Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
BLUHAUS CAPITAL
EMPOWERING BUSINESSES TO ACCELERATE THEIR FUTURE
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...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CuliVino Hospitality Management + Consulting: Chef Tom Gray
OUR STORY Chef Tom Gray is one of North Florida’s most lauded and respected chefs, with two James Beard Award nominations as well as countless awards and accolades. He began his career in his hometown of Jacksonville at the age of 15 at a local country club, with culinary school...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Madrid Innovation Communities – Madrid’s First Wave Coffee Culture
Madrid Innovation Communities – Madrid has bounced back from the early 2010s with entrepreneurship and innovation, challenging even the most essential traditions including how coffee is processed, consumed, and loved. Only seven years ago, Madrid’s coffee scene was nothing to shout about, but over the last decade, the ‘torrefacto’ norm...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Sparkle & Sabre
Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being
ELEVATOR PITCH “Every woman deserves to feel beautiful; every woman deserves to feel safe; every woman deserves to feel happy.” is the motto at Sparkle & Sabre, a small jewelry company specializing in stylish pieces that boost wearers’ sense of security and well-being. With a majority of available self-defense products...
INNOVATE® Miami
Guru Financial
A mobile payday lending application
Guru the friendly lender is a mobile payday lending application, helping people get out of these financial troubles by providing them with small affordable loans and educational resources to help improve their financial situation. Problem People need access to credit in order to help pay their bills and take care...
INNOVATE® Nashville
DTB Advisors
Sports Entertainment & Hospitality Speciality Advisory
SpykeFire: Pioneering Autonomous Fire Detection in Challenging Environments David Buttrey, a Nashville native, a co-owner of SpykeFire, joined by two other Nashville natives among the company’s leadership and early supporters of founder and Veteran Todd Melcher and 30 year CA Fire Captain Robert Rowe. This connection underscores how Nashville’s burgeoning...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WARONA LAW OFFICE
MOLAO WARONA ROTLHE
What’s in a name?In this case – everything! Warona is a Setswana pronoun, which translates to “ours” in English. The fact of the matter is the law is “ours” – all of us, made by us to govern and protect us. It also happens to be the middle name of...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thunderbird Entertainment
Harnessing Content as a Force for Good
The global pandemic accelerated the way audiences worldwide consume content — and the steady growth of streaming content continues today. In fact, Nielsen reported in July 2022 that streaming viewership surpassed pandemic records, with North American audiences watching an average of 190.9 billion minutes of streamed content per week. Fueling...
INNOVATION Quebec
Entrepreneuriat ULaval (EUL)
Is the incubator for innovative andresponsible businesses at Université Laval, in Québec
EUL provides coaching and support to entrepreneurs from the university community who dream big, and whose businesses show high potential in terms of growth and societal impact, to propel them toward success. Louis-Philippe Pleau, CEO & Co-Founder of LumIR Lasers EUL supports start-ups in the field of high technology applied...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BOCRA
PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
BRIEF BACKGROUND Botswana’s rags to riches economic success story is often compared to that of countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. A former British protectorate, Botswana was poor by all standards when it got its independence. By the early to mid 80s, the country’s mineral resource was...
INNOVATE® Nashville
KCI
BRIDGING THE BUILT AND NATURAL WORLDS: KCI’S NASHVILLE LEGACY
From transportation networks to environmental stewardship, KCI’s multidisciplinary team is redefining what it means to engineer progress. The architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is constantly evolving at a rapid pace, driven by advancements in technology, sustainability, and design thinking. As cities grow and infrastructure needs intensify, firms are embracing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
QUORE
Is a hospitality technology company dedicated to revolutionizing how hotels operate worldwide
During your last hotel stay, if your room was clean, the in-room appliances were fully functioning and your request for extra towels was addressed quickly then that hotel was probably using Quore. Our cloud-based operations app supports hotel staff in their day-to-day for better guest experiences, which means smarter teams...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
EDISON PARTNERS
EDISON PARTNERS-WE’RE AN INTEGRATED TEAM OF INVESTORS AND OPERATORS THAT LIVE AND BREATHE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY COMPANIES AT THE GROWTH STAGE. Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm that invests in high-growth, capital-efficient companies in the fintech, enterprise software and healthcare IT sectors. Over our 37-year...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
WESGRO
THE CAPE TRADE PORTAL
Building Resilience Builds CompetitivenessWesgro is the official tourism, trade, investment and film promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape. It serves as the first point of contact for foreign investors and local companies. In addition, this agency attracts and facilitates national and international investment, works to grow the...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
DAILY MAVERICK
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER
Innovation is the lifeblood of Daily Maverick – from its origins as a print magazine featuring long-form current affairs, to its current form as a digital news publisher with more than five million unique visitors every month. Founded by Editor-in-chief Branko Brkic and CEO Styli Charalambous in 2009, eagle-eyed...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
SAMYR QURESHI
Knack
A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CEDFOB
CCTT IN BOREAL FORESTRY
The CEDFOB is a CCTT affiliated with the Cégep de Baie-Comeau. Our mission is to carry out research and development projects in collaboration with local communities to develop the resources of the boreal forest in a sustainable manner. Our goal is to foster the use of research findings in businesses...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
EMPIST
Reliable & Transparent Technology Solutions Designed To Help Your Business Grow
WHAT WE DO At Empist, we make it our mission to provide businesses of any size with the resources they need to thrive in the ever-changing technological landscape. With two decades of multifaceted technology experience, our team is ready to help you develop a tailored plan to scale your business....
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF)
LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF) EST UN REGROUPEMENT STRATÉGIQUE FINANCÉ PAR LE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC – NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) DEPUIS 2006. Il est le seul regroupement au Québec à avoir pour mission centrale la formation avancée et la recherche sur la forêt. La mission scientifique...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
PERCH
THE PROPTECH STARTUP EMPOWERING CANADIANS ON THEIR HOMEOWNERSHIP JOURNEY TO BUILD WEALTH THROUGH REAL ESTATE
Through technology and automation, Perch’s free analytics platform gives users detailed insights into all aspects regarding homeownership, all of which is supplemented by a dedicated mortgage advisor that strategizes with clients to help them achieve their homeownership goals. Perch’s mission is to empower Canadians to make more informed decisions when...
INNOVATE® Miami
FinConecta
Providing the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking
FinConecta provides the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking. Through one single integration, FinConecta can easily connect Financial Institutions’ core banking systems with third-party FinTech providers worldwide. The platform that tests and integrates tech solutions 10x faster, accelerating open banking. The digital era brings new disruptive technologies, innovative business...
INNOVATE® Nashville
GraphiteRx
HEALTHCARE PROCUREMENT & DISTRIBUTION, REIMAGINED
After spending several years in the San Francisco Bay Area as a consultant for a pharmaceutical distributor, GraphiteRx Founder and CEO David Zilberman resolved to tackle some crucial challenges facing the healthcare industry: high distribution costs and limited access to critical medications. Many small- to medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers sell their...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
QUERRI
CHARLESTON-BASED AI SOFTWARE COMPANY DISRUPTING DATA CULTURE
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, businesses face a crucial dilemma – either harness the power of AI-driven insights or risk being left behind. For too long, the world of data has been dominated by complexity, requiring specialized technical skills that keep decision-makers...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MIFUNDO
THE VERIFIED AND PASSPORTABLE FINANCIAL IDENTITY CONNECTING EUROPE’S CREDIT MARKETS
EUROPE’S FIRST INTEGRATED CREDIT INFRASTRUCTURE Mifundo provides European banks with cross-border credit data that allows consumer credit histories to move between countries. This technology removes one of the last remaining barriers to financial mobility in the European Union: fragmented data locked within national borders. For millions of people who live,...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
BLUHAUS CAPITAL
EMPOWERING BUSINESSES TO ACCELERATE THEIR FUTURE
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...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
CuliVino Hospitality Management + Consulting: Chef Tom Gray
OUR STORY Chef Tom Gray is one of North Florida’s most lauded and respected chefs, with two James Beard Award nominations as well as countless awards and accolades. He began his career in his hometown of Jacksonville at the age of 15 at a local country club, with culinary school...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Madrid Innovation Communities – Madrid’s First Wave Coffee Culture
Madrid Innovation Communities – Madrid has bounced back from the early 2010s with entrepreneurship and innovation, challenging even the most essential traditions including how coffee is processed, consumed, and loved. Only seven years ago, Madrid’s coffee scene was nothing to shout about, but over the last decade, the ‘torrefacto’ norm...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Sparkle & Sabre
Fashion and Jewellery That Boost Wearers’ Sense of Security and Well-Being
ELEVATOR PITCH “Every woman deserves to feel beautiful; every woman deserves to feel safe; every woman deserves to feel happy.” is the motto at Sparkle & Sabre, a small jewelry company specializing in stylish pieces that boost wearers’ sense of security and well-being. With a majority of available self-defense products...
INNOVATE® Miami
Guru Financial
A mobile payday lending application
Guru the friendly lender is a mobile payday lending application, helping people get out of these financial troubles by providing them with small affordable loans and educational resources to help improve their financial situation. Problem People need access to credit in order to help pay their bills and take care...
INNOVATE® Nashville
DTB Advisors
Sports Entertainment & Hospitality Speciality Advisory
SpykeFire: Pioneering Autonomous Fire Detection in Challenging Environments David Buttrey, a Nashville native, a co-owner of SpykeFire, joined by two other Nashville natives among the company’s leadership and early supporters of founder and Veteran Todd Melcher and 30 year CA Fire Captain Robert Rowe. This connection underscores how Nashville’s burgeoning...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
WARONA LAW OFFICE
MOLAO WARONA ROTLHE
What’s in a name?In this case – everything! Warona is a Setswana pronoun, which translates to “ours” in English. The fact of the matter is the law is “ours” – all of us, made by us to govern and protect us. It also happens to be the middle name of...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Thunderbird Entertainment
Harnessing Content as a Force for Good
The global pandemic accelerated the way audiences worldwide consume content — and the steady growth of streaming content continues today. In fact, Nielsen reported in July 2022 that streaming viewership surpassed pandemic records, with North American audiences watching an average of 190.9 billion minutes of streamed content per week. Fueling...
INNOVATION Quebec
Entrepreneuriat ULaval (EUL)
Is the incubator for innovative andresponsible businesses at Université Laval, in Québec
EUL provides coaching and support to entrepreneurs from the university community who dream big, and whose businesses show high potential in terms of growth and societal impact, to propel them toward success. Louis-Philippe Pleau, CEO & Co-Founder of LumIR Lasers EUL supports start-ups in the field of high technology applied...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BOCRA
PROMOTES ACCESS AND USAGE OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
BRIEF BACKGROUND Botswana’s rags to riches economic success story is often compared to that of countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. A former British protectorate, Botswana was poor by all standards when it got its independence. By the early to mid 80s, the country’s mineral resource was...
INNOVATE® Nashville
KCI
BRIDGING THE BUILT AND NATURAL WORLDS: KCI’S NASHVILLE LEGACY
From transportation networks to environmental stewardship, KCI’s multidisciplinary team is redefining what it means to engineer progress. The architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is constantly evolving at a rapid pace, driven by advancements in technology, sustainability, and design thinking. As cities grow and infrastructure needs intensify, firms are embracing...
INNOVATE® Nashville
QUORE
Is a hospitality technology company dedicated to revolutionizing how hotels operate worldwide
During your last hotel stay, if your room was clean, the in-room appliances were fully functioning and your request for extra towels was addressed quickly then that hotel was probably using Quore. Our cloud-based operations app supports hotel staff in their day-to-day for better guest experiences, which means smarter teams...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
EDISON PARTNERS
EDISON PARTNERS-WE’RE AN INTEGRATED TEAM OF INVESTORS AND OPERATORS THAT LIVE AND BREATHE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY COMPANIES AT THE GROWTH STAGE. Edison Partners is a leading growth equity firm that invests in high-growth, capital-efficient companies in the fintech, enterprise software and healthcare IT sectors. Over our 37-year...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
WESGRO
THE CAPE TRADE PORTAL
Building Resilience Builds CompetitivenessWesgro is the official tourism, trade, investment and film promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape. It serves as the first point of contact for foreign investors and local companies. In addition, this agency attracts and facilitates national and international investment, works to grow the...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
DAILY MAVERICK
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER
Innovation is the lifeblood of Daily Maverick – from its origins as a print magazine featuring long-form current affairs, to its current form as a digital news publisher with more than five million unique visitors every month. Founded by Editor-in-chief Branko Brkic and CEO Styli Charalambous in 2009, eagle-eyed...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
SAMYR QURESHI
Knack
A PLACE FOR NEW BEGINNINGSSamyr Qureshi is a proud Gator (University of Florida) graduate and the Co-Founder & CEO at Knack, an education technology startup that helps institutions power and scale peer-to-peer tutoring programs. I moved to the United States when I was six years old, and Tampa was the...
INNOVATION Quebec
CEDFOB
CCTT IN BOREAL FORESTRY
The CEDFOB is a CCTT affiliated with the Cégep de Baie-Comeau. Our mission is to carry out research and development projects in collaboration with local communities to develop the resources of the boreal forest in a sustainable manner. Our goal is to foster the use of research findings in businesses...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
EMPIST
Reliable & Transparent Technology Solutions Designed To Help Your Business Grow
WHAT WE DO At Empist, we make it our mission to provide businesses of any size with the resources they need to thrive in the ever-changing technological landscape. With two decades of multifaceted technology experience, our team is ready to help you develop a tailored plan to scale your business....
INNOVATION Quebec
LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF)
LE CENTRE D’ÉTUDE DE LA FORÊT (CEF) EST UN REGROUPEMENT STRATÉGIQUE FINANCÉ PAR LE FONDS DE RECHERCHE DU QUÉBEC – NATURE ET TECHNOLOGIES (FRQNT) DEPUIS 2006. Il est le seul regroupement au Québec à avoir pour mission centrale la formation avancée et la recherche sur la forêt. La mission scientifique...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
PERCH
THE PROPTECH STARTUP EMPOWERING CANADIANS ON THEIR HOMEOWNERSHIP JOURNEY TO BUILD WEALTH THROUGH REAL ESTATE
Through technology and automation, Perch’s free analytics platform gives users detailed insights into all aspects regarding homeownership, all of which is supplemented by a dedicated mortgage advisor that strategizes with clients to help them achieve their homeownership goals. Perch’s mission is to empower Canadians to make more informed decisions when...
INNOVATE® Miami
FinConecta
Providing the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking
FinConecta provides the technology infrastructure necessary to implement open banking. Through one single integration, FinConecta can easily connect Financial Institutions’ core banking systems with third-party FinTech providers worldwide. The platform that tests and integrates tech solutions 10x faster, accelerating open banking. The digital era brings new disruptive technologies, innovative business...
INNOVATE® Nashville
GraphiteRx
HEALTHCARE PROCUREMENT & DISTRIBUTION, REIMAGINED
After spending several years in the San Francisco Bay Area as a consultant for a pharmaceutical distributor, GraphiteRx Founder and CEO David Zilberman resolved to tackle some crucial challenges facing the healthcare industry: high distribution costs and limited access to critical medications. Many small- to medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers sell their...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
QUERRI
CHARLESTON-BASED AI SOFTWARE COMPANY DISRUPTING DATA CULTURE
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, businesses face a crucial dilemma – either harness the power of AI-driven insights or risk being left behind. For too long, the world of data has been dominated by complexity, requiring specialized technical skills that keep decision-makers...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MIFUNDO
THE VERIFIED AND PASSPORTABLE FINANCIAL IDENTITY CONNECTING EUROPE’S CREDIT MARKETS
EUROPE’S FIRST INTEGRATED CREDIT INFRASTRUCTURE Mifundo provides European banks with cross-border credit data that allows consumer credit histories to move between countries. This technology removes one of the last remaining barriers to financial mobility in the European Union: fragmented data locked within national borders. For millions of people who live,...