Stories of Innovation
INNOVATION Quebec
THE CENTRE FOR OPTICS, PHOTONICS AND LASERS (COPL)
THE COPL IS AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND INCLUSIVE TRAINING BRINGING TOGETHER MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE
Its leadership at the national level contributes greatly to the scientific and economic development of optics and photonics technologies in Quebec. Since 1989, COPL has facilitated collaborations between multidisciplinary research teams and promoted the pooling of research infrastructures and expertise. Its contribution has extended the benefits of optics-photonics research to...
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® Northern Virginia
MISSIONOVO
PEOPLE FIRST. MISSION ALWAYS.
Introduction In national security, capabilities are proven under pressure; not in theory. Too often, they fail because they were built too far from the mission. Missionovo was founded to close that gap. Three engineers, Grant Kuhnsman, Mike Dobry, and Matt O’Leary, saw the same failures: solutions built without the mission...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CODE on the beach
North Florida’s premier software development conference
Founded in 2013 as a non-profit organization, Code on the Beach continues to be North Florida’s premier software development conference. Over the course of 7 years, we have featured hundreds of speakers from around the globe. We have covered everything from programming languages to product management to UI/UX design principles...
INNOVATION Quebec
CDCQ
CCTT IN COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT
Founded in 1989, the Centre de développement des composites du Québec (CDCQ) is an applied research centre affiliated and integrated with the Cégep de Saint-Jérôme—the only college in Quebec offering a technical program in composite materials engineering. The CDCQ’s research facilities are adjacent to the CEGEP. Our mission and visionThrough...
INNOVATE® Miami
Arts & Business Council of Miami
Building sustainability through relationships and tapping into our community
For 35 years the Arts & Business Council has led the movement to empower the creative ecosystem with high-impact partnerships between business, entrepreneurs, and the arts. As Miami’s only organization that leverages the arts for economic vitality, ABC programs inspire employees, stimulate innovation & foster creativity. We assist 500+ arts...
INNOVATE® South Florida
VETERANS FLORIDA
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY A Decade of Innovation and Veteran Success The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Atlantic University is a transformative initiative designed to equip veterans with the skills, resources, and support needed to launch and grow successful businesses. Now entering...
INNOVATION Quebec
Aliments Santé
Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé est un regroupement de transformateurs alimentaires et d’acteurs du secteur qui collaborent étroitement à positionner l’innovation au cœur de leurs actions afin de développer et de mettre en marché des produits alimentaires sains, innovants et à valeur ajoutée
Soutenue par la démarche ACCORD du ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie et par la Ville de Québec, Aliments Santé accompagne les transformateurs dans la mise en œuvre de projets collaboratifs favorisant le développement de connaissances et dans la réalisation d’activités de maillage afin de créer des opportunités...
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
Concordia-University
LE CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SUR LA CYBERSÉCURITÉ (CRC)
Le Centre de recherche sur la cybersécurité (CRC) est une unité multidisciplinaire de formation, de R&D et d’innovation qui fournit des solutions technologiques pratiques et efficaces aux problèmes de cybersécurité du gouvernement et de l’industrie. Le CRS compte plus de 75 chercheurs en cybersécurité, dont 55 doctorants et étudiants à...
INNOVATION Quebec
HEXAGRAM
RESEARCH-CREATION NETWORK IN ARTS, CULTURES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Hexagram is an interuniversity strategic network of the Fonds de recherche du Québec dedicated to research-creation addressing the relationships between the arts, cultures and technologies. Founded in 2001, the network comprises of 45 member co-investigators and nearly 200 student members from eight partner institutions of higher education in Québec: Université...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CITI
TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI) SEEDED IT’S VISION OF A FUTURE FIT INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, IN THE WESTERN CAPE, THEN A PREDOMINANTLY AGRARIAN ECONOMY
Using Michael Porter’s cluster theory as a cornerstone of its strategy, CiTi designed interventions to grow, transform and enable a leading digital economy on the continent. CiTi’s interventions have been acknowledged to have supported South Africa’s charge to the top of the inaugural fDi Africa “Tech Ecosystems of the...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Compassus
Where Compassion Meets Innovation in Home-Based Health Care
As more patients and families choose care at home, Compassus is redefining what compassionate, high-quality home-based care looks like. Since its founding in 2006, Compassus has grown from a hospice provider into one of the nation’s largest and most trusted home-based health care organizations. Today, Compassus operates in more than...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TOAST
IS ADDRESSING THE GENDER PAY GAP BY INCREASING THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE TECH SECTOR
We know that women approach job applications differently than men do. They are far less likely to apply for positions that are more senior than the one they’re in currently, whereas men are less concerned by that. Still, recruiters and hiring managers are comfortable accepting “women aren’t applying” as a...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ALPA KIDS
LOCALISED E-LEARNING GAMES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THE GLOBE
Founded in 2018, ALPA Kids creates digital learning games for children aged 3–8, developed in close collaboration with local teachers and researchers to ensure pedagogically sound, age-appropriate content in each child’s native language. ALPA Kids mission is to turn children’s screen time into a safe, enriching learning experience by offering...
INNOVATION Quebec
PRIMA
Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce aux matériaux avancés et… Prima Quebec
PRIMA Québec, le Pôle de recherche et d’innovation en matériaux avancés, anime et soutient l’écosystème des matériaux avancés en privilégiant l’innovation collaborative pour le développement économique du Québec Il est le catalyseur privilégié entre les milieux industriel et la recherche. En tant que regroupement sectoriel de recherche industrielle (RSRI),...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ÄIO
FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO
ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SAGE
CREATING A SMARTER FUTURE, BETTER WORLD
SAGE is a specialist industrial digitalisation services provider, combining the best thinking with world-leading technology to deliver the best outcome. SAGE’s specialist businesses – SAGE Automation, Nukon, Skills Lab and Embedded Expertise – work with organisations to deliver strategy and horizon phasing, automation of industrial operations, data-driven business transformation, training...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
DRONE CADETS
Is A Unique Drone Education Program Designed To Produce Safe And Responsible Drone Pilots Of Any Age
WHAT INSPIRED THE CREATION OF DRONE CADETS? In 2016 Sgt. Tony Reid, was a corrections officer at Rikers Island, a jail in New York City, working with incarcerated adolescents 16 to 18 years old. For 8 long years, he witnessed first-hand the plight of young men of color who became...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
VALO
VALO, which means great courage, strength and moral worth, is a South Australian business founded in 2012 aiming to reach international markets in premium stadium lighting. With thousands of stadia across the world, the opportunities to place VALO and its South Australian innovations on the map are almost endless. Based...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Pathway Lending
Innovation with Purpose: Transforming How Communities Access Capital
In Middle Tennessee’s fast-growing economy, small businesses are driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of communities. But too often, promising businesses and catalytic projects can’t access traditional financing. That’s where Pathway Lending steps in. As a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Nashville, Pathway strengthens communities...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Arzeda.
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN It’s no secret that the future of more sustainable products is already being driven by cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking innovation. Among the leaders defining this future is Seattle-based industry-leading Protein Design Company, Arzeda. Recognizing the vast potential and opportunity to transform the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRBM
A high-tech organization in marine biotechnologies!
The CRBM is recognized for its unique positioning as a transfer research organization in marine biotechnologies. With the investment of the Government of Quebec and Canada, completed by industrial contributions, the CRBM team leads projects framed by a solid scientific program oriented towards two research axes: health and well-being and...
INNOVATE® South Florida
NEPTUNYA - OCEAN POWER
OCTOPODZ: REVOLUTIONIZING OCEAN ENERGY WITH MIXED-MODE MARINE POWER SOLUTIONS
OCTOPODZ: REVOLUTIONIZING OCEAN ENERGY WITH MIXED-MODE MARINE POWER SOLUTIONS NEPTUNYA, an innovator in marine renewable energy, is transforming the future of ocean-based power with its OCTOPODZ energy converter—a groundbreaking device combining wind and wave power to deliver affordable and reliable offshore energy. As part of its ongoing development, NEPTUNYA will...
INNOVATION Quebec
THE CENTRE FOR OPTICS, PHOTONICS AND LASERS (COPL)
THE COPL IS AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT OF COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND INCLUSIVE TRAINING BRINGING TOGETHER MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE
Its leadership at the national level contributes greatly to the scientific and economic development of optics and photonics technologies in Quebec. Since 1989, COPL has facilitated collaborations between multidisciplinary research teams and promoted the pooling of research infrastructures and expertise. Its contribution has extended the benefits of optics-photonics research to...
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® Northern Virginia
MISSIONOVO
PEOPLE FIRST. MISSION ALWAYS.
Introduction In national security, capabilities are proven under pressure; not in theory. Too often, they fail because they were built too far from the mission. Missionovo was founded to close that gap. Three engineers, Grant Kuhnsman, Mike Dobry, and Matt O’Leary, saw the same failures: solutions built without the mission...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CODE on the beach
North Florida’s premier software development conference
Founded in 2013 as a non-profit organization, Code on the Beach continues to be North Florida’s premier software development conference. Over the course of 7 years, we have featured hundreds of speakers from around the globe. We have covered everything from programming languages to product management to UI/UX design principles...
INNOVATION Quebec
CDCQ
CCTT IN COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT
Founded in 1989, the Centre de développement des composites du Québec (CDCQ) is an applied research centre affiliated and integrated with the Cégep de Saint-Jérôme—the only college in Quebec offering a technical program in composite materials engineering. The CDCQ’s research facilities are adjacent to the CEGEP. Our mission and visionThrough...
INNOVATE® Miami
Arts & Business Council of Miami
Building sustainability through relationships and tapping into our community
For 35 years the Arts & Business Council has led the movement to empower the creative ecosystem with high-impact partnerships between business, entrepreneurs, and the arts. As Miami’s only organization that leverages the arts for economic vitality, ABC programs inspire employees, stimulate innovation & foster creativity. We assist 500+ arts...
INNOVATE® South Florida
VETERANS FLORIDA
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
EMPOWERING VETERANS: THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY A Decade of Innovation and Veteran Success The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Atlantic University is a transformative initiative designed to equip veterans with the skills, resources, and support needed to launch and grow successful businesses. Now entering...
INNOVATION Quebec
Aliments Santé
Le Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé est un regroupement de transformateurs alimentaires et d’acteurs du secteur qui collaborent étroitement à positionner l’innovation au cœur de leurs actions afin de développer et de mettre en marché des produits alimentaires sains, innovants et à valeur ajoutée
Soutenue par la démarche ACCORD du ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie et par la Ville de Québec, Aliments Santé accompagne les transformateurs dans la mise en œuvre de projets collaboratifs favorisant le développement de connaissances et dans la réalisation d’activités de maillage afin de créer des opportunités...
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
Concordia-University
LE CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SUR LA CYBERSÉCURITÉ (CRC)
Le Centre de recherche sur la cybersécurité (CRC) est une unité multidisciplinaire de formation, de R&D et d’innovation qui fournit des solutions technologiques pratiques et efficaces aux problèmes de cybersécurité du gouvernement et de l’industrie. Le CRS compte plus de 75 chercheurs en cybersécurité, dont 55 doctorants et étudiants à...
INNOVATION Quebec
HEXAGRAM
RESEARCH-CREATION NETWORK IN ARTS, CULTURES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Hexagram is an interuniversity strategic network of the Fonds de recherche du Québec dedicated to research-creation addressing the relationships between the arts, cultures and technologies. Founded in 2001, the network comprises of 45 member co-investigators and nearly 200 student members from eight partner institutions of higher education in Québec: Université...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CITI
TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI) SEEDED IT’S VISION OF A FUTURE FIT INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, IN THE WESTERN CAPE, THEN A PREDOMINANTLY AGRARIAN ECONOMY
Using Michael Porter’s cluster theory as a cornerstone of its strategy, CiTi designed interventions to grow, transform and enable a leading digital economy on the continent. CiTi’s interventions have been acknowledged to have supported South Africa’s charge to the top of the inaugural fDi Africa “Tech Ecosystems of the...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Compassus
Where Compassion Meets Innovation in Home-Based Health Care
As more patients and families choose care at home, Compassus is redefining what compassionate, high-quality home-based care looks like. Since its founding in 2006, Compassus has grown from a hospice provider into one of the nation’s largest and most trusted home-based health care organizations. Today, Compassus operates in more than...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
TOAST
IS ADDRESSING THE GENDER PAY GAP BY INCREASING THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE TECH SECTOR
We know that women approach job applications differently than men do. They are far less likely to apply for positions that are more senior than the one they’re in currently, whereas men are less concerned by that. Still, recruiters and hiring managers are comfortable accepting “women aren’t applying” as a...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ALPA KIDS
LOCALISED E-LEARNING GAMES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THE GLOBE
Founded in 2018, ALPA Kids creates digital learning games for children aged 3–8, developed in close collaboration with local teachers and researchers to ensure pedagogically sound, age-appropriate content in each child’s native language. ALPA Kids mission is to turn children’s screen time into a safe, enriching learning experience by offering...
INNOVATION Quebec
PRIMA
Se démarquer sur les marchés grâce aux matériaux avancés et… Prima Quebec
PRIMA Québec, le Pôle de recherche et d’innovation en matériaux avancés, anime et soutient l’écosystème des matériaux avancés en privilégiant l’innovation collaborative pour le développement économique du Québec Il est le catalyseur privilégié entre les milieux industriel et la recherche. En tant que regroupement sectoriel de recherche industrielle (RSRI),...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ÄIO
FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE STORY OF ÄIO
ÄIO (äio tech OÜ) – founded in January 2022 by Nemailla Bonturi (PhD, Brazil) and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee (PhD, Estonia), is not just a startup, spinoff or company — it’s a vision to revolutionize how the world produces fats and oils. How It All Began Nemailla and Petri-Jaan’s journey towards ÄIO...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SAGE
CREATING A SMARTER FUTURE, BETTER WORLD
SAGE is a specialist industrial digitalisation services provider, combining the best thinking with world-leading technology to deliver the best outcome. SAGE’s specialist businesses – SAGE Automation, Nukon, Skills Lab and Embedded Expertise – work with organisations to deliver strategy and horizon phasing, automation of industrial operations, data-driven business transformation, training...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
DRONE CADETS
Is A Unique Drone Education Program Designed To Produce Safe And Responsible Drone Pilots Of Any Age
WHAT INSPIRED THE CREATION OF DRONE CADETS? In 2016 Sgt. Tony Reid, was a corrections officer at Rikers Island, a jail in New York City, working with incarcerated adolescents 16 to 18 years old. For 8 long years, he witnessed first-hand the plight of young men of color who became...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
VALO
VALO, which means great courage, strength and moral worth, is a South Australian business founded in 2012 aiming to reach international markets in premium stadium lighting. With thousands of stadia across the world, the opportunities to place VALO and its South Australian innovations on the map are almost endless. Based...
INNOVATE® Nashville
Pathway Lending
Innovation with Purpose: Transforming How Communities Access Capital
In Middle Tennessee’s fast-growing economy, small businesses are driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of communities. But too often, promising businesses and catalytic projects can’t access traditional financing. That’s where Pathway Lending steps in. As a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Nashville, Pathway strengthens communities...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Arzeda.
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN It’s no secret that the future of more sustainable products is already being driven by cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking innovation. Among the leaders defining this future is Seattle-based industry-leading Protein Design Company, Arzeda. Recognizing the vast potential and opportunity to transform the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRBM
A high-tech organization in marine biotechnologies!
The CRBM is recognized for its unique positioning as a transfer research organization in marine biotechnologies. With the investment of the Government of Quebec and Canada, completed by industrial contributions, the CRBM team leads projects framed by a solid scientific program oriented towards two research axes: health and well-being and...
INNOVATE® South Florida
NEPTUNYA - OCEAN POWER
OCTOPODZ: REVOLUTIONIZING OCEAN ENERGY WITH MIXED-MODE MARINE POWER SOLUTIONS
OCTOPODZ: REVOLUTIONIZING OCEAN ENERGY WITH MIXED-MODE MARINE POWER SOLUTIONS NEPTUNYA, an innovator in marine renewable energy, is transforming the future of ocean-based power with its OCTOPODZ energy converter—a groundbreaking device combining wind and wave power to deliver affordable and reliable offshore energy. As part of its ongoing development, NEPTUNYA will...