Stories of Innovation

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...

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...

The workplace is evolving at record speed. Artificial intelligence, hybrid schedules, and multiple generations sharing the same office are reshaping how we work, creating challenges even seasoned leaders haven’t faced before. We all know that “the only constant is change.” During Pat Summitt’s 40 years of championship-level coaching, she worked...

The Flux research methodology falls under six pillars T.R.E.N.D.S. - Technology, Retail & Marketing, Economy, Natural world, Diplomacy and Sociocultural. These six pillars encapsulate all the business and consumer trends that companies need to be cognisant of....

In a city known for breakout artists and bold founders, Mark Cleveland is building something less obvious but no less revolutionary. Through his Parallel Entrepreneur brand – anchored by a podcast, a growing network, and a forthcoming book – Cleveland is giving voice to a specific kind of business leader:...

FoxFuel Creative is a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense agency, built on the tension between sophistication and rebellion. Because brands need an agency that knows the rules and when to break them. That’s where the magic happens. In the friction between polish and punch. Between the curve in a classical column and the...

Zero-emission communities require largescale electrification, retrofitting buildings, integrating renewable energy, developing sustainable mobility concepts, implementing green industry solutions, and transforming cities in a human-centered way. Furthermore, those next-generation communities should be affordable, mixed and inclusive, providing all essential services within walking distance. This also means easy access to green spaces,...

Established in 2009, MadeiraMadeira is now the largest online furniture and decoration platform in Latin America. Prior to its foundation, the company’s story began with brothers Daniel Scandian and Marcelo Scandian. Coming from an entrepreneurial family background, they grew up with the same values. During a challenging period in both...

MissionLe Centre d’entrepreneuriat de l’Université de Montréal (CEuMONTRÉAL) est un organisme à but non lucratif qui a pour mission de développer une culture entrepreneuriale et d’innovation à l’Université de Montréal, tout en soutenant de façon concrète les entrepreneurs et la création d’entreprises scientifiques et technologiques dans divers domaines : sciences...

Despite launching in September 2020, during the height of a global pandemic, XP League quickly caught the attention of tech-savvy franchisees looking to turn their passion into a career. And esports are certainly a lucrative activity worthy of franchise investment; by 2023, it’s predicted that the industry could see revenues...

Tech is about more than just new tools. It is about unlocking opportunities and markets, supporting new approaches, and empowering more high-tech innovations. Microsoft has worked closely with Toronto and Canada’s venture capital community looking to bolster its investments in Canadian startups.   Toronto and Canada’s venture capitalists are innovation...

Startup Grind Global stands as the world’s largest startup community, uniting founders, innovators, and creators on a global scale. With a mission to provide startups everywhere with the education and opportunities they need to build, grow, and scale their companies, Startup Grind Global has become a beacon of support and...

Our ecosystem simultaneously uplifts personal interactions, culture, brand affinity, and social impact. THE PROBLEMAbout 10,000 baby boomers retire daily. Millennials and Zoomers are taking their place, currently representing over 60% of the U.S. workforce. Younger generations care deeply about social causes. organizations who give them a greater purpose – other...

At Code/+/Trust, we’re more than just a development shop, we’re your strategic co-founders, product visionaries, and fractional CTOs. What do bourbon barrels, jails, and hospitals have in common? They’re all part of the industries our clients have disrupted with our help. We use a flexible, industry-agnostic process: discovery, user research,...

Metalbuilt understands the importance of leveraging generations of manufacturing wisdom to shape the future of mobility in our world. When walking through their Metro Detroit facility, one will see a synchronized dance of large metal stamping presses cycling up and down, sparks flying behind welding curtains, and high-tech lasers cutting...

THE FUTURE IS HERE Palm Beach State College prepares the workforce of Palm Beach County for the jobs of the future with more than 130 programs of study, including certificate, associate and bachelor’s degree programs in high demand fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and medical imaging. Founded in 1933...

Guided by real-world feedback, JailCore blends clear logic with human understanding to create technology that truly serves those who serve. When JailCore was founded, it wasn’t built on the old “if you build it, they will come” mindset. The goal wasn’t to create software and hope facilities would adapt to...

Classical musicians and technologists rarely interact with one another, but the people behind Living Opera believe that they can be important allies in the journey to produce transformative content that makes societies better off. Living Opera demonstrates how the collaboration of artists and technologists will be a pivotal element in...

Emotional Ideas, inc. aka EI, is a sports and entertainment technology company revolutionizing known attractions, games, and products for the next generation of entertainment thrill-seekers. We are currently taking the popular sport of go-kart racing and combining it with the strategy and skill of Esports gaming to pioneer a new...

Aliments Santé is supported by the ACCORD arm of Québec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie and by the City of Québec. The organization helps food processors implement collaborative knowledge building projects and facilitates networking activities to create business opportunities and promote industry expertise. In June 2021, through...

SA Water is rethinking water use and its role in creating sustainable communities. With a focus on innovation, it is leading the charge towards a cooler, greener future in South Australia. Using water for cooling is a central part of SA Water’s strategy. Implementing efficient irrigation techniques creates refreshing parks...

Under the leadership of eight Quebec academic institutions, the Smart-Digital-Green Innovation™ Network (SDG Innov), a first in Canada, was created on January 16, 2019, with a view to meeting industrial needs requiring inter-university collaboration in research and development (R&D), as well as the training of highly qualified personnel to accompany...

You know how to lend. But, to whom do you lend, when you don’t have the right data? Too many business lenders are constrained by partial data and manual processes. And, speed is paramount. Keren Moynihan, CEOBoss Insights empowers fintechs and lenders to respond faster, make underwriting decisions more quickly,...

When shopping for back-to-school supplies, more consumers are turning to online shopping instead of going to the mall. One entrepreneur is looking to encourage young students to become first-generation college graduates with an online shop, BlendedDesigns.com. Encouraging students with backpacks that say, “I can do anything,” founder and CEO Casey...