Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
zizzl health
Igniting a Revolution in the Traditional Benefits Landscape
A recent breakthrough is making it more affordable for employers to offer high quality group health insurance benefits. At the forefront of this benefits innovation stands zizzl health, a trailblazer in the field of Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). When the Executive Order solidifying ICHRA as an ACA-compliant health...
INNOVATION Quebec
GREENUXLAB
UTILISER UN LABORATOIRE QUI CRÉE UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE VENTE AU DÉTAIL FICTIF POUR PRÉDIRE
Ouvert depuis l’automne 2018, le GreenUXlab est un écosystème d’évaluation des dispositifs, de cocréation, de recherche et d’innovation du point de vente axé sur la consommation à impact positif. Il sert d’infrastructure de recherche principale à l’Observatoire de la consommation responsable de l’ESG UQAM, une cellule d’études et de veille...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BOOMPLAATS
ORGANIC FARM REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Boomplaats has been in the same family for over a century, nestled in the Maluti Mountains in the south-eastern Free State. This is South Africa’s only certified organic cattle, sheep, and pasture-raised pig farm. Regenerative farming isn’t a new agricultural method. This was the traditional farming way in previous centuries...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Penn Medicine
First then, first now: 275 years of medical innovation at Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Medicine
As the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial, Penn Medicine’s Pennsylvania Hospital marks its own milestone anniversary year with a new museum. This immersive experience highlights the hospital’s unique role in the history of medicine—while still actively making history. For nearly three centuries, Pennsylvania Hospital has been at the forefront of innovation....
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
WIB CAPITAL
BUILDING A NEW FRONT DOOR TO INVESTMENT; DESIGNED TO REDUCE BIAS
Early-stage investing is often described as data-driven. In practice, first impressions still decide what gets a meeting and what gets ignored. WiB Capital is building a digital front door to investment that helps startups become investor-ready using AI, while reducing identity-based bias by letting the business case speak first. The...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
STARTUP PEOPLE
WIDENING THE GATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOUNDERS
When Stockholm’s startup scene began to thrive in the early 2010s, it was known for producing unicorns – but also for its fragmentation. Founders often worked in isolation, disconnected from the support, partners, and investors that could help them endure the long, difficult middle miles between idea and success. SUP...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
V.I FITNESS
YOUR HEALTH PARTNER
V.I FITNESS IS A HOLISTIC FITNESS COMPANY FOUNDED BY COUSINS COLO TLHONG & LEBOGANG MOIPOAI, AS TEENS THEY BOTH HAD A STRONG DRIVE TO STAY ACTIVE CHALLENGE THEIR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS ALBEIT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. Lebogang was a multi-sport athlete who would try any and every sport; basketball, football, rugby...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Nxt Level
Is A Recruiting Agency For Some Of The Biggest Names In Gaming And Technology
Nxt Level understands that companies struggle with finding and hiring the right team members to create growth. Our recruiting company views things differently. Our goal is to replace the mountain of resumes with a short list of the right people aligned with your job requirements, culture, and values. The entrepreneurial...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
BuildWithin
Potential over Credential
A pioneering company stands tall in the bustling world of tech innovation and workforce development in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. BuildWithin, an emblem of transformative learning and forward thinking solutions, marks a significant shift in how we approach skill development and career growth. This journey of innovation began with...
INNOVATION Quebec
INNOVATION MARITIME
CCTT DU SECTEUR MARITIME
Créativité et savoir-faire au service de l’industrie maritime. Actif depuis plus de vingt ans dans le secteur maritime, Innovation maritime (IMAR) est un centre de recherche appliquée affilié à l’Institut maritime du Québec (IMQ). La mission du CCTT est de contribuer au développement du secteur maritime et stimuler l’excellence par...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
AGGREKO
GOING GREEN – MEETING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS WITH CLEAN ENERGY
South Africa will have to make a distinct shift to embrace the new norms in global climate and energy landscape discussions. Current infrastructure relies heavily on fuels that are not necessarily the most environmentally friendly, and this poses a threat to the country’s role in a global energy sector with...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Crypto Loans:
Unlocking Financial Flexibility Without Selling Your Assets
As digital assets become more integrated into the global economy, crypto loans are emerging as a practical solution for individuals and institutions seeking liquidity without parting with their cryptocurrency. In particular, Bitcoin loans are increasingly used as a way to access cash while maintaining long-term positions in BTC. Hold Your Crypto, Unlock...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
bioLytical’s
CHANGING THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE – ONE DROP AT A TIME
bioLytical’s story starts with an idea to create equitable access to a safe, affordable, and accurate HIV rapid test that helps connect more people to care. We noticed that access to tests and the waiting period to know your results took far too long and increased patient anxiety. We wanted...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
KLABIN IN PARANÁ
ROOTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The largest producer and exporter of paper for packaging and sustainable solutions in paper packaging in Brazil, Klabin is a protagonist in a history characterized by innovation and a commitment with sustainable development. Founded in 1899, the Company stands out as the only one in Brazil offering solutions in softwood,...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCONOMIE DU SAVOIR MAURICIE (ESM)
STIMULATING INNOVATION IN THE MAURICIE: THE HEART OF OUR MISSION
In 2011, economic development actors in the Mauricie region were visionary in creating an organization dedicated to innovation. Claude Bourassa, General Manager “Innovation is no longer optional, but rather a mandatory management method for business sustainability and growth!”– Claude Bourassa, General Manager of ESM and ERAC Mauricie Over the years, Économie...
INNOVATE® Maryland
SoKat
Turning AI Research Into Mission-Ready Infrastructure
When Dr. Jim Kyung-Soo Liew founded SoKat in 2014, the problem he set out to solve wasn’t a shortage of AI innovation. It was separation. Research was accelerating inside the world’s leading universities. Yet much of that intelligence stalled before it reached the institutions that needed it most. Federal agencies...
INNOVATION Quebec
LLIO
CCTT IN OPEN INNOVATION
Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup’s Laboratoire en innovation ouverte (LLio) is a college centre for technology transfer specializing in open and collaborative innovation. Our mission is to facilitate the implementation of open innovation practices, particularly those involving users. Our focus is on open innovation practices, players and spaces. With our team of...
INNOVATE® Detroit
StockX
Leading Next Gen Retail
The Birth of a Marketplace Revolution. In 2016, in downtown Detroit, a disruptive idea took shape—one that would forever change the way people buy and sell limited-edition sneakers, streetwear, and collectibles. StockX, the brainchild of Greg Schwartz, Josh Luber, Dan Gilbert, and Chris Kaufman, was built on a simple yet...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
Enduvo’s
No-Code Platform Enables Anyone With the Power to Create and Share Immersive Content Within Their Organizations and the Metaverse
Enduvo was born at the University of Illinois and initially funded through a Jump Applied Research for Community Health through Engineering and Simulation (ARCHES) grant. These grants support collaborative research and development between OSF Healthcare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Dr. Matt Bramlet, Justin Drawz,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
LEADS 2B
A SALES-FOCUSED TECH COMPANY
Founded by three experienced systems developers and sales professionals, the company was born with the goal to offer the market a platform with all the features that a marketing and sales department need to achieve its goals. During the previous experiences of its founders, an opportunity was noticed in providing...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
SHAPING CANADA’S DIGITAL FUTURE
As a not-for-profit, national centre of expertise for the digital economy, ICTC strengthens Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Through trusted research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity-building programs, ICTC fosters globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by innovative and diverse digital talent. In partnership with a vast network of...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEADFAST
MAKING IT WORK
Steadfast began in 1998 as an internet-technology passion project for Steadfast’s Founder, Karl Zimmerman, when he was only 14 years old. Karl’s dream to help companies with their data hosting and security needs started early on, and through these relationships, Karl learned there was a frustrating gap with many hosting...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
zizzl health
Igniting a Revolution in the Traditional Benefits Landscape
A recent breakthrough is making it more affordable for employers to offer high quality group health insurance benefits. At the forefront of this benefits innovation stands zizzl health, a trailblazer in the field of Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). When the Executive Order solidifying ICHRA as an ACA-compliant health...
INNOVATION Quebec
GREENUXLAB
UTILISER UN LABORATOIRE QUI CRÉE UN ENVIRONNEMENT DE VENTE AU DÉTAIL FICTIF POUR PRÉDIRE
Ouvert depuis l’automne 2018, le GreenUXlab est un écosystème d’évaluation des dispositifs, de cocréation, de recherche et d’innovation du point de vente axé sur la consommation à impact positif. Il sert d’infrastructure de recherche principale à l’Observatoire de la consommation responsable de l’ESG UQAM, une cellule d’études et de veille...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
BOOMPLAATS
ORGANIC FARM REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Boomplaats has been in the same family for over a century, nestled in the Maluti Mountains in the south-eastern Free State. This is South Africa’s only certified organic cattle, sheep, and pasture-raised pig farm. Regenerative farming isn’t a new agricultural method. This was the traditional farming way in previous centuries...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Penn Medicine
First then, first now: 275 years of medical innovation at Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Medicine
As the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial, Penn Medicine’s Pennsylvania Hospital marks its own milestone anniversary year with a new museum. This immersive experience highlights the hospital’s unique role in the history of medicine—while still actively making history. For nearly three centuries, Pennsylvania Hospital has been at the forefront of innovation....
INNOVATE® Miami
8base
Computing Infrastructure, Application Core Services And Integrations Delivered Through A Single API Endpoint
ELEVATOR PITCH8base is a next-generation backend-as-a-service for building SaaS and other go-to-market applications. The 8base Platform includes computing infrastructure, application core services, and integrations delivered through a single API endpoint. 8base also offers 8base Labs, a team of SaaS architects, designers, and engineers that help companies build on the 8base...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
WIB CAPITAL
BUILDING A NEW FRONT DOOR TO INVESTMENT; DESIGNED TO REDUCE BIAS
Early-stage investing is often described as data-driven. In practice, first impressions still decide what gets a meeting and what gets ignored. WiB Capital is building a digital front door to investment that helps startups become investor-ready using AI, while reducing identity-based bias by letting the business case speak first. The...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
STARTUP PEOPLE
WIDENING THE GATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOUNDERS
When Stockholm’s startup scene began to thrive in the early 2010s, it was known for producing unicorns – but also for its fragmentation. Founders often worked in isolation, disconnected from the support, partners, and investors that could help them endure the long, difficult middle miles between idea and success. SUP...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
V.I FITNESS
YOUR HEALTH PARTNER
V.I FITNESS IS A HOLISTIC FITNESS COMPANY FOUNDED BY COUSINS COLO TLHONG & LEBOGANG MOIPOAI, AS TEENS THEY BOTH HAD A STRONG DRIVE TO STAY ACTIVE CHALLENGE THEIR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS ALBEIT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. Lebogang was a multi-sport athlete who would try any and every sport; basketball, football, rugby...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Nxt Level
Is A Recruiting Agency For Some Of The Biggest Names In Gaming And Technology
Nxt Level understands that companies struggle with finding and hiring the right team members to create growth. Our recruiting company views things differently. Our goal is to replace the mountain of resumes with a short list of the right people aligned with your job requirements, culture, and values. The entrepreneurial...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
BuildWithin
Potential over Credential
A pioneering company stands tall in the bustling world of tech innovation and workforce development in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. BuildWithin, an emblem of transformative learning and forward thinking solutions, marks a significant shift in how we approach skill development and career growth. This journey of innovation began with...
INNOVATION Quebec
INNOVATION MARITIME
CCTT DU SECTEUR MARITIME
Créativité et savoir-faire au service de l’industrie maritime. Actif depuis plus de vingt ans dans le secteur maritime, Innovation maritime (IMAR) est un centre de recherche appliquée affilié à l’Institut maritime du Québec (IMQ). La mission du CCTT est de contribuer au développement du secteur maritime et stimuler l’excellence par...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
AGGREKO
GOING GREEN – MEETING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS WITH CLEAN ENERGY
South Africa will have to make a distinct shift to embrace the new norms in global climate and energy landscape discussions. Current infrastructure relies heavily on fuels that are not necessarily the most environmentally friendly, and this poses a threat to the country’s role in a global energy sector with...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Crypto Loans:
Unlocking Financial Flexibility Without Selling Your Assets
As digital assets become more integrated into the global economy, crypto loans are emerging as a practical solution for individuals and institutions seeking liquidity without parting with their cryptocurrency. In particular, Bitcoin loans are increasingly used as a way to access cash while maintaining long-term positions in BTC. Hold Your Crypto, Unlock...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
bioLytical’s
CHANGING THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE – ONE DROP AT A TIME
bioLytical’s story starts with an idea to create equitable access to a safe, affordable, and accurate HIV rapid test that helps connect more people to care. We noticed that access to tests and the waiting period to know your results took far too long and increased patient anxiety. We wanted...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
KLABIN IN PARANÁ
ROOTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The largest producer and exporter of paper for packaging and sustainable solutions in paper packaging in Brazil, Klabin is a protagonist in a history characterized by innovation and a commitment with sustainable development. Founded in 1899, the Company stands out as the only one in Brazil offering solutions in softwood,...
INNOVATION Quebec
ÉCONOMIE DU SAVOIR MAURICIE (ESM)
STIMULATING INNOVATION IN THE MAURICIE: THE HEART OF OUR MISSION
In 2011, economic development actors in the Mauricie region were visionary in creating an organization dedicated to innovation. Claude Bourassa, General Manager “Innovation is no longer optional, but rather a mandatory management method for business sustainability and growth!”– Claude Bourassa, General Manager of ESM and ERAC Mauricie Over the years, Économie...
INNOVATE® Maryland
SoKat
Turning AI Research Into Mission-Ready Infrastructure
When Dr. Jim Kyung-Soo Liew founded SoKat in 2014, the problem he set out to solve wasn’t a shortage of AI innovation. It was separation. Research was accelerating inside the world’s leading universities. Yet much of that intelligence stalled before it reached the institutions that needed it most. Federal agencies...
INNOVATION Quebec
LLIO
CCTT IN OPEN INNOVATION
Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup’s Laboratoire en innovation ouverte (LLio) is a college centre for technology transfer specializing in open and collaborative innovation. Our mission is to facilitate the implementation of open innovation practices, particularly those involving users. Our focus is on open innovation practices, players and spaces. With our team of...
INNOVATE® Detroit
StockX
Leading Next Gen Retail
The Birth of a Marketplace Revolution. In 2016, in downtown Detroit, a disruptive idea took shape—one that would forever change the way people buy and sell limited-edition sneakers, streetwear, and collectibles. StockX, the brainchild of Greg Schwartz, Josh Luber, Dan Gilbert, and Chris Kaufman, was built on a simple yet...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
Enduvo’s
No-Code Platform Enables Anyone With the Power to Create and Share Immersive Content Within Their Organizations and the Metaverse
Enduvo was born at the University of Illinois and initially funded through a Jump Applied Research for Community Health through Engineering and Simulation (ARCHES) grant. These grants support collaborative research and development between OSF Healthcare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Dr. Matt Bramlet, Justin Drawz,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
LEADS 2B
A SALES-FOCUSED TECH COMPANY
Founded by three experienced systems developers and sales professionals, the company was born with the goal to offer the market a platform with all the features that a marketing and sales department need to achieve its goals. During the previous experiences of its founders, an opportunity was noticed in providing...