Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® South Carolina

Southeastern Freight Lines

Serving the Sunbelt since 1950

Southeastern Freight Lines, a privately-owned company, has been a trusted name in South Carolina’s business community since its founding in 1950. Established in Columbia by W.T. Cassels, Sr., the company began with 14 trucks, 20 associates, and a $5,000 loan. From the very beginning, Cassels emphasized a simple yet powerful...

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...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PRIME CONTROL

REFERENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SOFTWARE TESTING– A VICTORY CELEBRATED AT PARAGON ISG AWARDS BRASIL 2023

Located in the innovative city of Curitiba, Prime Control stands out as a guardian of quality in software testing. With over 15-years of dedicated service, this company has carved out a unique niche, bringing quality and efficiency in to the digital environment. Its team, comprising more than 270 specialists scattered...

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® Detroit

InvestNext

Fostering Growth and Potential

InvestNext is on a mission to transform how investment firms raise and manage real estate investment capital. Founded in 2016 by Michael Gisi, Kevin Heras, and Matthew Attou, this Detroit startup was conceived to revolutionize how the industry operates. What they’ve created democratizes real estate investing and empowers investors to...

INNOVATION Quebec

LAVAL INNOV

LAVAL INNOV-Founded in 2018 at the instigation of visionary Laval residents and benefiting from the financial support of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MEI) and the city of Laval

Fondé en 2018 sous l’impulsion de Lavallois visionnaires et bénéficiant du soutien financier du Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation (MEI) et de ville de Laval, Laval Innov a pour objectif de faire de l’innovation un levier incontournable pour le développement durable de Laval

En tant qu’Espace régional d’accélération et de croissance (ERAC) de Laval, il vise à stimuler et rehausser l’appropriation et l’intégration de l’innovation sur le territoire, que ce soit par ses actions auprès des entreprises qu’à travers la réalisation de projets structurants à portée régionale. Innover à LavalStratégiquement positionné au nord...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

UNIVERSIDADE POSITIVO

STANDS AS A PILLAR OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WITH A RICH HISTORY OF 35-YEARS

Focused on professional excellence, the university has played a pivotal role in shaping over 10 thousand entrepreneurs in the past 20 years, leading to the establishment of 24 thousand businesses nationwide. Committed to sustainable development since 2019, Universidade Positivo incorporates the United Nation’s sustainable development goals into every facet of...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

BOCRA

BOCRA-PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

BRIEF BACKGROUND Botswana’s rags to riches economic success story is often compared to that of countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. A former British protectorate, Botswana was poor by all standards when it got its independence. By the early to mid 80s, the country’s mineral resource was...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NVTC - NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

Driving Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth in the National Capital Region

“NVTC is committed to accelerating innovation to solve real-world challenges, growing our economy, and creating meaningful employment opportunities for a diverse and inclusive workforce.” The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) catalyzes innovation, collaboration, and growth in the National Capital Region. For over three decades, NVTC has played a pivotal role...

INNOVATE® Northern Virginia

HUPSIDE

Measuring the Human Advantage in an AI-Saturated World

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than almost any technology shift before it. Organizations are adopting generative tools at scale, automating workflows, accelerating output, and celebrating efficiency gains. Yet beneath the surface of this rapid adoption, a quieter problem is emerging. As AI becomes more capable and more accessible, ideas are...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SUNRAY SCIENTIFIC

RELIABLE, SCALABLE, ANISOTROPIC INTERCONNECT SOLUTION FOR FLEXIBLE HYBRID ELECTRONICS

Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) are a demanding environment for reliable interconnects and component attachment on the Printed Electronics world. FHE is typically comprised of the combination of simple printed circuitry made with conductive inks and more complexelectronics using microchips, and other high functionality components like LED’s and resistors. These components...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

ENVISIONING LABS

PIONEERING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

In the face of climate change, the need for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Envisioning Labs, a Vancouver based deep tech firm, is at the forefront of this challenge, developing social and technological solutions that counter climate change and foster a carbon neutral future. Their focus on first principles-based,...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

OTI LUMIONICS

OTI LUMIONICS -DEVELOPS PRODUCTION-READY ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS FOR OLED DISPLAYS IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

DEVELOPS PRODUCTION-READY ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS FOR OLED DISPLAYS IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

OTI Lumionics develops advanced materials—by design—using quantum simulations, machine learning and in-house automated testing in pilot production. OTI works with the largest mobile device and display manufacturers in the world to enable materials for OLED displays used in next-generation consumer electronics and automotive applications. Their advanced electrode materials, and associated...

INNOVATE® Maryland

Ekaterina Vert-Wong (Nostopharma)

Resourceful and Scrappy Just Might Win the Race for a Biobased Economy

Across roles at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and human impact, Ekateirna Vert-Wong has demonstrated a belief that progress is most meaningful when it benefits people while safeguarding the future. Both as an executive leading biomedical teams and an entrepreneur building climate-resilient medicine in Maryland, her path has been guided...

Global Innovation Spotlight

HOUSELL

HOUSELL-The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market

The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market

Housell is a proptech – a company that applies information technology and the new economy to the property sector – founded in Madrid in 2017 by Guillermo Llibre, CEO of the company. Its revolutionary concept, which seeks to use technology to give autonomy and power to the user, so that...

INNOVATE® Maryland

Health Analytics

Bridging Knowledge Gaps. Maximizing Data Potential. Advancing Healthcare.

A Clarksville, Maryland, research-driven company is reshaping how healthcare decisions, particularly those involving pharmacy and medical device utilization, are made across the United States and beyond. Health Analytics, founded in 2005 by Charles Ruetsch, PhD, has established itself as a trusted authority providing health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CANTALOUPE

REVOLUTIONIZING SELF-SERVICE: EMPOWERING CUSTOMERS TO BUY IT AND GO

“We are seeing a huge surge in consumer demand for cashless and contactless payment options” As consumer demands evolve and the world embraces self-service as a means of fast, convenient, and secure transactions, Cantaloupe, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTLP), a leading provider of end-to-end technology solutions for self-service commerce, stands at the...

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™ Curitiba

HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL

IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE

HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL -IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE IN SHAPING THE REGION’S STARTUP ECOSYSTEM. Established in 2015 by the co-founders of EBANX, a cross-border payments startup that achieved unicorn status with presence in more than 20 countries in less than a...

United Nations Lesotho

RCO

THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR OFFICE

The Office of the Resident Coordinator’s Support to Lesotho Strategic Leadership and Coordination The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) plays a pivotal role in supporting the work of the UN Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team (UNCT) in consultation with the Government of Lesotho. Together, they define...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Potluck

And the Reimagining of Social Tech

In an era dominated by likes, follows, and infinite scrolls, Justin Gray, founder of Potluck, is betting on a different future—one where social technology isn’t about building an audience, but about deepening real-life connections with the people we actually see: our friends, families, neighbors, and coworkers. Potluck is more than...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

AUDIOCHAIN

AUDIOCHAIN

DECENTRALIZE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: SPEARHEADING MUSIC RIGHTS ON THE BLOCKCHAIN & NFT’S

The Blockchain. A technology that is changing the way we transact with one another on a peer-to-peer protocol is taking all industry to decentralization. One, that will highly benefit is the music industry. The many possibilities to decentralize music owners and creators and provide control back to them is something...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

EGGSPLAIN

FROM HOME BUILT SERVERS TO A SCALABLE, SECURE AI PLATFORM

The story of Eggsplain begins not in a corporate boardroom, but in a Stockholm apartment filled with servers, wires, and curiosity. Yasaar Biladama, a lifelong coder and technology enthusiast, had been experimenting with artificial intelligence long before it became a business buzzword. Driven by a passion for computers since childhood,...

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® South Carolina

Southeastern Freight Lines

Serving the Sunbelt since 1950

Southeastern Freight Lines, a privately-owned company, has been a trusted name in South Carolina’s business community since its founding in 1950. Established in Columbia by W.T. Cassels, Sr., the company began with 14 trucks, 20 associates, and a $5,000 loan. From the very beginning, Cassels emphasized a simple yet powerful...

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...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

PRIME CONTROL

REFERENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SOFTWARE TESTING– A VICTORY CELEBRATED AT PARAGON ISG AWARDS BRASIL 2023

Located in the innovative city of Curitiba, Prime Control stands out as a guardian of quality in software testing. With over 15-years of dedicated service, this company has carved out a unique niche, bringing quality and efficiency in to the digital environment. Its team, comprising more than 270 specialists scattered...

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® Detroit

InvestNext

Fostering Growth and Potential

InvestNext is on a mission to transform how investment firms raise and manage real estate investment capital. Founded in 2016 by Michael Gisi, Kevin Heras, and Matthew Attou, this Detroit startup was conceived to revolutionize how the industry operates. What they’ve created democratizes real estate investing and empowers investors to...

INNOVATION Quebec

LAVAL INNOV

LAVAL INNOV-Founded in 2018 at the instigation of visionary Laval residents and benefiting from the financial support of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MEI) and the city of Laval

Fondé en 2018 sous l’impulsion de Lavallois visionnaires et bénéficiant du soutien financier du Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation (MEI) et de ville de Laval, Laval Innov a pour objectif de faire de l’innovation un levier incontournable pour le développement durable de Laval

En tant qu’Espace régional d’accélération et de croissance (ERAC) de Laval, il vise à stimuler et rehausser l’appropriation et l’intégration de l’innovation sur le territoire, que ce soit par ses actions auprès des entreprises qu’à travers la réalisation de projets structurants à portée régionale. Innover à LavalStratégiquement positionné au nord...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

UNIVERSIDADE POSITIVO

STANDS AS A PILLAR OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WITH A RICH HISTORY OF 35-YEARS

Focused on professional excellence, the university has played a pivotal role in shaping over 10 thousand entrepreneurs in the past 20 years, leading to the establishment of 24 thousand businesses nationwide. Committed to sustainable development since 2019, Universidade Positivo incorporates the United Nation’s sustainable development goals into every facet of...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

BOCRA

BOCRA-PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

BRIEF BACKGROUND Botswana’s rags to riches economic success story is often compared to that of countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. A former British protectorate, Botswana was poor by all standards when it got its independence. By the early to mid 80s, the country’s mineral resource was...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

NVTC - NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

Driving Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth in the National Capital Region

“NVTC is committed to accelerating innovation to solve real-world challenges, growing our economy, and creating meaningful employment opportunities for a diverse and inclusive workforce.” The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) catalyzes innovation, collaboration, and growth in the National Capital Region. For over three decades, NVTC has played a pivotal role...

INNOVATE® Northern Virginia

HUPSIDE

Measuring the Human Advantage in an AI-Saturated World

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than almost any technology shift before it. Organizations are adopting generative tools at scale, automating workflows, accelerating output, and celebrating efficiency gains. Yet beneath the surface of this rapid adoption, a quieter problem is emerging. As AI becomes more capable and more accessible, ideas are...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

SUNRAY SCIENTIFIC

RELIABLE, SCALABLE, ANISOTROPIC INTERCONNECT SOLUTION FOR FLEXIBLE HYBRID ELECTRONICS

Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) are a demanding environment for reliable interconnects and component attachment on the Printed Electronics world. FHE is typically comprised of the combination of simple printed circuitry made with conductive inks and more complexelectronics using microchips, and other high functionality components like LED’s and resistors. These components...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

ENVISIONING LABS

PIONEERING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

In the face of climate change, the need for sustainable solutions has never been greater. Envisioning Labs, a Vancouver based deep tech firm, is at the forefront of this challenge, developing social and technological solutions that counter climate change and foster a carbon neutral future. Their focus on first principles-based,...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

OTI LUMIONICS

OTI LUMIONICS -DEVELOPS PRODUCTION-READY ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS FOR OLED DISPLAYS IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

DEVELOPS PRODUCTION-READY ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS FOR OLED DISPLAYS IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

OTI Lumionics develops advanced materials—by design—using quantum simulations, machine learning and in-house automated testing in pilot production. OTI works with the largest mobile device and display manufacturers in the world to enable materials for OLED displays used in next-generation consumer electronics and automotive applications. Their advanced electrode materials, and associated...

INNOVATE® Maryland

Ekaterina Vert-Wong (Nostopharma)

Resourceful and Scrappy Just Might Win the Race for a Biobased Economy

Across roles at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and human impact, Ekateirna Vert-Wong has demonstrated a belief that progress is most meaningful when it benefits people while safeguarding the future. Both as an executive leading biomedical teams and an entrepreneur building climate-resilient medicine in Maryland, her path has been guided...

Global Innovation Spotlight

HOUSELL

HOUSELL-The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market

The Proptech That Has Democratised The Real Estate Market

Housell is a proptech – a company that applies information technology and the new economy to the property sector – founded in Madrid in 2017 by Guillermo Llibre, CEO of the company. Its revolutionary concept, which seeks to use technology to give autonomy and power to the user, so that...

INNOVATE® Maryland

Health Analytics

Bridging Knowledge Gaps. Maximizing Data Potential. Advancing Healthcare.

A Clarksville, Maryland, research-driven company is reshaping how healthcare decisions, particularly those involving pharmacy and medical device utilization, are made across the United States and beyond. Health Analytics, founded in 2005 by Charles Ruetsch, PhD, has established itself as a trusted authority providing health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CANTALOUPE

REVOLUTIONIZING SELF-SERVICE: EMPOWERING CUSTOMERS TO BUY IT AND GO

“We are seeing a huge surge in consumer demand for cashless and contactless payment options” As consumer demands evolve and the world embraces self-service as a means of fast, convenient, and secure transactions, Cantaloupe, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTLP), a leading provider of end-to-end technology solutions for self-service commerce, stands at the...

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™ Curitiba

HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL

IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE

HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL -IN THE VIBRANT CITY OF CURITIBA, HONEY ISLAND CAPITAL EMERGES AS A PIVOTAL FORCE IN SHAPING THE REGION’S STARTUP ECOSYSTEM. Established in 2015 by the co-founders of EBANX, a cross-border payments startup that achieved unicorn status with presence in more than 20 countries in less than a...

United Nations Lesotho

RCO

THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT COORDINATOR OFFICE

The Office of the Resident Coordinator’s Support to Lesotho Strategic Leadership and Coordination The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) plays a pivotal role in supporting the work of the UN Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team (UNCT) in consultation with the Government of Lesotho. Together, they define...

INNOVATE® Nashville

Potluck

And the Reimagining of Social Tech

In an era dominated by likes, follows, and infinite scrolls, Justin Gray, founder of Potluck, is betting on a different future—one where social technology isn’t about building an audience, but about deepening real-life connections with the people we actually see: our friends, families, neighbors, and coworkers. Potluck is more than...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

AUDIOCHAIN

AUDIOCHAIN

DECENTRALIZE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: SPEARHEADING MUSIC RIGHTS ON THE BLOCKCHAIN & NFT’S

The Blockchain. A technology that is changing the way we transact with one another on a peer-to-peer protocol is taking all industry to decentralization. One, that will highly benefit is the music industry. The many possibilities to decentralize music owners and creators and provide control back to them is something...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

EGGSPLAIN

FROM HOME BUILT SERVERS TO A SCALABLE, SECURE AI PLATFORM

The story of Eggsplain begins not in a corporate boardroom, but in a Stockholm apartment filled with servers, wires, and curiosity. Yasaar Biladama, a lifelong coder and technology enthusiast, had been experimenting with artificial intelligence long before it became a business buzzword. Driven by a passion for computers since childhood,...

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...

Ecosystems