Stories of Innovation
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EVANS GENERAL CONTRACTORS
SHAPING SKYLINES TO BUILD TOMORROW’S FUTURE
Commercial construction is a critical part of Georgia’s economy as it creates buildings and spaces that connect communities, provide jobs, and improve society. Evans General Contractors is contributing by designing and building facilities that are home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies. Founded in Georgia in 2001,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of AI Conferences in 2024:
A Look at the Most Important Events and Topics
Artificial intelligence, or as it is commonly referred to, AI conferences date back to the 1960s and have tremendously expanded from niche gatherings that mainly catered to academia to industry-focused and entrepreneurial assemblies. This is where researchers, policymakers, and professionals from global tech companies collaborate on various aspects of the...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
LIQUID AVATAR TECHNOLOGIES INC
WELCOME TO A UNIVERSE WHERE ANYONE CAN BE A HERO™
Want to climb a virtual mountain? Become a master of virtual cooking, or own your own virtual yacht? The Metaverse and other mixed reality opportunities will change the way we play, learn, work, build, entertain and socialize. Aftermath Islands Metaverse is an emerging mixed reality platform that allows individuals and...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation
Econsult Solutions, Inc.
Where Innovation Takes Root: The Economics of What Comes Next
Economic impact has a standard playbook: count jobs, measure spending, calculate activity, and produce a number. Oftentimes this approach defines how cities, institutions, and developers tell their economic story, but it can leave out the most important part—the context of the place and the tangible day-to-day impacts on the community....
INNOVATE® Miami
City Of Coral Gables - Recognized Nationwide As A Pioneering Smart City
Coral Gables was founded on innovation, being one of the very first planned communities in the United States. Today, we’re known nationwide as a Smart City, leveraging information and communication technologies to benefit our residents, employees, businesses and visitors, as well as make our city more resilient and sustainable. First...
INNOVATION Quebec
OPTONIQUE
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATION Quebec
OPTECH
CCTT IN OPTICS-PHOTONICS
Optech is a College Centre for Technology Transfer (CCTT) incorporated as a non-profit organization (NPO) founded in 2002 with a mission to raise awareness of optics/photonics-related technologies and help implement them to support efforts to improve productivity and innovation in companies across Quebec. Our team is made up of thirty-plus...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
GOTCARE
The Next Frontier Of Home Care
Accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis, families are in dire need of home care, but labour shortages make accessible home care a challenge for most people in Canada and many suffer in silence. Take for example Mr. Jones*, who sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident. After spending several...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
WILLIAM BLAIR
INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Committed to Growth and Innovation Since 1935At William Blair, growth and innovation are in our DNA. As an independent, private partnership, we are committed to providing the world’s leading venture firms with the expert guidance and creative solutions required to unlock value for investors and their portfolio companies. We are...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CARRICK WEALTH
SOMETIMES, THE MOST INNOVATIVE IDEAS ARE ALREADY CLOSE TO HOME
“Innovation” has become a buzzword in businesses the world over. It evokes images of tech bros playing foosball in the office, of millennials taking team calls through AirPods while on the treadmill, and of AI-enhanced systems that can solve problems better than humans. Certainly, a business keeping up with tech...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of Borderless Startups and the Digital Tools Powering Them
Previously, opening a business largely depended on location. A startup owner was expected to establish an office, hire staff in their home city or country, and run their company in that location. However, there’s a growing number of startups that operate internationally from the day they launch, mainly due to...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRIM
L’innovation, c’est ici que ça se passe
Innover c’est transformer une idée en valeur, c’est transposer l’idée dans l’environnement de l’entreprise avec ses réalités, c’est permettre à l’entreprise de devenir plus compétitive. CRIM, le partenaire en innovationLes clients du CRIM ont en commun le désir d’innover et de garder le cap sur la concurrence. Ils nous viennent...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
The Beacon
Encouraging Collaboration
The Beacon is a leading innovation community of forward-thinking tech companies, most of which focus on the challenges faced by our cities, ports, and industries. Located between the city and the port in Antwerp, The Beacon offers not only flexible office spaces, event- and meeting rooms, but also plenty of...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
TWINZO
TRANSFORMS YOUR MOBILE DEVICE INTO A COMMAND CENTER, WHICH CAN ONLY BE MATCHED BY NASA’S CENTRAL CONTROL
Twinzo was founded in 2020 as a spin-off from INFOTECH. Twinzo fully integrated INFOTECH’s 20 years of experience and know-how associated with the development of custom software solutions, from over more than 30 professional team members. Twinzo is at the same time the name of the company as well as...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
KNEAD
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Hubly
Unlocking the Human Side of Fintech
Hubly allows financial advisors and their teams to deliver a high-tough, stress-free customer experience at scale. Millions of people trust a financial advisor with their life savings. But as advisory firms scale, their operations, services, processes, and regulatory requirements become more complex. Soon, financial advisors are spending more time on...
INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®
FERRAIUOLI, LLC
20 YEARS PIONEERING INNOVATION
Intellectual Property and Data SecurityThe pursuit and protection of intellectual property rights requires specialized know- how. Ferraiuoli is a multi-service law firm whose practice gives great emphasis to intellectual property matters. Ferraiuoli’s Intellectual Property Department is the leading intellectual property practice in Puerto Rico, according to Chambers & Partner’s Global...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
18LOOP
DEPLOYS VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS TO KIDS WITH CANCER TO HELP FIGHT THE DISEASE
18Loop deploys advanced virtual reality (VR) headsets to kids with cancer to help them tolerate treatment, recover and thrive. 18Loop has distributed over 100 VR headsets to children with cancer in 32 states.18Loop reaches its children through a partnership with the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO). Virtual reality is vital...
INNOVATION Quebec
CINDERELLA'S
ELEVATING CLEANING STANDARDS FOR A PRISTINE SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The dynamic husband and wife team of Mark and Tracey Ferdinands, set out to disrupt the cleaning industry with their innovative Territory Management System. Armed with a strong hospitality background and a team of highly trained and caring professionals, the Cinderella’s team consistently delivers exceptional results. Larger organisations are flocking...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
HSA Bank
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE Technology-driven experience and innovation have the potential to transform employee benefits from a traditional offering into a strategic differentiator for organizations. The benefits sector, traditionally not seen as a tech ‘powerhouse’, is undergoing rapid change as organizations leverage...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)
LEADING NOVA SCOTIA’S DIGITAL INDUSTRY SINCE 1989
With digital adoption and transformation now vital, Digital Nova Scotia (DNS) leads the charge in championing the growth of the province’s digital economy. DNS is the industry association for Nova Scotia’s$3.6 billion ICT and digital technologies industry – and it has been representing the sector for more than three decades....
INNOVATE® Blockchain
THE PARTY SCIENTIST
Upholding a culture of human connection and freedom of expression
“The Promise of Crypto is more freedom of expression and playful connection”, says The Party Scientist. His mission is to uphold the ethos of blockchain: community; which he believes is the elixir of life. If you attend enough crypto conferences, you’ll probably meet the guy wearing a labcoat hauling around...
INNOVATE® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...
Global Innovation Spotlight
Latoria Williams — Chief Executive Officer, 1F Cash Advance
1F Cash Advance is a fintech company that provides short-term financial support for people who have trouble qualifying for traditional bank loans. The company was founded and is led by CEO Latoria Williams. Her business journey began with the realization that nearly half of Americans do not have an emergency...
INNOVATE® Georgia
EVANS GENERAL CONTRACTORS
SHAPING SKYLINES TO BUILD TOMORROW’S FUTURE
Commercial construction is a critical part of Georgia’s economy as it creates buildings and spaces that connect communities, provide jobs, and improve society. Evans General Contractors is contributing by designing and building facilities that are home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies. Founded in Georgia in 2001,...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of AI Conferences in 2024:
A Look at the Most Important Events and Topics
Artificial intelligence, or as it is commonly referred to, AI conferences date back to the 1960s and have tremendously expanded from niche gatherings that mainly catered to academia to industry-focused and entrepreneurial assemblies. This is where researchers, policymakers, and professionals from global tech companies collaborate on various aspects of the...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
LIQUID AVATAR TECHNOLOGIES INC
WELCOME TO A UNIVERSE WHERE ANYONE CAN BE A HERO™
Want to climb a virtual mountain? Become a master of virtual cooking, or own your own virtual yacht? The Metaverse and other mixed reality opportunities will change the way we play, learn, work, build, entertain and socialize. Aftermath Islands Metaverse is an emerging mixed reality platform that allows individuals and...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation
Econsult Solutions, Inc.
Where Innovation Takes Root: The Economics of What Comes Next
Economic impact has a standard playbook: count jobs, measure spending, calculate activity, and produce a number. Oftentimes this approach defines how cities, institutions, and developers tell their economic story, but it can leave out the most important part—the context of the place and the tangible day-to-day impacts on the community....
INNOVATE® Miami
City Of Coral Gables - Recognized Nationwide As A Pioneering Smart City
Coral Gables was founded on innovation, being one of the very first planned communities in the United States. Today, we’re known nationwide as a Smart City, leveraging information and communication technologies to benefit our residents, employees, businesses and visitors, as well as make our city more resilient and sustainable. First...
INNOVATION Quebec
OPTONIQUE
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
Photonics can be found everywhere: laser surgery, battery manufacturing, and quantum computers are among many other applications that benefit from light-based technologies. The presence of research centers and industries on Quebec soil has led to a fertile ground for innovation among deep tech start-ups and established businesses. Optonique, Québec’s Photonics...
INNOVATION Quebec
OPTECH
CCTT IN OPTICS-PHOTONICS
Optech is a College Centre for Technology Transfer (CCTT) incorporated as a non-profit organization (NPO) founded in 2002 with a mission to raise awareness of optics/photonics-related technologies and help implement them to support efforts to improve productivity and innovation in companies across Quebec. Our team is made up of thirty-plus...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
GOTCARE
The Next Frontier Of Home Care
Accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis, families are in dire need of home care, but labour shortages make accessible home care a challenge for most people in Canada and many suffer in silence. Take for example Mr. Jones*, who sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident. After spending several...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
WILLIAM BLAIR
INVESTING AT THE NEXUS OF THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Committed to Growth and Innovation Since 1935At William Blair, growth and innovation are in our DNA. As an independent, private partnership, we are committed to providing the world’s leading venture firms with the expert guidance and creative solutions required to unlock value for investors and their portfolio companies. We are...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
CARRICK WEALTH
SOMETIMES, THE MOST INNOVATIVE IDEAS ARE ALREADY CLOSE TO HOME
“Innovation” has become a buzzword in businesses the world over. It evokes images of tech bros playing foosball in the office, of millennials taking team calls through AirPods while on the treadmill, and of AI-enhanced systems that can solve problems better than humans. Certainly, a business keeping up with tech...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Rise of Borderless Startups and the Digital Tools Powering Them
Previously, opening a business largely depended on location. A startup owner was expected to establish an office, hire staff in their home city or country, and run their company in that location. However, there’s a growing number of startups that operate internationally from the day they launch, mainly due to...
INNOVATION Quebec
CRIM
L’innovation, c’est ici que ça se passe
Innover c’est transformer une idée en valeur, c’est transposer l’idée dans l’environnement de l’entreprise avec ses réalités, c’est permettre à l’entreprise de devenir plus compétitive. CRIM, le partenaire en innovationLes clients du CRIM ont en commun le désir d’innover et de garder le cap sur la concurrence. Ils nous viennent...
INNOVATE™ Flanders
The Beacon
Encouraging Collaboration
The Beacon is a leading innovation community of forward-thinking tech companies, most of which focus on the challenges faced by our cities, ports, and industries. Located between the city and the port in Antwerp, The Beacon offers not only flexible office spaces, event- and meeting rooms, but also plenty of...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
TWINZO
TRANSFORMS YOUR MOBILE DEVICE INTO A COMMAND CENTER, WHICH CAN ONLY BE MATCHED BY NASA’S CENTRAL CONTROL
Twinzo was founded in 2020 as a spin-off from INFOTECH. Twinzo fully integrated INFOTECH’s 20 years of experience and know-how associated with the development of custom software solutions, from over more than 30 professional team members. Twinzo is at the same time the name of the company as well as...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
KNEAD
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF FOOD RESCUE: KNEAD TECHNOLOGIES LEADS THE CHARGE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Hubly
Unlocking the Human Side of Fintech
Hubly allows financial advisors and their teams to deliver a high-tough, stress-free customer experience at scale. Millions of people trust a financial advisor with their life savings. But as advisory firms scale, their operations, services, processes, and regulatory requirements become more complex. Soon, financial advisors are spending more time on...
INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®
FERRAIUOLI, LLC
20 YEARS PIONEERING INNOVATION
Intellectual Property and Data SecurityThe pursuit and protection of intellectual property rights requires specialized know- how. Ferraiuoli is a multi-service law firm whose practice gives great emphasis to intellectual property matters. Ferraiuoli’s Intellectual Property Department is the leading intellectual property practice in Puerto Rico, according to Chambers & Partner’s Global...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
18LOOP
DEPLOYS VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS TO KIDS WITH CANCER TO HELP FIGHT THE DISEASE
18Loop deploys advanced virtual reality (VR) headsets to kids with cancer to help them tolerate treatment, recover and thrive. 18Loop has distributed over 100 VR headsets to children with cancer in 32 states.18Loop reaches its children through a partnership with the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO). Virtual reality is vital...
INNOVATION Quebec
CINDERELLA'S
ELEVATING CLEANING STANDARDS FOR A PRISTINE SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The dynamic husband and wife team of Mark and Tracey Ferdinands, set out to disrupt the cleaning industry with their innovative Territory Management System. Armed with a strong hospitality background and a team of highly trained and caring professionals, the Cinderella’s team consistently delivers exceptional results. Larger organisations are flocking...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
HSA Bank
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE
HSA BANK IS BUILDING A NEW ERA OF TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED EXPERIENCES IN FINANCE Technology-driven experience and innovation have the potential to transform employee benefits from a traditional offering into a strategic differentiator for organizations. The benefits sector, traditionally not seen as a tech ‘powerhouse’, is undergoing rapid change as organizations leverage...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)
LEADING NOVA SCOTIA’S DIGITAL INDUSTRY SINCE 1989
With digital adoption and transformation now vital, Digital Nova Scotia (DNS) leads the charge in championing the growth of the province’s digital economy. DNS is the industry association for Nova Scotia’s$3.6 billion ICT and digital technologies industry – and it has been representing the sector for more than three decades....
INNOVATE® Blockchain
THE PARTY SCIENTIST
Upholding a culture of human connection and freedom of expression
“The Promise of Crypto is more freedom of expression and playful connection”, says The Party Scientist. His mission is to uphold the ethos of blockchain: community; which he believes is the elixir of life. If you attend enough crypto conferences, you’ll probably meet the guy wearing a labcoat hauling around...
INNOVATE® Nashville
InPaceline
Riding Alongside Entrepreneurs
“You are the most qualified person to help the person you used to be.” This belief is the foundation of InPaceline, a venture studio model built by Clay Banks, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor, and endurance athlete. After years of scaling mountains – both literal and entrepreneurial – Banks is...