Stories of Innovation

INNOVATE® South Carolina

First Class Recruiting

Elevating Talent, Powering Industry

In the heart of South Carolina’s booming Upstate region, where aerospace, manufacturing, and technology sectors thrive, First Class Recruiting is building more than just careers – it’s building futures. Helmed by U.S. Air Force veteran and industry trailblazer Lindsay Hansel, this boutique executive search firm has become synonymous with precision...

INNOVATE® Miami

SnapLeads

SnapLeads - Helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data

Helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data

SnapLeads helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data. The company specializes in building data-driven direct mail and client retention platforms for enterprises in various industries including, automotive, legal, medical, and real estate. SnapLeads began as a way for a group of attorneys to generate more business for their own...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

Grupo Boticário

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY

Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

Future Health

Ten Years of Innovation at ZOL at the Crossroads of Clinical Care and Science

Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) is a large general hospital in the east of Flanders. It was established in 1995 after the merger of three hospitals and expanded in 2021 through the integration of ZOL Maas en Kempen. ZOL is currently the largest hospital in Limburg, with four sites located in Genk,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ROCKET

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NICHE INNOVATION AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA

Having started in 2019 as a web-only reality show for local startups, Rocket has now developed into a full universe of multi-platform content and unforgettable live experiences with the goal to foment, give visibility, and highlight the positive impact of innovation and entrepreneurship in everyone’s lives. Though an important topic...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

LEADING HIGHER EDUCATION INTO THE FUTURE

Waukesha County Technical College, one of 16 Colleges part of the Wisconsin Technical College System, has been a leader of workforce development and training in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than a century. The College is focused on educating students for in-demand jobs and contributing to the economy by providing skilled...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

VIRGENT AI

Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered

As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Synapse Florida

Synapse Florida – Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

SERENDIPITY DOESN’T SCALE. THAT’S WHY WE BUILT SYNAPSE.Synapse Florida, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization connecting innovation communities across Florida, was founded on the premise that serendipity doesn’t scale. By building a state-wide movement, Synapse is enabling innovation partners throughout Florida to find each other and develop relationships in a way that...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CHEFS WAREHOUSE

CHEFS WAREHOUSE -WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE

WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE

As businesses go, restaurants aren’t for the faint of heart. The hospitality industry is one of cutthroat competition. This industry demands discipline, dedication, constant innovation, passion, opportunity, and perseverance from restaurateurs, managers, kitchen staff, and front-of-house staff. Creating fine-dining cuisine is as much an art form as it is the science...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

INFORMA FINANCIAL

THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL-ROUNDED TOTAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW

INFORMA FINANCIAL – THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL-ROUNDED TOTAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. Informa’s founder, Cliff Pipke, began this business out of a desire to help service the insurance needs of families, as well as those of the small business owner. As Informa’s...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

BETTER THAN UNICORNS

VIRTUAL REALITY- A Powerful Tool for Connection and Compassion

Virtual reality is an essential tool for building compassion and expanding awareness about how we relate to failing and learning from those moments....

INNOVATE® Seattle

Madrona

A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES

A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES. Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces, and more. As the tech...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

GCT GLOBAL CONTAINER TERMINALS INC

SYNCHRONIZING CONTAINER LOGISTICS THROUGH INNOVATION, PRECISION,

GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. (GCT) is Vancouver’s homegrown success story in marine container terminal operations and innovation. GCT is among the most advanced operators on the continent and boasts the largest semi-automated on-dock rail facility in North America. Shipping line customers and cargo owners benefit from easy access to...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE CENTER FOR FOREST RESEARCH (CFR)

THE CENTER FOR FOREST RESEARCH (CFR) – IS A STRATEGIC CLUSTER THAT HAS BEEN FUNDEDBY THE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC-NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) SINCE 2006. It is the only research group in Quebec whose central mission is advanced training in forest research. The scientific mission of the CFR is...

INNOVATION Quebec

CIMMI

CENTRE EN IMAGERIE NUMÉRIQUE ET MÉDIAS INTÉRACTIFS

Founded in 2008, the Centre en imagerie numérique et médias interactifs (CIMMI) is a technology transfer centre located in Cégep de Sainte-Foy’s Pavillon de la recherche in Quebec City. Our mission is to help Quebec and Canadian businesses and public institutions develop innovative solutions in the field of digital technologies....

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

The rootsFor nearly 20 years, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean – a region of more than 275,000 inhabitants located 500 km northeast of Montréal – concerted initiatives have been deployed to stimulate innovation among SMEs. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), then Innovation 02 (2011-2019) generated activities in turn to support innovation. It was when...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

THE CAPS NETWORK

EMPOWERING FUTURES

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, where the traditional model struggles to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce, there emerges a beacon of innovation – the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Network. Transforming Education for the Future CAPS embodies a revolutionary approach to education, recognizing the need for...

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...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FinEst Centre

Creating Smarter Cities Through Collaborative Innovation

FinEst Centre for Smart Cities is a research and development centre driven by the passion to enhance the quality of life in urban areas. It brings together cities, researchers and entrepreneurs to co-create scalable, research-based solutions for the most pressing urban challenges. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, the centre serves as...

Vykon Performance Exhausts

From Humble Beginnings to a Global Brand

A New Chapter in Performance Excellence. Vykon Exhausts is not just a company; it’s a testament to a legacy of innovation, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Founded by Brad Anassis, Vykon is a continuation and evolution of the remarkable engineering prowess that began with his late father, Gerry, and...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

XANDYE

XANDYE-THE QUINTESSENTIAL

THE QUINTESSENTIAL, MODERN COVER TABLE, CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS AND LIFESTYLE BRAND THAT PRIDES ITSELF IN EXCELLENT QUALITY THAT IS ON PAR WITH ENTRY-LEVEL LUXURY PIECES

According to its founder and current Creative Director, Sandra Tebogo Kenanao, “Xandye is another name for ‘luxury’. We don’t compromise when it comes to quality. We design our products from scratch, taking time on detail and simple – yet elegant – aesthetics. We select the material and hardware to be...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

LOG!VILLE

Where logistics and innovation meet

In the fall of 2021, VIL (Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics –http://www.vil.be/) opened its demonstration center Log!Ville at the Science Park in Niel, centrally located between Antwerp and Brussels. It was founded by VIL to accelerate the transfer/dissemination of innovative technologies and concepts in the field of transport and logistics...

INNOVATE® Maryland

BioHealth Innovation

Translating Breakthroughs into Impact

In Maryland, scientific discovery rarely slows progress. Laboratories across the state generate breakthrough therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical technologies at remarkable speed. Moving those innovations beyond the lab and into the hands of patients and investors requires a different kind of expertise, grounded in market insight, capital strategy, and disciplined execution....

INNOVATION Quebec

MEDTEQ+

ACCÉLÉRER LE DÉVELOPPEMENTET LA COMMERCIALISATION DES TECHNOLOGIES EN SANTÉ, VOILÀ LERÔLE DE MEDTEQ+

Comment s’assurer que les technologies en santé sont robustes et percent les différents marchés? Comment soutenir les entrepreneurs et les entrepreneuses du Québec, les accompagner et contribuer à stimuler l’écosystème en innovation? Voilà la mission que s’est donnée MEDTEQ+ , un consortium pancanadien de recherche industrielle et d’innovation en technologies...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

First Class Recruiting

Elevating Talent, Powering Industry

In the heart of South Carolina’s booming Upstate region, where aerospace, manufacturing, and technology sectors thrive, First Class Recruiting is building more than just careers – it’s building futures. Helmed by U.S. Air Force veteran and industry trailblazer Lindsay Hansel, this boutique executive search firm has become synonymous with precision...

INNOVATE® Miami

SnapLeads

SnapLeads - Helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data

Helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data

SnapLeads helps businesses unlock marketing opportunities with big data. The company specializes in building data-driven direct mail and client retention platforms for enterprises in various industries including, automotive, legal, medical, and real estate. SnapLeads began as a way for a group of attorneys to generate more business for their own...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

Grupo Boticário

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY

Product innovation has been a guiding principle in the laboratories of Grupo Boticário’s Research and Development Center, which has now been enhanced by technological advancements. Examples include fragrances crafted with the aid of artificial intelligence, a “Smart Lipstick” designed to help people with visual impairments and upper limb disabilities, and...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

Future Health

Ten Years of Innovation at ZOL at the Crossroads of Clinical Care and Science

Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) is a large general hospital in the east of Flanders. It was established in 1995 after the merger of three hospitals and expanded in 2021 through the integration of ZOL Maas en Kempen. ZOL is currently the largest hospital in Limburg, with four sites located in Genk,...

INNOVATE™ Curitiba

ROCKET

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NICHE INNOVATION AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA

Having started in 2019 as a web-only reality show for local startups, Rocket has now developed into a full universe of multi-platform content and unforgettable live experiences with the goal to foment, give visibility, and highlight the positive impact of innovation and entrepreneurship in everyone’s lives. Though an important topic...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

LEADING HIGHER EDUCATION INTO THE FUTURE

Waukesha County Technical College, one of 16 Colleges part of the Wisconsin Technical College System, has been a leader of workforce development and training in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than a century. The College is focused on educating students for in-demand jobs and contributing to the economy by providing skilled...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

VIRGENT AI

Move Beyond AI-Curious to AI-Powered

As we enter the largest technological revolution of our generation, Virgent AI is guiding leaders and industries beyond AI-curious to AI-powered. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, this forward-thinking AI-centric technology startup specializes in developing and deploying advanced AI agents and AI-enabled applications to solve real-world business problems. At their core, their...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Synapse Florida

Synapse Florida – Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

Celebrating The Success Of Our Innovation Communities

SERENDIPITY DOESN’T SCALE. THAT’S WHY WE BUILT SYNAPSE.Synapse Florida, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization connecting innovation communities across Florida, was founded on the premise that serendipity doesn’t scale. By building a state-wide movement, Synapse is enabling innovation partners throughout Florida to find each other and develop relationships in a way that...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CHEFS WAREHOUSE

CHEFS WAREHOUSE -WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE

WHIPPING UP A WINNING RECIPE

As businesses go, restaurants aren’t for the faint of heart. The hospitality industry is one of cutthroat competition. This industry demands discipline, dedication, constant innovation, passion, opportunity, and perseverance from restaurateurs, managers, kitchen staff, and front-of-house staff. Creating fine-dining cuisine is as much an art form as it is the science...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

INFORMA FINANCIAL

THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL-ROUNDED TOTAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW

INFORMA FINANCIAL – THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL-ROUNDED TOTAL BENEFITS EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. Informa’s founder, Cliff Pipke, began this business out of a desire to help service the insurance needs of families, as well as those of the small business owner. As Informa’s...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

BETTER THAN UNICORNS

VIRTUAL REALITY- A Powerful Tool for Connection and Compassion

Virtual reality is an essential tool for building compassion and expanding awareness about how we relate to failing and learning from those moments....

INNOVATE® Seattle

Madrona

A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES

A PARTNER AND BACKER OF FOUNDERS AT THE INNOVATION, EARLY AND ACCELERATION STAGES. Madrona starts working with leadership teams before the first investment, supporting them with capital and hard work. We have been doing this since 1995 and actively invest in AI, enterprise technology, marketplaces, and more. As the tech...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

GCT GLOBAL CONTAINER TERMINALS INC

SYNCHRONIZING CONTAINER LOGISTICS THROUGH INNOVATION, PRECISION,

GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. (GCT) is Vancouver’s homegrown success story in marine container terminal operations and innovation. GCT is among the most advanced operators on the continent and boasts the largest semi-automated on-dock rail facility in North America. Shipping line customers and cargo owners benefit from easy access to...

INNOVATION Quebec

THE CENTER FOR FOREST RESEARCH (CFR)

THE CENTER FOR FOREST RESEARCH (CFR) – IS A STRATEGIC CLUSTER THAT HAS BEEN FUNDEDBY THE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC-NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) SINCE 2006. It is the only research group in Quebec whose central mission is advanced training in forest research. The scientific mission of the CFR is...

INNOVATION Quebec

CIMMI

CENTRE EN IMAGERIE NUMÉRIQUE ET MÉDIAS INTÉRACTIFS

Founded in 2008, the Centre en imagerie numérique et médias interactifs (CIMMI) is a technology transfer centre located in Cégep de Sainte-Foy’s Pavillon de la recherche in Quebec City. Our mission is to help Quebec and Canadian businesses and public institutions develop innovative solutions in the field of digital technologies....

INNOVATION Quebec

ERAC DU SAGUENAY-LAC ST-JEAN

The rootsFor nearly 20 years, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean – a region of more than 275,000 inhabitants located 500 km northeast of Montréal – concerted initiatives have been deployed to stimulate innovation among SMEs. Idéa innovation PME (2004-2010), then Innovation 02 (2011-2019) generated activities in turn to support innovation. It was when...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

THE CAPS NETWORK

EMPOWERING FUTURES

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, where the traditional model struggles to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce, there emerges a beacon of innovation – the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Network. Transforming Education for the Future CAPS embodies a revolutionary approach to education, recognizing the need for...

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...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

FinEst Centre

Creating Smarter Cities Through Collaborative Innovation

FinEst Centre for Smart Cities is a research and development centre driven by the passion to enhance the quality of life in urban areas. It brings together cities, researchers and entrepreneurs to co-create scalable, research-based solutions for the most pressing urban challenges. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, the centre serves as...

Vykon Performance Exhausts

From Humble Beginnings to a Global Brand

A New Chapter in Performance Excellence. Vykon Exhausts is not just a company; it’s a testament to a legacy of innovation, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Founded by Brad Anassis, Vykon is a continuation and evolution of the remarkable engineering prowess that began with his late father, Gerry, and...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

XANDYE

XANDYE-THE QUINTESSENTIAL

THE QUINTESSENTIAL, MODERN COVER TABLE, CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS AND LIFESTYLE BRAND THAT PRIDES ITSELF IN EXCELLENT QUALITY THAT IS ON PAR WITH ENTRY-LEVEL LUXURY PIECES

According to its founder and current Creative Director, Sandra Tebogo Kenanao, “Xandye is another name for ‘luxury’. We don’t compromise when it comes to quality. We design our products from scratch, taking time on detail and simple – yet elegant – aesthetics. We select the material and hardware to be...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

LOG!VILLE

Where logistics and innovation meet

In the fall of 2021, VIL (Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics –http://www.vil.be/) opened its demonstration center Log!Ville at the Science Park in Niel, centrally located between Antwerp and Brussels. It was founded by VIL to accelerate the transfer/dissemination of innovative technologies and concepts in the field of transport and logistics...

INNOVATE® Maryland

BioHealth Innovation

Translating Breakthroughs into Impact

In Maryland, scientific discovery rarely slows progress. Laboratories across the state generate breakthrough therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical technologies at remarkable speed. Moving those innovations beyond the lab and into the hands of patients and investors requires a different kind of expertise, grounded in market insight, capital strategy, and disciplined execution....

INNOVATION Quebec

MEDTEQ+

ACCÉLÉRER LE DÉVELOPPEMENTET LA COMMERCIALISATION DES TECHNOLOGIES EN SANTÉ, VOILÀ LERÔLE DE MEDTEQ+

Comment s’assurer que les technologies en santé sont robustes et percent les différents marchés? Comment soutenir les entrepreneurs et les entrepreneuses du Québec, les accompagner et contribuer à stimuler l’écosystème en innovation? Voilà la mission que s’est donnée MEDTEQ+ , un consortium pancanadien de recherche industrielle et d’innovation en technologies...

Ecosystems