Stories of Innovation

July 2017 I left my 9-5 job of being a full time Lecturer, and founded Ecohub (Pty) Ltd, a startup that innovatively uses plastic waste combined with other additives to produce affordable, architect designed flat pack ecobricks to build ecohouses. As the only Founder, I took a risk and sold...

MYCÉLIUM boasts an innovative incubation model enhanced by the involvement of the regional business network, stakeholders’ expertise and access to the talent of several scientists from the Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels de l’Université Laval (INAF), the largest research centre in Canada dedicated to food and nutrition....

The mission of PME MTL, Ville de Montréal support network for businesses, is to anticipate and foster the socioeconomic development of our communities in an integrated, concerted and sustainable manner. PME MTL offers financing and support for: It offers support to private sector and social economy entrepreneurs on the Island...

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has established itself as the country’s leading driver of innovation and investing in financial inclusion to help more Batswana realise their aspirations beyond simple access to transactional banking services. FNBB is Botswana’s largest commercial bank by balance sheet, footprint and customer volumes. Over the years,...

Launched in 2022, Startup Atlantic has quickly become a key supporter to Atlantic Canada’s innovation ecosystem. Composed of a network of founder-focused accelerators, incubators, investors, government, and ecosystem builders, Startup Atlantic is dedicated to supporting the growth and success of entrepreneurs across Canada’s four Atlantic provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, New...

Imagine a social platform built especially for gamers that enabled users to earn cryptocurrency from their content and from playing their favourite games. Now imagine being able to use that cryptocurrency to buy games and in-game upgrades, purchase NFTs of content from top Content creators or to compete against other...

CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED. Brastorne Enterprises has been selected as a winning solver team for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solve 2021 Initiative. Solve is an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America with a mission to solve world challenges. Through open innovation...

WHEN THE PHONE WOULDN’T STOP RINGING WITH FORMER COLLEAGUES REACHING OUT AFTER LOSING THEIR JOBS IN THE PANDEMIC, TOM CARLTON HAD HEARD ENOUGH. IT WAS TIME TO ACT. Tom knew there was a better way to not only do business, but to empower teams. When other consultancies were downsizing in...

Created in 1994, the Hydrogen Research Institute (HRI) of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières is one of the most experienced and recognized centers in the field of research and development of hydrogen technologies. The HRI’s mission is to respond to the climate emergency through education, research and innovation in...

With over a century of innovation in automobiles, a groundbreaking music scene, amazing architecture and one-of-a-kind fashion labels, DETROIT has long been a place where technical possibility meets great design. Few creative communities truly match the diversity and depth of Detroit’s design roots: a fact well reflected by its designation...

Despite significant progress in the fight against poverty in Latin America, inequality remains stubbornly high. In 2018, Santiago Alvarez and Virgilio Barco created impact fund manager ALIVE Ventures to channel investment to innovative companies tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing low-income communities in Latam, helping to reduce inequality....

The South Carolina Research Authority has the distinct honor and responsibility to fuel South Carolina’s innovation economy. In 2024, it contributed over $1.33 billion to the state’s economy and supported 6624 South Carolina-based jobs. The average annual salary of these jobs was almost $92,000, 71% higher than the statewide average....

Established in 2010, MonetizeMore has positioned itself as a catalyst for growth in the digital publishing industry, offering unparalleled opportunities for publishers worldwide. As a trailblazer in advertising technology, MonetizeMore has fostered a reputation for driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and guiding publishers through the dynamic and ever-changing digital landscape. A...

“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...

3 Surprising Innovations for Better Sleep Tonight Maya Liu, a robotics founder, blanked during a crucial investor pitch due to exhaustion. Chronic sleep debt saps an innovator’s edge faster than almost anything else. Her turnaround began not with coffee, but with smarter sleep technology. Tonight, you can tap into similar...

Impossible de refaire sans cesse la même chose en espérant un résultat différent. C’est pourquoi nous devons repenser notre système de santé et innover afin d’en faire un système qui apprend.   Le défi collectif de l’amélioration continue du système de santé québécois est de taille. Comment réussir le changement...

Industrial designers contribute to the creation of the products that you interact with. Whether you are a farmer, athlete, therapist, circus performer or manufacturer, it is likely that an industrial designer has been involved in the design of the experiences, services and products that you use on a daily basis....

Chargello makes portable phone charging kits, places them in restaurants and other venues, and uses this unique location to sell targeted ads. By doing this, they have built a highly focused new media channel while also solving the universal need for charging your phone away from home. “My phone was...

Throughout history, the advancement of human civilization has been intrinsically linked to the development of transportation infrastructure. Each era has brought forth revolutionary changes that reshaped our world, our economies, and our way of life. From the expansion of railroads in the 19th century to the rise of automobiles and...

Depuis 2016, nous avons la conviction que la collaboration et la mutualisation des pratiques et des ressources (le mouvement) de tous ceux et celles qui par leur accompagnement permettent de réaliser en moins de temps qu’il n’en faudrait autrement (les accélérateurs), peuvent décupler l’impact des startups (l’innovation) de toutes les...

Why are there so many books about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in online book stores and libraries, but so few of the innovators redefining Africa? “All you have to do is Google an African innovator and almost nothing pops up,” says researcher Nnamdi Oranye, who is also...

Succes Koffie is a coffee roaster/brand with a never ending passion for nature, experiences and a little rebellion. As a team they channel these interests into their coffees and the way they engage with their customers. Tom Arts, CEO The journey of Succes Koffie started more than 130 years ago...

DartPoints is transforming South Carolina’s digital economy through innovative strategies that combine high-density computing with edge data infrastructure. By focusing on optimizing data center performance and placing resources where they are needed most, DartPoints empowers businesses, municipalities, and institutions to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world. “Our mission is to...

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...