Stories of Innovation

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY A KEY PLAYER IN AUSTIN’S INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMDriving from San Marcos to Austin, you can’t help but notice all the growth taking place along the I-35 corridor. With a population boom in Central Texas concentrated around the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan, and well on its way to merging...

When Stockholm’s startup scene began to thrive in the early 2010s, it was known for producing unicorns – but also for its fragmentation. Founders often worked in isolation, disconnected from the support, partners, and investors that could help them endure the long, difficult middle miles between idea and success. SUP...

When you think of Detroit and the public relations industry, it may not be obvious at first how much they have in common. But anyone working in the PR industry in the city will tell you both have weathered significant changes over the past several decades. Founded in 1964 in...

Founded in 2016 in the city of Curitiba, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil, Pontomais was created to solve the challenges of Human Resource units by means of digitalization and automation of processes. Until then, many of the routines were performed manually, and, with the arrival of Pontomais, HR professionals were...

MAKING REVOLUTIONARY SMART MATERIALS TO BRING FORCE SENSING TO APPLICATIONS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE. Axioforce is a sensor company based on a smart materials breakthrough made by Drs. Cory Berkland and Jonathan Miller at the University of Kansas. The two were working on a DoE sponsored project developing cushions that leverage...

THE HISTORY OF THE HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKINGThe Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking was founded in 2017 with a $40 million donation from the Hunter Family Foundation, marking one of the largest donations in the University of Calgary’s history. The Hunter Hub’s purpose is to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout...

Grünenthal, SA is a subsidiary of Grünenthal GmbH, with a presence in Portugal since 1990, which is dedicated to the marketing of pharmaceutical products and a leader in medicines for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Our mission is to improve the lives of people living with chronic pain....

A national not-for-profit organization, Mitacs empowers Canadian innovation through effective partnerships that deliver solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. It assists organizations in reaching their goals, funds cutting-edge innovation, and creates job opportunities for students and postdocs. These achievements are supported by the Government of Alberta, the Government of...

Since 1947, Denmark Technical College has been a lifeline for education and economic mobility in South Carolina’s rural corridor. Established as a training center for African American veterans returning from World War II, Denmark Tech has grown into a proud HBCU with a legacy of service, resilience and transformation. For...

It was late 2011 when Nashville Software School (NSS) Founder and CEO, John Wark set out to find a solution to a challenge he frequently heard about in Nashville’s business community – the persistent shortage of trained tech talent such as software developers. The tech skills gap was (and is)...

The one-stop shop for local businesses on the move. Whether the business is looking to expand, diversify, restructure, acquire, or a sale, Bluhaus provides the financial advice and capital solutions to execute its plans. Founded in 2014 by Eduardo Inclán, Alberto Toro and Waldemar González, Bluhaus Capital is a Puerto...

Voima Ventures has emerged as one of the Nordic region’s most distinctive venture capital firms, focusing on the commercialization and scaling of science-based innovation. Founded in 2019, with offices in Helsinki and Stockholm, the firm invests in early-stage companies developing breakthrough technologies with the potential to address global challenges and...

In a constantly evolving healthcare environment, the general hospital AZ Zeno takes a resolute, forward-thinking approach in which innovation and humanity go hand in hand. From robotic surgery to integrative care, from artificial intelligence to health hubs – AZ Zeno combines cutting-edge technology with genuine attention to the human being...

Since 2013, Ecopia AI has been on a mission to create a digital twin of the world using artificial intelligence (AI). Originally spun out of a Ph.D project at the University of Waterloo, Ecopia’s maps have grown from detailing a single small city to mapping entire continents while evolving from...

At the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, we’re building on a remarkable history of ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit in New Brunswick to propel the development of the next generation of global technology firms. Heading into our third decade of catapulting innovative ideas into thriving enterprises, our organization – better known by...

Sometimes, when a business faces a tough problem, an outside perspective can provide a surprisingly simple solution. For the industry experts at the Georgia Center of Innovation, it has become a routine. As a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the specialized team of industry veterans at...

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...

Ensuring competitive advantages, fostering business opportunities, introducing new products and optimizing processes. When it comes to innovation, startups serve as crucial partners for propelling progress in the automotive sector. In this scenario, those who stand out are the ones helping dealerships identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience while adapting...

QTS Data Centers is a leading provider of data center solutions across a diverse footprint with over two gigawatts of critical power capacity under customer contract in North America and Europe. Part of the Blackstone portfolio, QTS delivers secure, compliant infrastructure solutions, robust connectivity and premium customer service to leading...

Transform SC was launched in 2013 as a collaboration of business leaders, educators, students, parents, and policy makers transforming the public education system so every student graduates prepared for careers, college, and civic life. During its initial phase, Transform SC partnered with more than 70 schools from 29 districts, including...

In 2003, Matt Meltzer graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. He thought employers would line up to hire him. He was wrong. With zero job offers, Matt flew down to South America with a backpack. After living and working in Buenos Aires for one year, Matt returned...

Le CIRANO est la référence au Québec pour l’avancement des connaissances en évaluation économique des décisions autour des grands enjeux de société et pour l’élaboration et l’évaluation de politiques publiques. Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin, Polytechnique Montreal professor, President and CEO, CIRANO Catherine Beaudry Polytechnique Montréal «Le CIRANO joue un rôle crucial...

Personify Care is a flexible and scalable health tech platform that accelerates health services to transform their patient experience whilst simultaneously reducing the administrative and cognitive burden on our frontline staff. Led by South Australian CEO Ken Saman, Personify Care’s approach is to support healthcare teams to rapidly adapt and...

Cteau – The Water Technology Centre has been devoting all its efforts to this issue since 2008. It is the only technology transfer centre dedicated to water technologies and ecological water management. With its multidisciplinary team of microbiologists, chemists, engineers (water, civil, process and mechanical) and test and analytical chemistry...