Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

TRIBE NETWORK

IS BUILDINGA GLOBAL NETWORK OF ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS FOR RACIALIZED PEOPLE.

Tribe Network is a community of racialized people pursuing technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. They envision a world where Black, Indigenous, and people of colour are at the forefront of these disciplines, fully armed with the knowledge, resources, skills, and connections they need to start, build, and scale thriving businesses. TRIBE...

INNOVATE® Miami

Pitch Night MIA

Pitch Night MIA - A monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together

Monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together

Pitch Night MIA is a monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together for a night of entertainment, education and collaboration.     Miami right now is buzzing with an influx of innovative people, businesses, and opportunities. With everything being so new, it can be challenging for founders...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery

STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery -As Humans We Are Still Foraging

As Humans We Are Still Foraging, But Instead Of Turning Over Rocks In Search Of Insects And Nuts, We Are Wanting To Understand It All

Our search for clarity is probably the oldest quest we have. We are forever asking “what must I do”, “why are things the way they are”, and “how could my life be different?” Our deepest motivating force is to make a difference, to experience meaning and live with purpose. We...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ELCOGEN

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLID OXIDE CELLS AND STACKS FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEMS AND ELECTROLYSERS

Elcogen’s roots trace back to Estonia’s post-independence period in the early 1990s. With the country newly liberated from Soviet rule, Estonia faced a major challenge in reorganizing its energy infrastructure. Energy prices soared, and the need for energy independence became critical. Enn Õunpuu, who had helped establish the Estonian Power...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

PILOTO 151

PILOTO 151-PUERTO RICO’S LAUNCHPAD FOR INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION

PUERTO RICO’S LAUNCHPAD FOR INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION

The year was 2012. Stolberg siblings, Sofia and Juan Carlos, had just moved back to their native Puerto Rico, ran their own businesses, and were searching for a coworking space to network with like-minded individuals. Noticing that coworking was not a thing on the Island, they took it upon themselves...

INNOVATE® Seattle

DEFINED.AI

TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME

At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

SHAPING GENERATIONS OF BLACK MALE LEADERS, SCHOLARS, AND CHANGE MAKERS FOR OVER 150 YEARS

Founded in 1867, Morehouse College stands as the nation’s only institution created to educate men of color. As Georgia’s top-ranked liberal arts college for men, Morehouse is a trailblazer in higher education, fostering a legacy of academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community. The College has become a vital...

INNOVATE® Nashville

LODESTONE ADVISORY GROUP

Is reimagining venture capital and economic development from the ground up

When we founded Lodestone Advisory Group in 2013, business leaders were tired of a management consulting industry that was a stiff, black box offering one-size-fits-all “solutions,” with little accountability on end results. Lodestone, named after the naturally occurring magnetic powder that gave early merchants and tradesmen the ability to navigate...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Intention 2 Impact

Innovating Social Impact Measurement

Intention 2 Impact (I2I) is a dynamic social change organization at the forefront of impact measurement. Founded in October 2018 by the visionary Nina Sabarre, I2I is a minority, women-owned small business known for disrupting the status quo in philanthropy through innovative and equity-centered monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL)...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Apple Rose

Apple Rose - Spa-quality organic beauty products with the mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking

Spa-quality organic beauty products with the mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking

Apple Rose Beauty is a natural skincare company that creates spa-quality organic beauty products with the tangible mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking. Products are sold on Amazon, at boutiques, and through an e-commerce website with ingredients that are natural, certified organic, and wildcrafted, with a focus...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RAILRUNNER

RAILRUNNER - NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION

NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION, INITIATED BY CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES, FACTORS OF INFLUENCE, ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS AND JUST A DESIRE TO WORK BETTER AND SMARTER

With the rapid growth of the logistics industry, it became necessary to develop systems limiting the handling of cargo to speed up the delivery process. During the 1990’s the late Harry Wicks, of Buffalo, NY, USA developed and patented early RailRunner concepts for a bimodal transportation system designed to take...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

2KC

WHY KC, WHY NOW?

As career goals evolve and remote work becomes the norm, professionals across the country are rethinking where they genuinely want to live and work. For many, that reflection is leading them home—to Kansas City. Once drawn away by the pull of coastal opportunity, they’re now inspired by KC’s rise as...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

KOGOD

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

The Kogod School of Business at American University stands as a beacon of innovation shaping the next generation of business leaders. With a commitment to sustainability, unparalleled faculty expertise, and a robust experiential learning framework, Kogod ensures that its students graduate well-equipped to take on a career in business that...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

THE HOWARD UNIVERSITY & PNC NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Cultivating the Future of HBCU Innovation

Howard University: A Catalyst for Change Howard University is a bastion of excellence and a catalyst for change. This historically Black College and University (HBCU) has long been at the forefront of educating and empowering diverse minds, and its latest venture, the Howard University & PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

STEMFUSE

STEMFUSE-EDUCATION AND ESPORTS: How Esports can be used to reimagine Business and Multimedia Classrooms

EDUCATION AND ESPORTS: How Esports can be used to reimagine Business and Multimedia Classrooms

STEM Fuse is a developer of digital K-12 STEM and CTE curriculum and PD, working with 12,000+ schools across the country. We were founded in 2009 with the mission to help schools deliver engaging STEM programs to prepare students for the fastest growing career opportunities. The Founder, Carter Tatge, was...

INNOVATE® Detroit

MUSIC HALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Shaping Detroit’s Cultural and Educational Future

For nearly a century, the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s artistic and cultural community. Founded in 1928 by visionary philanthropist Matilda Rausch Dodge Wilson, Music Hall has played a pivotal role in enriching Detroit with performances and educational programs that reflect the...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs

EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

BC entrepreneurs Bill Roche and Charles Chang have a vision to make Canada more competitive by nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit in young people. In 2017, they co-founded Young Entrepreneurs of Canada Association, a registered Canadian charity that operates under the name PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. “Our mandate is to help school-aged...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

CALGARY TECH JOURNAL

WHERE INNOVATORS MEET

Launched in 2022, Calgary Tech Journal (CTJ) strives to provide the most complete coverage of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. CTJ builds and supports the local community, delivering the top tech and innovation stories and can’t miss links from around YYC, twice a week. Its articles and newsletters not only cover breaking...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub was chartered in 2015 by the Jacksonville business community under the leadership of Gary Chartrand. These leaders noticed that there was a disconnect between the skills that students would need to be ready for the careers of the 21st century, and the experiences that...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

BESTON GLOBAL FOOD

Disruptive change in extended Food and Beverage supply chains

This creates critical challenges for business to protect brand reputations and achieve sustainability. Digitisation and traceability are increasingly becoming indispensable to enable businesses to diversify and grow while minimising cost and threats of adulteration, counterfeiting and diversion. At Beston Technologies (BT), a wholly owned (ASX listed) Beston Global Foods (BFC)...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

GOODBYE MALARIA

GOODBYE MALARIA-IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE, TO MALARIA

Mosquitoes. For most people around the world, their buzzing is merely an irritation and a disruption to sleep. For many in Africa, it is a deadly killer. Of all the beautiful, awe-inspiring and scary animals across this continent, one of its smallest insects wreaks the most tragedy and pain. To...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (RI-MUHC)

THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (RI-MUHC) INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE DU CENTRE UNIVERSITAIRE EN SANTÉ MCGILL (IR-CUSM) L’IR-CUSM EST UN ÉCOSYSTÈME DE L’INNOVATION UNIQUE, AFFILIÉ À LA FACULTÉ DE MÉDECINE ET DE SCIENCES DE LA SANTÉ DE L’UNIVERSITÉ MCGILL. Chef de file mondial en matière de médecine...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

HASHLIPS

HASHLIPS-CODING ARTWORK

CODING ARTWORK

Have you heard about (HashLips)? Only about 0.7 percent of the world’s population knows about blockchain technology. Less than 4 percent of the globe’s people hold any cryptocurrency. And, only a percentage of those people actually own NFTs.   Have you heard about the Sketchy Apes Book Club NFT Collection?...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Brenda Strafford Foundation (BSF)

AN INNOVATIVE FORCE-THE PRESERVATION OF DIGNITY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Canada’s population is growing older. In 2019, the population of seniors 65-years of age and older was almost one-fifth of the overall population, and by 2040 the population of seniors is predicted to reach one-fourth of the overall population, with over one-third of seniors having two or more chronic diseases.1...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

TRIBE NETWORK

IS BUILDINGA GLOBAL NETWORK OF ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS FOR RACIALIZED PEOPLE.

Tribe Network is a community of racialized people pursuing technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. They envision a world where Black, Indigenous, and people of colour are at the forefront of these disciplines, fully armed with the knowledge, resources, skills, and connections they need to start, build, and scale thriving businesses. TRIBE...

INNOVATE® Miami

Pitch Night MIA

Pitch Night MIA - A monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together

Monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together

Pitch Night MIA is a monthly pitch competition designed to bring the startup community together for a night of entertainment, education and collaboration.     Miami right now is buzzing with an influx of innovative people, businesses, and opportunities. With everything being so new, it can be challenging for founders...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery

STREETSCHOOL - Journeys of Discovery -As Humans We Are Still Foraging

As Humans We Are Still Foraging, But Instead Of Turning Over Rocks In Search Of Insects And Nuts, We Are Wanting To Understand It All

Our search for clarity is probably the oldest quest we have. We are forever asking “what must I do”, “why are things the way they are”, and “how could my life be different?” Our deepest motivating force is to make a difference, to experience meaning and live with purpose. We...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

ELCOGEN

HIGHLY EFFICIENT SOLID OXIDE CELLS AND STACKS FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEMS AND ELECTROLYSERS

Elcogen’s roots trace back to Estonia’s post-independence period in the early 1990s. With the country newly liberated from Soviet rule, Estonia faced a major challenge in reorganizing its energy infrastructure. Energy prices soared, and the need for energy independence became critical. Enn Õunpuu, who had helped establish the Estonian Power...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

PILOTO 151

PILOTO 151-PUERTO RICO’S LAUNCHPAD FOR INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION

PUERTO RICO’S LAUNCHPAD FOR INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION

The year was 2012. Stolberg siblings, Sofia and Juan Carlos, had just moved back to their native Puerto Rico, ran their own businesses, and were searching for a coworking space to network with like-minded individuals. Noticing that coworking was not a thing on the Island, they took it upon themselves...

INNOVATE® Seattle

DEFINED.AI

TRANSFORMING AI TRAINING, ONE DATASET AT A TIME

At Defined.ai, our commitment is to enable the builders of AI with ethically sourced data and deliver conversational AI to digitally low-resourced markets. I had the idea of founding the company when I realized how the Conversational AI market was becoming mainstream, and everyone was building multilingual voice search and...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

SHAPING GENERATIONS OF BLACK MALE LEADERS, SCHOLARS, AND CHANGE MAKERS FOR OVER 150 YEARS

Founded in 1867, Morehouse College stands as the nation’s only institution created to educate men of color. As Georgia’s top-ranked liberal arts college for men, Morehouse is a trailblazer in higher education, fostering a legacy of academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community. The College has become a vital...

INNOVATE® Nashville

LODESTONE ADVISORY GROUP

Is reimagining venture capital and economic development from the ground up

When we founded Lodestone Advisory Group in 2013, business leaders were tired of a management consulting industry that was a stiff, black box offering one-size-fits-all “solutions,” with little accountability on end results. Lodestone, named after the naturally occurring magnetic powder that gave early merchants and tradesmen the ability to navigate...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

Intention 2 Impact

Innovating Social Impact Measurement

Intention 2 Impact (I2I) is a dynamic social change organization at the forefront of impact measurement. Founded in October 2018 by the visionary Nina Sabarre, I2I is a minority, women-owned small business known for disrupting the status quo in philanthropy through innovative and equity-centered monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL)...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Apple Rose

Apple Rose - Spa-quality organic beauty products with the mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking

Spa-quality organic beauty products with the mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking

Apple Rose Beauty is a natural skincare company that creates spa-quality organic beauty products with the tangible mission of supporting the fight to end human trafficking. Products are sold on Amazon, at boutiques, and through an e-commerce website with ingredients that are natural, certified organic, and wildcrafted, with a focus...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

RAILRUNNER

RAILRUNNER - NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION

NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION, INITIATED BY CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES, FACTORS OF INFLUENCE, ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS AND JUST A DESIRE TO WORK BETTER AND SMARTER

With the rapid growth of the logistics industry, it became necessary to develop systems limiting the handling of cargo to speed up the delivery process. During the 1990’s the late Harry Wicks, of Buffalo, NY, USA developed and patented early RailRunner concepts for a bimodal transportation system designed to take...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

2KC

WHY KC, WHY NOW?

As career goals evolve and remote work becomes the norm, professionals across the country are rethinking where they genuinely want to live and work. For many, that reflection is leading them home—to Kansas City. Once drawn away by the pull of coastal opportunity, they’re now inspired by KC’s rise as...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

KOGOD

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

The Kogod School of Business at American University stands as a beacon of innovation shaping the next generation of business leaders. With a commitment to sustainability, unparalleled faculty expertise, and a robust experiential learning framework, Kogod ensures that its students graduate well-equipped to take on a career in business that...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

THE HOWARD UNIVERSITY & PNC NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Cultivating the Future of HBCU Innovation

Howard University: A Catalyst for Change Howard University is a bastion of excellence and a catalyst for change. This historically Black College and University (HBCU) has long been at the forefront of educating and empowering diverse minds, and its latest venture, the Howard University & PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

STEMFUSE

STEMFUSE-EDUCATION AND ESPORTS: How Esports can be used to reimagine Business and Multimedia Classrooms

EDUCATION AND ESPORTS: How Esports can be used to reimagine Business and Multimedia Classrooms

STEM Fuse is a developer of digital K-12 STEM and CTE curriculum and PD, working with 12,000+ schools across the country. We were founded in 2009 with the mission to help schools deliver engaging STEM programs to prepare students for the fastest growing career opportunities. The Founder, Carter Tatge, was...

INNOVATE® Detroit

MUSIC HALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Shaping Detroit’s Cultural and Educational Future

For nearly a century, the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s artistic and cultural community. Founded in 1928 by visionary philanthropist Matilda Rausch Dodge Wilson, Music Hall has played a pivotal role in enriching Detroit with performances and educational programs that reflect the...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs

EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

BC entrepreneurs Bill Roche and Charles Chang have a vision to make Canada more competitive by nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit in young people. In 2017, they co-founded Young Entrepreneurs of Canada Association, a registered Canadian charity that operates under the name PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs. “Our mandate is to help school-aged...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

CALGARY TECH JOURNAL

WHERE INNOVATORS MEET

Launched in 2022, Calgary Tech Journal (CTJ) strives to provide the most complete coverage of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. CTJ builds and supports the local community, delivering the top tech and innovation stories and can’t miss links from around YYC, twice a week. Its articles and newsletters not only cover breaking...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub was chartered in 2015 by the Jacksonville business community under the leadership of Gary Chartrand. These leaders noticed that there was a disconnect between the skills that students would need to be ready for the careers of the 21st century, and the experiences that...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

BESTON GLOBAL FOOD

Disruptive change in extended Food and Beverage supply chains

This creates critical challenges for business to protect brand reputations and achieve sustainability. Digitisation and traceability are increasingly becoming indispensable to enable businesses to diversify and grow while minimising cost and threats of adulteration, counterfeiting and diversion. At Beston Technologies (BT), a wholly owned (ASX listed) Beston Global Foods (BFC)...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

GOODBYE MALARIA

GOODBYE MALARIA-IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE, TO MALARIA

Mosquitoes. For most people around the world, their buzzing is merely an irritation and a disruption to sleep. For many in Africa, it is a deadly killer. Of all the beautiful, awe-inspiring and scary animals across this continent, one of its smallest insects wreaks the most tragedy and pain. To...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (RI-MUHC)

THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (RI-MUHC) INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE DU CENTRE UNIVERSITAIRE EN SANTÉ MCGILL (IR-CUSM) L’IR-CUSM EST UN ÉCOSYSTÈME DE L’INNOVATION UNIQUE, AFFILIÉ À LA FACULTÉ DE MÉDECINE ET DE SCIENCES DE LA SANTÉ DE L’UNIVERSITÉ MCGILL. Chef de file mondial en matière de médecine...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

HASHLIPS

HASHLIPS-CODING ARTWORK

CODING ARTWORK

Have you heard about (HashLips)? Only about 0.7 percent of the world’s population knows about blockchain technology. Less than 4 percent of the globe’s people hold any cryptocurrency. And, only a percentage of those people actually own NFTs.   Have you heard about the Sketchy Apes Book Club NFT Collection?...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

Brenda Strafford Foundation (BSF)

AN INNOVATIVE FORCE-THE PRESERVATION OF DIGNITY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Canada’s population is growing older. In 2019, the population of seniors 65-years of age and older was almost one-fifth of the overall population, and by 2040 the population of seniors is predicted to reach one-fourth of the overall population, with over one-third of seniors having two or more chronic diseases.1...

Ecosystems