Stories of Innovation
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Silent Layer of Innovation:
How Dynamic QR Technology Connects Physical and Digital Worlds
Every few years, a technology quietly shifts from being a simple tool to becoming part of the invisible infrastructure that moves the world forward. QR codes have reached that point not through hype, but through the natural way people now interact with information. What was once a square barcode on...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
BEATDAPP
THE BUGGLES TOLD THE WORLD THAT VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR. RELEASED IN 1980, THEIR HIT SONG, “VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR,” MAY NOT BE ACCURATE TODAY. MORE THAN 10% OF ALL STREAMED MUSIC IS FRAUDULENTLY STREAMED, WIPING OUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN PAID TO ARTISTS AND LABELS
Beatdapp is a streaming fraud detection company. It helps music labels and artists track their songs to collect royalties. Think of it as a PWC for music play count. The company has a set of machine learning and predictive algorithms to detect streaming manipulation and has over 30 patents across...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026 Somewhere right now, a founder is about to spend $120,000 building an MVP that could have been shipped for $25,000. Not because the cheaper version would be worse. Because the founder picked the wrong tech stack for...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
GIGI'S PLAYHOUSE
The True Definition Of Innovation Can Be Found At GiGi’s Playhouse, Where Changing The World Is In The Palm Of Your Hand
What started in 2003 as a mother’s vision to change the world’s perception of individuals with Down syndrome and create opportunities for her daughter, GiGi, evolved into a global movement of acceptance for all. GiGi’s Playhouse started in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and has catapulted to an entrepreneurial network of 60...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
CURITIBA ANGELS
PROUDLY STANDS AS THE FOREMOST ANGEL INVESTMENT GROUP IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ
CURITIBA ANGELS PROUDLY STANDS AS THE FOREMOST ANGEL INVESTMENT GROUP IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ, DISTINGUISHED BY ITS EXPANSIVE NETWORK COMPRISING OVER 90 ACTIVE ANGEL INVESTORS AND AN IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO OF 17 INVESTEES. Our group is composed of esteemed professionals, including renowned tech entrepreneurs and high-ranking enterprise executives. Our commitment...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Filament Health
Is a natural psychedelic drug development company. Our mission is to see safe, natural psychedelics in the hands of everyone who needs them, as soon as possible.
Filament Health was founded by experts in botanical extraction and commercialization. We honed our expertise at Mazza Innovation, a natural extraction startup, which our team scaled from pre-seed to an exit in 2018. At Mazza, we developed and commercialized patent-protected extraction technologies at a 35,000 ft2 commercial-scale, GMP facility. After...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Wilson Dutra Innovation Law
The Backbone of Many New Ventures Is Intellectual Property
The backbone of many new ventures is intellectual property – a swirl of ideas that can include inventions, branding, product designs, and a variety of intangibles that make an undertaking worth pursuing. Most ventures begin with curious minds asking questions, identifying a gap in a market, or challenging the status...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
YANUN PROJECT SERVICES
APPLYING DECADES OF DEFENCE EXPERTISE TO SHAPE FIRST NATIONS CAREERS
One of only a few First Nations professional services businesses in the country, Yanun specialises in project management, schedule and planning support and project controls, playing a key role in the management and control of several major projects and programs around the country. Stemming from its roots in the defence...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
AIRE
THE TRUST THAT LED ESTONIAN COMPANIES ONTO AI AND ROBOTICS PATHS
In October 2021, AIRE began operations as one of Estonia’s leading AI and robotics innovation centres. The centre was established with the aim of supporting local industrial companies in adopting artificial intelligence and robotics solutions. Today, AIRE plays a central role in accelerating digital transformation, serving as a trustworthy bridge...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SANEPAR
INNOVABILITY IN WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES FOR CURITIBA PEOPLE
The Water and Sanitation Company of Paraná State (Sanepar), a Brazilian mixed economy and publicly traded company, marked its 60th anniversary in 2023, reaffirming its steadfast dedication to innovability the seamless integration of sustainability and innovation – deeply ingrained in its corporate culture focused on generating societal value. Sanepar consistently...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
DEFSECINTEL
END-USER DRIVEN. COMBAT-PROVEN. READY FOR TODAY’S THREATS. A LIFE-SAVING SCIENCE
Defsecintel Solutions – Combat-Proven Innovation for Border Security, Defence & Critical Infrastructure Protection. From EU’s borders to the frontlines of Ukraine, Defsecintel Solutions has built a reputation for delivering technology that works when it matters most. Founded in Estonia 2018, the company is at the forefront of counter-drone and autonomous...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOLINNOV
EMPOWERING DEFENCE WITH AGILITY IN ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATIONS
Solinnov, an Adelaide-based company specialising in embedded signal processing systems, delivers advanced solutions in electromagnetic operations for Defence and Law Enforcement organisations. They are at the forefront of designing groundbreaking real-time signal processing algorithms for software-defined radios (SDRs) that interpret and transmit signals. The company’s expertise enables efficient and accurate...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
THE JACOBSON FIRM, P.C.
Strives To Provide Industry Leading Legal Services For The Entertainment, Esports And Video Gaming Industries That Are Both Cost Efficient And Highly Effective
The Jacobson Firm, P.C. is an intellectual property, entertainment and esports business law firm located in New York City. The Firm handles all domestic and international trademarks, copyrights, and licensing matters for companies and entertainment influencers. They provide services to the esports, video game, music, and entertainment industries, as well...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’OPTIQUE, PHOTONIQUE ET LASERS (COPL)
LE COPL EST UN ENVIRONNEMENT INTÉGRÉ DE RECHERCHE COLLABORATIVE ET DE FORMATION INCLUSIVE RASSEMBLANT DES EXPERTISES MULTIDISCIPLINAIRES
Son leadership au niveau national contribue grandement à l’essor scientifique et économique des technologies de l’optique et de la photonique au Québec. Depuis 1989, le COPL facilite les collaborations entre des équipes de recherche multidisciplinaires et favorise la mise en commun d’infrastructures et d’expertises de recherche. Sa contribution a permis...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
HUNGRY MARKETPLACE
Hungry for something better
This is a company unlike any other in the Washington DMV – and that’s saying a lot. HUNGRY Marketplace has revolutionized the office food market nationally. Founded by visionary entrepreneurs Jeff Grass and Eman and Shy Pahlevani, this Arlington, Virginia-based company is reshaping the landscape of office food solutions with...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
A research, training and innovation powerhouse
With nearly 7,000 students across eight schools and an array of centers and institutes, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) leverages the university’s clinical, behavioral, public health, laboratory, engineering, and social science capabilities to train health professionals and researchers and expand access to quality care. RBHS is among the few...
INNOVATE® Seattle
SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK
SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...
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® South Carolina
Lockheed Martin
Local Roots, Global Impact
For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has proudly called Greenville, South Carolina home, embedding deep local roots while contributing to global security. Known as the “Global Home of the F-16” and proud winner of “The Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina,” the site produces the F-16 Block 70/72 –...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THE DMZ
A World-Leading Tech Incubator
Guided by a vision of a world powered by ambitious entrepreneurs, the DMZ is a world-leading incubator on a mission to change the lives of founders both in Canada and around the globe. By equipping the next generation of leading tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, launch, and...
INNOVATE® Georgia
ORTEC AMERICAS
PIONEERING INNOVATION IN ADVANCED ANALYTICSAND OPTIMIZATION
ORTEC Americas, a global leader in advanced analytics and optimization solutions, has a rich history rooted in innovation and a steadfast commitment to driving operational excellence for businesses across diverse industries. A Legacy of Innovation: The Origins of ORTEC Founded in 1981 in the Netherlands, ORTEC emerged as a trailblazer...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
RIVER CLEANUP
From a 10-minute cleanup to 1000 plastic-free rivers
River Cleanup is a Belgium-based organization with one clear goal: making rivers plastic-free. The non-profit started with manual cleanup actions and evolved into a pioneer in the field of river protection, with mentions in Forbes, De Tijd, The Economist and many more. Their recently launched Clean River Model offers a...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
PINATI
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, SO HAVE THE SNACKS
Not wanting to conform with the snack industry, Waldemiro Pereira founded Pinati Snacks in 2013. But the beginning was not easy. With little financial resources, he would buy healthy homemade cereal bars from a local couple in the metropolitan area in Curitiba and, with personalized packaging, sell them on to...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Silent Layer of Innovation:
How Dynamic QR Technology Connects Physical and Digital Worlds
Every few years, a technology quietly shifts from being a simple tool to becoming part of the invisible infrastructure that moves the world forward. QR codes have reached that point not through hype, but through the natural way people now interact with information. What was once a square barcode on...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
BEATDAPP
THE BUGGLES TOLD THE WORLD THAT VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR. RELEASED IN 1980, THEIR HIT SONG, “VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR,” MAY NOT BE ACCURATE TODAY. MORE THAN 10% OF ALL STREAMED MUSIC IS FRAUDULENTLY STREAMED, WIPING OUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN PAID TO ARTISTS AND LABELS
Beatdapp is a streaming fraud detection company. It helps music labels and artists track their songs to collect royalties. Think of it as a PWC for music play count. The company has a set of machine learning and predictive algorithms to detect streaming manipulation and has over 30 patents across...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026
The New MVP Tech Stack: What Forward-Thinking Founders Are Betting On in 2026 Somewhere right now, a founder is about to spend $120,000 building an MVP that could have been shipped for $25,000. Not because the cheaper version would be worse. Because the founder picked the wrong tech stack for...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
GIGI'S PLAYHOUSE
The True Definition Of Innovation Can Be Found At GiGi’s Playhouse, Where Changing The World Is In The Palm Of Your Hand
What started in 2003 as a mother’s vision to change the world’s perception of individuals with Down syndrome and create opportunities for her daughter, GiGi, evolved into a global movement of acceptance for all. GiGi’s Playhouse started in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and has catapulted to an entrepreneurial network of 60...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
CURITIBA ANGELS
PROUDLY STANDS AS THE FOREMOST ANGEL INVESTMENT GROUP IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ
CURITIBA ANGELS PROUDLY STANDS AS THE FOREMOST ANGEL INVESTMENT GROUP IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ, DISTINGUISHED BY ITS EXPANSIVE NETWORK COMPRISING OVER 90 ACTIVE ANGEL INVESTORS AND AN IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO OF 17 INVESTEES. Our group is composed of esteemed professionals, including renowned tech entrepreneurs and high-ranking enterprise executives. Our commitment...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Filament Health
Is a natural psychedelic drug development company. Our mission is to see safe, natural psychedelics in the hands of everyone who needs them, as soon as possible.
Filament Health was founded by experts in botanical extraction and commercialization. We honed our expertise at Mazza Innovation, a natural extraction startup, which our team scaled from pre-seed to an exit in 2018. At Mazza, we developed and commercialized patent-protected extraction technologies at a 35,000 ft2 commercial-scale, GMP facility. After...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Wilson Dutra Innovation Law
The Backbone of Many New Ventures Is Intellectual Property
The backbone of many new ventures is intellectual property – a swirl of ideas that can include inventions, branding, product designs, and a variety of intangibles that make an undertaking worth pursuing. Most ventures begin with curious minds asking questions, identifying a gap in a market, or challenging the status...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
YANUN PROJECT SERVICES
APPLYING DECADES OF DEFENCE EXPERTISE TO SHAPE FIRST NATIONS CAREERS
One of only a few First Nations professional services businesses in the country, Yanun specialises in project management, schedule and planning support and project controls, playing a key role in the management and control of several major projects and programs around the country. Stemming from its roots in the defence...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
AIRE
THE TRUST THAT LED ESTONIAN COMPANIES ONTO AI AND ROBOTICS PATHS
In October 2021, AIRE began operations as one of Estonia’s leading AI and robotics innovation centres. The centre was established with the aim of supporting local industrial companies in adopting artificial intelligence and robotics solutions. Today, AIRE plays a central role in accelerating digital transformation, serving as a trustworthy bridge...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SANEPAR
INNOVABILITY IN WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES FOR CURITIBA PEOPLE
The Water and Sanitation Company of Paraná State (Sanepar), a Brazilian mixed economy and publicly traded company, marked its 60th anniversary in 2023, reaffirming its steadfast dedication to innovability the seamless integration of sustainability and innovation – deeply ingrained in its corporate culture focused on generating societal value. Sanepar consistently...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
DEFSECINTEL
END-USER DRIVEN. COMBAT-PROVEN. READY FOR TODAY’S THREATS. A LIFE-SAVING SCIENCE
Defsecintel Solutions – Combat-Proven Innovation for Border Security, Defence & Critical Infrastructure Protection. From EU’s borders to the frontlines of Ukraine, Defsecintel Solutions has built a reputation for delivering technology that works when it matters most. Founded in Estonia 2018, the company is at the forefront of counter-drone and autonomous...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOLINNOV
EMPOWERING DEFENCE WITH AGILITY IN ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATIONS
Solinnov, an Adelaide-based company specialising in embedded signal processing systems, delivers advanced solutions in electromagnetic operations for Defence and Law Enforcement organisations. They are at the forefront of designing groundbreaking real-time signal processing algorithms for software-defined radios (SDRs) that interpret and transmit signals. The company’s expertise enables efficient and accurate...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
THE JACOBSON FIRM, P.C.
Strives To Provide Industry Leading Legal Services For The Entertainment, Esports And Video Gaming Industries That Are Both Cost Efficient And Highly Effective
The Jacobson Firm, P.C. is an intellectual property, entertainment and esports business law firm located in New York City. The Firm handles all domestic and international trademarks, copyrights, and licensing matters for companies and entertainment influencers. They provide services to the esports, video game, music, and entertainment industries, as well...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’OPTIQUE, PHOTONIQUE ET LASERS (COPL)
LE COPL EST UN ENVIRONNEMENT INTÉGRÉ DE RECHERCHE COLLABORATIVE ET DE FORMATION INCLUSIVE RASSEMBLANT DES EXPERTISES MULTIDISCIPLINAIRES
Son leadership au niveau national contribue grandement à l’essor scientifique et économique des technologies de l’optique et de la photonique au Québec. Depuis 1989, le COPL facilite les collaborations entre des équipes de recherche multidisciplinaires et favorise la mise en commun d’infrastructures et d’expertises de recherche. Sa contribution a permis...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BOTSWANA
INNOVATES TOWARDS GREATER FINANCIAL INCLUSION
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
HUNGRY MARKETPLACE
Hungry for something better
This is a company unlike any other in the Washington DMV – and that’s saying a lot. HUNGRY Marketplace has revolutionized the office food market nationally. Founded by visionary entrepreneurs Jeff Grass and Eman and Shy Pahlevani, this Arlington, Virginia-based company is reshaping the landscape of office food solutions with...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
A research, training and innovation powerhouse
With nearly 7,000 students across eight schools and an array of centers and institutes, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) leverages the university’s clinical, behavioral, public health, laboratory, engineering, and social science capabilities to train health professionals and researchers and expand access to quality care. RBHS is among the few...
INNOVATE® Seattle
SVB - SILICON VALLEY BANK
SVB helps individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Our Seattle-based team is dedicated to helping leading founders, executives, and investors achieve their financial goals. We’re based in downtown Seattle and proudly serve the Greater Seattle innovation economy. Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Capital, SVB Private, and SVB Securities together offer the services that dynamic and fast-growing clients require as...
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® South Carolina
Lockheed Martin
Local Roots, Global Impact
For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has proudly called Greenville, South Carolina home, embedding deep local roots while contributing to global security. Known as the “Global Home of the F-16” and proud winner of “The Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina,” the site produces the F-16 Block 70/72 –...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
THE DMZ
A World-Leading Tech Incubator
Guided by a vision of a world powered by ambitious entrepreneurs, the DMZ is a world-leading incubator on a mission to change the lives of founders both in Canada and around the globe. By equipping the next generation of leading tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, launch, and...
INNOVATE® Georgia
ORTEC AMERICAS
PIONEERING INNOVATION IN ADVANCED ANALYTICSAND OPTIMIZATION
ORTEC Americas, a global leader in advanced analytics and optimization solutions, has a rich history rooted in innovation and a steadfast commitment to driving operational excellence for businesses across diverse industries. A Legacy of Innovation: The Origins of ORTEC Founded in 1981 in the Netherlands, ORTEC emerged as a trailblazer...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
RIVER CLEANUP
From a 10-minute cleanup to 1000 plastic-free rivers
River Cleanup is a Belgium-based organization with one clear goal: making rivers plastic-free. The non-profit started with manual cleanup actions and evolved into a pioneer in the field of river protection, with mentions in Forbes, De Tijd, The Economist and many more. Their recently launched Clean River Model offers a...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
PINATI
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, SO HAVE THE SNACKS
Not wanting to conform with the snack industry, Waldemiro Pereira founded Pinati Snacks in 2013. But the beginning was not easy. With little financial resources, he would buy healthy homemade cereal bars from a local couple in the metropolitan area in Curitiba and, with personalized packaging, sell them on to...