEEQ

FROM THE VULNERABLE ECONOMY TO THE VERIFIED ECONOMY

It’s Time for a Major Change For two decades, the digital economy has been driven by growth at any cost. Platforms built fortunes by selling data first and asking forgiveness later. Success was measured by clicks and likes – often at the expense of genuine value. That playbook is collapsing....

INNOVATE® Nashville

ATIBA

ATIBA-TECH IS HARD. BITS

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® Milwaukee

CITY RIDERS

BRIDGING THE GAP: HOW CITY RIDERS LINKS LIKE-MINDED ENTHUSIASTS

City Riders, born in 2018 from the frustrations of its founder, Thomas McElroy, embodies a passion for community and exploration. Motivated by the inconsistency of his riding companions, McElroy envisioned a solution that would unite like-minded enthusiasts globally. This vision materialized into City Riders, a platform connecting individuals who share...

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

Les racinesDepuis près de 20 ans qu’au Saguenay–LacSaint-Jean – une région de plus de 275 000 habitants située à 500 km au nord-est de Montréal – des initiatives concertées sont déployées afin de stimuler l’innovation auprès des PME. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), puis Innovation 02 (2011-2019) ont généré tour à...

INNOVATION Quebec

STARTUP MONTRÉAL

WE ARE STARTUP MONTRÉAL, AN NPO WHOSE MISSION IS TO MAXIMIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE MONTRÉAL STARTUP ECOSYSTEM AND MAKE IT SHINE, HERE AND ELSEWHERE

Our vision: To have an attractive Montréal startup ecosystem that is internationally recognized for its performance, diversity, and impact. Our activities are based on five pillars that guide the development of our projects and programs. We are working to make the ecosystem increasingly accessible, collaborative, diverse, and impactful, and to...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

Thrive Health

Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone

Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...

INNOVATION Quebec

CHAIRE D’EXCELLENCE EN RECHERCHE DU CANADA SUR LES COLLECTIVITÉS ET LES VILLES INTELLIGENTES, DURABLES ET RÉSILIENTES

Nous envisageons les communautés de la prochaine génération comme des environnements à zéro émission, habitables, abordables, équitables et inclusifs

Les communautés à zéro émission nécessitent la décarbonisation des bâtiments, des transports et de l’industrie. L’électrification à grande échelle, la modernisation des bâtiments, l’intégration des énergies renouvelables, le développement de concepts de mobilité durable, la mise en œuvre de solutions industrielles vertes et la transformation des villes dans une optique...

INNOVATION Quebec

Aliments Santé

Aliments Santé-Health Foods Niche of Excellence-Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé is a group of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders who work closely together to foster innovation. Their goal is to develop and market healthy, innovative, and value added food products

Aliments Santé is supported by the ACCORD arm of Québec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie and by the City of Québec. The organization helps food processors implement collaborative knowledge building projects and facilitates networking activities to create business opportunities and promote industry expertise. In June 2021, through...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

OGILVY

OGILVY-HOW FEARLESS PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE BRAND GROWTH

HOW FEARLESS PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE BRAND GROWTH

BRAVE IDEAS ARE WHAT ENABLES A BRAND TO RELENTLESSLY CAPTURE THE ATTENTION AND LOYALTY OF CONSUMERS.   Creating a partnership based on shared responsibility enables clients and their agencies to build brands that become permanent fixtures in the hearts and minds of consumers. It is a philosophy and way of...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CREATING KLEIN JAN

CREATING KLEIN JAN - CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

When Michelin star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen first laid eyes on Boscia House, a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse situated at the beautiful Tswalu Kalahari in the Northern Cape, he saw the vastness of the region as a canvas on which to create something special. Worlds away from the beautiful waters...

INNOVATION Quebec

Lanaudière Économique (LÉ) a été fondé en 1991 afin de répondre aux besoins et aux enjeux communs de développement économique des six MRC du territoire. Le mandat de LÉ est de propulser les entreprises et les projets innovants de Lanaudière, le tout en collaboration avec les autres organismes en développement...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CREDENZA

THE FUTURE OF FAN ENGAGEMENT IS HERE

THE BACKSTORYIn 2013, Sandy Khaund, Credenza Inc’s Founder, was introduced to blockchain. He recognized the potential for decentralized identification, where identity isn’t tied to platforms like Facebook, Google, or proprietary logins, but instead relies on mathematical computation to universally identify each user. He believed that if this concept gained traction,...

INNOVATE® Detroit

TECHTOWN DETROIT

Driving equitable economic development through entrepreneurship

“TechTown is foundational to the entrepreneurship community in and around Detroit and integral to Wayne State’s vision for innovation in the region,” said WSU President Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy. “In addition to elevating entrepreneurs in our community, TechTown’s community-based programs and services create enriching, impactful opportunities beyond the classroom for...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC

INNOVATION AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY ARE PILLARS OF FURUKAWA ELECTRIC LATAM

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC-INNOVATION AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY ARE PILLARS OF FURUKAWA ELECTRIC LATAM, A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY WITH HEADQUARTERS IN CURITIBA. Innovation is in the DNA of Furukawa Electric LatAm (FEL), which has been present in Brazil for 50-years and remains at the forefront of technology by offering connectivity solutions that anticipate market...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

HEARTRUNNER

THE POWER OF VOLUNTEERS: COLLECTIVE ACTION WHEN EVERY MINUTE COUNTS

Heartrunner Sweden is a small and expanding company founded in Stockholm, driven by the conviction that volunteers have the power to make a difference. With this core belief, they have pioneered technology for time-critical emergencies, alerting volunteer responders to provide swift cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) before...

INNOVATE® South Florida

CODE/ART

INSPIRING GIRLS TO CODE

Code/Art is a Miami-based nonprofit on a mission to increase the number of girls in computer science by delighting and inspiring them with the creative possibilities of computer programming. Art is the secret sauce that enables Code/Art to meet girls where they are at with in-demand tech skills – fueling...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Bristol Private Equity Club

Bristol Private Equity Club

ELEVATOR PITCH Bristol Private Equity Club (BPEC) was founded by Jerry Barnes alongside five local influential and successful entrepreneurs in May 2016 and has, to date, provided circa £6M to 18 Bristol-based tech companies, some of whom are progressing to being globally-recognised leaders in their specialised sector. These investments have...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

MITACS

MAKING WAVES AND BUILDING HOMES: THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA

THE IMPACT OF MITACS IN ATLANTIC CANADA Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization, drives innovation across Atlantic Canada through strategic collaborations. With a network of over 197 postsecondary institutions across the country and more than 25 years of experience, Mitacs employs a collaborative approach to research and innovation, matching need with...

INNOVATE® Nashville

FORESIGHT

FORESIGHT-Bring Value To Life

Bring Value To Life

Foresight is elevating the sales profession by arming reps with their buyer’s unique needs and pain points so they can have more effective meetings. In the information age, buyers want consultants (not sales reps) to guide them through the process. We make that vision a reality. Freshly baked sourdough and heirloom...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

STEMLINGO

Unlocking Hidden Genius in STEM

Recognizing a significant gap in STEM exposure products and materials for students aged 13 and above, LINGO steps in to fill this void. Aisha Bowe, the Founder and CEO of LINGO, knows firsthand the importance of having access to quality STEM education. Graduating high school with a 2.3 GPA, she...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

//KOOD

FROM TAXI DRIVER TO PROGRAMMER WITH //KOOD PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING

When //kood’s first coding school, kood/Jõhvi, was founded in Estonia, it was an ambitious experiment to see if a practical, flexible programming school could be built to adapt quickly to the needs of the modern job market. Instead of following a traditional academic calendar or rigid curriculum, the goal was...

Global Innovation Spotlight

The Future of Crypto Payments in E-Commerce

Discover how blockchain innovations, stablecoins, and new regulations are driving crypto adoption by merchants and consumers in e-commerce.

Cryptocurrencies are poised to reshape online retail payments by offering near-instant global transfers and lower fees compared to traditional methods. These advantages appeal to both merchants and consumers: a survey found about 46% of crypto users cite transaction speed and efficiency, and 41% value crypto’s borderless reach. Savvy retailers are...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

COLDS Collective

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AGE

COLDS Collective is a creator collective and digital native organisation helping people of African descent navigate and harness Web3 and other emerging technologies. United by the mission to educate, grow and innovate collectively, COLDS Collective is harnessing the power of bits (technology) to make tangible, positive changes in atoms (real...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Denmark Technical College

Reimagining the Rural College Landscape

Since 1947, Denmark Technical College has been a lifeline for education and economic mobility in South Carolina’s rural corridor. Established as a training center for African American veterans returning from World War II, Denmark Tech has grown into a proud HBCU with a legacy of service, resilience and transformation. For...

INNOVATE® Nashville

GEEQ

FROM THE VULNERABLE ECONOMY TO THE VERIFIED ECONOMY

It’s Time for a Major Change For two decades, the digital economy has been driven by growth at any cost. Platforms built fortunes by selling data first and asking forgiveness later. Success was measured by clicks and likes – often at the expense of genuine value. That playbook is collapsing....

INNOVATE® Nashville

ATIBA

ATIBA-TECH IS HARD. BITS

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® Milwaukee

CITY RIDERS

BRIDGING THE GAP: HOW CITY RIDERS LINKS LIKE-MINDED ENTHUSIASTS

City Riders, born in 2018 from the frustrations of its founder, Thomas McElroy, embodies a passion for community and exploration. Motivated by the inconsistency of his riding companions, McElroy envisioned a solution that would unite like-minded enthusiasts globally. This vision materialized into City Riders, a platform connecting individuals who share...

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

Les racinesDepuis près de 20 ans qu’au Saguenay–LacSaint-Jean – une région de plus de 275 000 habitants située à 500 km au nord-est de Montréal – des initiatives concertées sont déployées afin de stimuler l’innovation auprès des PME. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), puis Innovation 02 (2011-2019) ont généré tour à...

INNOVATION Quebec

STARTUP MONTRÉAL

WE ARE STARTUP MONTRÉAL, AN NPO WHOSE MISSION IS TO MAXIMIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE MONTRÉAL STARTUP ECOSYSTEM AND MAKE IT SHINE, HERE AND ELSEWHERE

Our vision: To have an attractive Montréal startup ecosystem that is internationally recognized for its performance, diversity, and impact. Our activities are based on five pillars that guide the development of our projects and programs. We are working to make the ecosystem increasingly accessible, collaborative, diverse, and impactful, and to...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

Thrive Health

Making Healthcare Work Better for Everyone

Thrive Health is a digital healthcare platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. The company provides an interactive patient engagement solution that enables healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative...

INNOVATION Quebec

CHAIRE D’EXCELLENCE EN RECHERCHE DU CANADA SUR LES COLLECTIVITÉS ET LES VILLES INTELLIGENTES, DURABLES ET RÉSILIENTES

Nous envisageons les communautés de la prochaine génération comme des environnements à zéro émission, habitables, abordables, équitables et inclusifs

Les communautés à zéro émission nécessitent la décarbonisation des bâtiments, des transports et de l’industrie. L’électrification à grande échelle, la modernisation des bâtiments, l’intégration des énergies renouvelables, le développement de concepts de mobilité durable, la mise en œuvre de solutions industrielles vertes et la transformation des villes dans une optique...

INNOVATION Quebec

Aliments Santé

Aliments Santé-Health Foods Niche of Excellence-Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé is a group of food manufacturers and industry stakeholders who work closely together to foster innovation. Their goal is to develop and market healthy, innovative, and value added food products

Aliments Santé is supported by the ACCORD arm of Québec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie and by the City of Québec. The organization helps food processors implement collaborative knowledge building projects and facilitates networking activities to create business opportunities and promote industry expertise. In June 2021, through...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

OGILVY

OGILVY-HOW FEARLESS PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE BRAND GROWTH

HOW FEARLESS PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE BRAND GROWTH

BRAVE IDEAS ARE WHAT ENABLES A BRAND TO RELENTLESSLY CAPTURE THE ATTENTION AND LOYALTY OF CONSUMERS.   Creating a partnership based on shared responsibility enables clients and their agencies to build brands that become permanent fixtures in the hearts and minds of consumers. It is a philosophy and way of...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CREATING KLEIN JAN

CREATING KLEIN JAN - CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

When Michelin star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen first laid eyes on Boscia House, a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse situated at the beautiful Tswalu Kalahari in the Northern Cape, he saw the vastness of the region as a canvas on which to create something special. Worlds away from the beautiful waters...

INNOVATION Quebec

Lanaudière Économique (LÉ) a été fondé en 1991 afin de répondre aux besoins et aux enjeux communs de développement économique des six MRC du territoire. Le mandat de LÉ est de propulser les entreprises et les projets innovants de Lanaudière, le tout en collaboration avec les autres organismes en développement...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CREDENZA

THE FUTURE OF FAN ENGAGEMENT IS HERE

THE BACKSTORYIn 2013, Sandy Khaund, Credenza Inc’s Founder, was introduced to blockchain. He recognized the potential for decentralized identification, where identity isn’t tied to platforms like Facebook, Google, or proprietary logins, but instead relies on mathematical computation to universally identify each user. He believed that if this concept gained traction,...

INNOVATE® Detroit

TECHTOWN DETROIT

Driving equitable economic development through entrepreneurship

“TechTown is foundational to the entrepreneurship community in and around Detroit and integral to Wayne State’s vision for innovation in the region,” said WSU President Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy. “In addition to elevating entrepreneurs in our community, TechTown’s community-based programs and services create enriching, impactful opportunities beyond the classroom for...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC

INNOVATION AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY ARE PILLARS OF FURUKAWA ELECTRIC LATAM

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC-INNOVATION AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY ARE PILLARS OF FURUKAWA ELECTRIC LATAM, A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY WITH HEADQUARTERS IN CURITIBA. Innovation is in the DNA of Furukawa Electric LatAm (FEL), which has been present in Brazil for 50-years and remains at the forefront of technology by offering connectivity solutions that anticipate market...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

HEARTRUNNER

THE POWER OF VOLUNTEERS: COLLECTIVE ACTION WHEN EVERY MINUTE COUNTS

Heartrunner Sweden is a small and expanding company founded in Stockholm, driven by the conviction that volunteers have the power to make a difference. With this core belief, they have pioneered technology for time-critical emergencies, alerting volunteer responders to provide swift cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) before...

INNOVATE® South Florida

CODE/ART

INSPIRING GIRLS TO CODE

Code/Art is a Miami-based nonprofit on a mission to increase the number of girls in computer science by delighting and inspiring them with the creative possibilities of computer programming. Art is the secret sauce that enables Code/Art to meet girls where they are at with in-demand tech skills – fueling...

Ecosystems