Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
MANNESOFT
A COMPANY SPECIALIZED IN INTEGRATED SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS.
Mannesoft (software solutions) originated in Brazil, in the city of Curitiba in 1993, founded by Luis Armando Dias, a student who discovered his passion for technology. With an entrepreneurial vision, he recognized the potential of information technology, leading to the creation of various software solutions. The company evolved alongside technological...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TAKASA
UNLOCK A WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE POSSIBILITIES WITH TAKASA
Takasa is a premium organic lifestyle company that is devoted to sourcing the finest materials, partnering with fair-trade and clean manufacturers, and delivering exceptional value to customers. With a passion for exceptionally high-quality materials and socially conscious manufacturing processes, Takasa is focused on combining thoughtfully designed premium products for those...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
STEP AHEAD CONSULTING
Make It Happen
Born in the year of the millennium, Step Ahead Consulting, headquartered in Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, quickly asserted itself in two aspects: Despite a very strong presence in Angola, the company remained committed to several outstanding national projects, such as the Nationality Process, and other management projects, in clients...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MAHLAKO A PHAHLA
AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED, MANAGED AND INSPIRED, THAT PROMOTES AFRICAN AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EXCELLENCE
Mahlako a Phahla, founded by sisters Makole Mupita and Meta Mhlarhi, is named after our mother Mahlako to pay homage to her pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit in building a successful family business at a time when it was difficult for many black people to do so. Mahlako is an...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BUSINESS RITES INVESTMENTS (BSSR)
BEGAN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER 2020 AND HAS BEEN FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON HIGH QUALITY AND COSTEFFECTIVE BIG DATA SOLUTIONS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES
We are advancing at a tremendous pace and with the involvement of skilled and experienced people working in the organization. BSSR is currently doing business with local SMEs and is actively taking part in hackathons and competitions, developing innovative solutions, and becoming key players in the country’s digital transformation. The...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
BRASS CITY GAMERS
WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY PERSON, REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, CAN LEARN ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL MEDIA SKILLS
Brass City Gamers Tournament’s mission is to educate our local community in STEM learning including digital media, gaming, coding, and information technology, our aim is to foster strong computer competency skills to prepare for the developing new-collar jobs of the 21st Century. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization located in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NEW ORCHARD
Leaders are getting catfished by the promise of data. New Orchard helps lessen those odds
If 2020 proved anything, it’s that change is inevitable, whether that is decided on internally or not. “The ability to be resilient lies within confidently understanding where your organization is today, where it desires to be, the team that makes it up, and the processes that support it, fast,” says...
INNOVATE® Ohio
JUMPSTART
WHEN THEY BUILD BOLDY, EVERYONE BENEFITS
JUMPSTART SUPPORTS THE ENTREPRENEURS MOVING OHIO FOWARD Innovation, the story goes, happens somewhere else besides Ohio. Somewhere with better light, louder money and a mythology that has already been optioned for a miniseries. The reality is Ohio has spent generations making things people rely on, like rubber, steel, glass, cars,...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
THE ACCELERATOR CENTRE
TWENTY YEARS OF BACKING WATERLOO’S BEST FOUNDERS
Canada is full of big ideas. From coast to coast, founders are building technologies with the potential to reshape industries, strengthen communities, and solve problems that extend far beyond our borders. But while innovation is everywhere, successful companies are not. The difference between a brilliant idea and a globally competitive...
Global Innovation Spotlight
PINKTUM
Personnel Development In Spain Goes Digital
A new form of human resources development is needed to successfully master global challenges. As one of the leading providers of E-learning and web-based trainings for effective and sustainable personnel development in companies, PINKTUM breaks new ground in Madrid’s start-up scene. PINKTUM offers scientifically based personnel development in the digital...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
UP CATALYST
TURNING CO2 INTO ENERGY STORAGE: UP CATALYST REDEFINES BATTERY RAW MATERIALS
UP Catalyst is a European deep tech company headquartered in Estonia that produces climate-neutral carbon materials—such as battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes—directly from industrial CO2 emissions. Founded in 2019 by Dr. Gary Urb, Dr. Sander Ratso, Dr. Kätlin Kaare and Dr. Ivar Kruusenberg, the company is on a mission to...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
LAQUILA
QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN TWO WHEELS
Laquila was founded in 1980, with a small 100m² store, focused on selling motorcycle parts, in Rio Grande do Sul. With determination and a vision of the future, they expanded to 200m² and, later, to an even larger space, adopting the wholesale model. After 12 years in the capital of...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDCHIP
THE RISE AT SEA: HOW MINDCHIP TEACHES SHIPS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES
The sea has always been humanity’s vital artery—through it flow goods, people, and ideas. Yet the sea is also unpredictable and harsh. It is here, among waves and storms, that the Estonian deep-tech company MindChip faces a challenge that could reshape the future of maritime operations: how to make ships...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
DEALERSITES
LEADS DIGITALIZATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET.
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...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
FINDORFF
TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY
TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY For over a decade, Findorff has been honored to build, reimagine, and renovate various spaces at Marquette University. From smaller and expedited projects to multi-million state-of-the-art facilities, Findorff understands the importance of innovation and deeply appreciates and values...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Arzeda.
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN It’s no secret that the future of more sustainable products is already being driven by cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking innovation. Among the leaders defining this future is Seattle-based industry-leading Protein Design Company, Arzeda. Recognizing the vast potential and opportunity to transform the...
INNOVATE® Nashville
MCVANTAGE
ROOTED IN LEGACY, BRANCHING INTO INNOVATION
McVantage Packaging stands as a testament to resilience and forward-thinking in the wood pallet, crate, industrial lumber, and supply chain industry. Founded nearly 75 years ago in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the company has evolved from a family-run lumber operation into a regional powerhouse serving the Central-Southeastern United States. With plants in...
INNOVATION Quebec
CIMMI
CENTRE EN IMAGERIE NUMÉRIQUE ET MÉDIAS INTÉRACTIFS
Founded in 2008, the Centre en imagerie numérique et médias interactifs (CIMMI) is a technology transfer centre located in Cégep de Sainte-Foy’s Pavillon de la recherche in Quebec City. Our mission is to help Quebec and Canadian businesses and public institutions develop innovative solutions in the field of digital technologies....
INNOVATE™ Alberta
STARTUP TNT
HAVE FUN. MAKE FRIENDS. BUILD COMPANIES.
That’s the motto of Startup TNT. An organization that fosters community, connection, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the tech ecosystem while raising millions of dollars for local startups from local investors. Through a range of engaging events and programs, Startup TNT aims to empower entrepreneurs, connect new and seasoned investors with...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
CREATING IT FUTURES
Satisfying, Well-Paying Tech Jobs Abound
The acute shortage of technology workers in the United States has driven up wages significantly. The median annual salary of an entry-level employee working on a help desk is $53,470, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median salary for all tech workers is $81,000. The expected growth...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ENLEDGER
Is a story of fortuitous serendipity and strange coincidence, a random meeting of minds and a coming together of disparate expertise, chasing wild breakthrough ideas in data science and blockchain incentives engineering
Jason Dispenza, an energy exec running a solar energy and building performance company in D.C., meets Ryan Molecke, cryptocurrency exchange technical officer, on a tour bus taking the Icelandic Southern coastal tour, Jan 2016. By the next year, they are paired up with a new blockchain energy applications company, pitching...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
RFLX
WE’RE A CREATIVE AGENCY DEDICATED TO ESPORTS, SPORTS AND LIFESTYLE MARKETING CONTENT
RFLX is an integrated suite of content marketing expertise, dedicated to the eSports, sports, and lifestyle industries in North America. Our purpose is to create online and offline experiences that are both captivating and exhilarating and allow brands to increase or establish their notoriety. RFLX was born out of a...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
SOLARSTEAM
LOWEST COST RENEWABLE HEAT
SolarSteam’s purpose is to decarbonize the highest emitting and hardest to abate heavy industry segments. The problem that SolarSteam addresses is the elephant in the energy room – industrial heat. Globally, thermal energy requirements constitute close to 50% of total GHG emissions. In Alberta approximately 2⁄3 of GHG emissions come...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
SUPERNOVA
SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY: EMPOWERING ATLANTIC CANADA’S YOUTH THROUGH STEM EDUCATION
SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education Across Atlantic Canada SuperNOVA, a non-profit organization based at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a network member of Actua, has gained widespread recognition for providing high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming across Atlantic Canada. Founded in 1996, SuperNOVA provides hands-on...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
MANNESOFT
A COMPANY SPECIALIZED IN INTEGRATED SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS.
Mannesoft (software solutions) originated in Brazil, in the city of Curitiba in 1993, founded by Luis Armando Dias, a student who discovered his passion for technology. With an entrepreneurial vision, he recognized the potential of information technology, leading to the creation of various software solutions. The company evolved alongside technological...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
TAKASA
UNLOCK A WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE POSSIBILITIES WITH TAKASA
Takasa is a premium organic lifestyle company that is devoted to sourcing the finest materials, partnering with fair-trade and clean manufacturers, and delivering exceptional value to customers. With a passion for exceptionally high-quality materials and socially conscious manufacturing processes, Takasa is focused on combining thoughtfully designed premium products for those...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
STEP AHEAD CONSULTING
Make It Happen
Born in the year of the millennium, Step Ahead Consulting, headquartered in Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, quickly asserted itself in two aspects: Despite a very strong presence in Angola, the company remained committed to several outstanding national projects, such as the Nationality Process, and other management projects, in clients...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MAHLAKO A PHAHLA
AN ORGANISATION THAT IS AFRICAN WOMEN-OWNED, MANAGED AND INSPIRED, THAT PROMOTES AFRICAN AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EXCELLENCE
Mahlako a Phahla, founded by sisters Makole Mupita and Meta Mhlarhi, is named after our mother Mahlako to pay homage to her pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit in building a successful family business at a time when it was difficult for many black people to do so. Mahlako is an...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
BUSINESS RITES INVESTMENTS (BSSR)
BEGAN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER 2020 AND HAS BEEN FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON HIGH QUALITY AND COSTEFFECTIVE BIG DATA SOLUTIONS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES
We are advancing at a tremendous pace and with the involvement of skilled and experienced people working in the organization. BSSR is currently doing business with local SMEs and is actively taking part in hackathons and competitions, developing innovative solutions, and becoming key players in the country’s digital transformation. The...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
BRASS CITY GAMERS
WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY PERSON, REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, CAN LEARN ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL MEDIA SKILLS
Brass City Gamers Tournament’s mission is to educate our local community in STEM learning including digital media, gaming, coding, and information technology, our aim is to foster strong computer competency skills to prepare for the developing new-collar jobs of the 21st Century. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization located in...
INNOVATE® Nashville
NEW ORCHARD
Leaders are getting catfished by the promise of data. New Orchard helps lessen those odds
If 2020 proved anything, it’s that change is inevitable, whether that is decided on internally or not. “The ability to be resilient lies within confidently understanding where your organization is today, where it desires to be, the team that makes it up, and the processes that support it, fast,” says...
INNOVATE® Ohio
JUMPSTART
WHEN THEY BUILD BOLDY, EVERYONE BENEFITS
JUMPSTART SUPPORTS THE ENTREPRENEURS MOVING OHIO FOWARD Innovation, the story goes, happens somewhere else besides Ohio. Somewhere with better light, louder money and a mythology that has already been optioned for a miniseries. The reality is Ohio has spent generations making things people rely on, like rubber, steel, glass, cars,...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
THE ACCELERATOR CENTRE
TWENTY YEARS OF BACKING WATERLOO’S BEST FOUNDERS
Canada is full of big ideas. From coast to coast, founders are building technologies with the potential to reshape industries, strengthen communities, and solve problems that extend far beyond our borders. But while innovation is everywhere, successful companies are not. The difference between a brilliant idea and a globally competitive...
Global Innovation Spotlight
PINKTUM
Personnel Development In Spain Goes Digital
A new form of human resources development is needed to successfully master global challenges. As one of the leading providers of E-learning and web-based trainings for effective and sustainable personnel development in companies, PINKTUM breaks new ground in Madrid’s start-up scene. PINKTUM offers scientifically based personnel development in the digital...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
UP CATALYST
TURNING CO2 INTO ENERGY STORAGE: UP CATALYST REDEFINES BATTERY RAW MATERIALS
UP Catalyst is a European deep tech company headquartered in Estonia that produces climate-neutral carbon materials—such as battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes—directly from industrial CO2 emissions. Founded in 2019 by Dr. Gary Urb, Dr. Sander Ratso, Dr. Kätlin Kaare and Dr. Ivar Kruusenberg, the company is on a mission to...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
LAQUILA
QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN TWO WHEELS
Laquila was founded in 1980, with a small 100m² store, focused on selling motorcycle parts, in Rio Grande do Sul. With determination and a vision of the future, they expanded to 200m² and, later, to an even larger space, adopting the wholesale model. After 12 years in the capital of...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MINDCHIP
THE RISE AT SEA: HOW MINDCHIP TEACHES SHIPS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES
The sea has always been humanity’s vital artery—through it flow goods, people, and ideas. Yet the sea is also unpredictable and harsh. It is here, among waves and storms, that the Estonian deep-tech company MindChip faces a challenge that could reshape the future of maritime operations: how to make ships...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
DEALERSITES
LEADS DIGITALIZATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET.
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...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
FINDORFF
TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY
TRANSFORMING A SPACE SO IT BETTER BENEFITS THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND COMMUNITY For over a decade, Findorff has been honored to build, reimagine, and renovate various spaces at Marquette University. From smaller and expedited projects to multi-million state-of-the-art facilities, Findorff understands the importance of innovation and deeply appreciates and values...
INNOVATE® Seattle
Arzeda.
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN
SOLVING TODAY’S HARDEST CHALLENGES THROUGH INTELLIGENT PROTEIN DESIGN It’s no secret that the future of more sustainable products is already being driven by cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking innovation. Among the leaders defining this future is Seattle-based industry-leading Protein Design Company, Arzeda. Recognizing the vast potential and opportunity to transform the...
INNOVATE® Nashville
MCVANTAGE
ROOTED IN LEGACY, BRANCHING INTO INNOVATION
McVantage Packaging stands as a testament to resilience and forward-thinking in the wood pallet, crate, industrial lumber, and supply chain industry. Founded nearly 75 years ago in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the company has evolved from a family-run lumber operation into a regional powerhouse serving the Central-Southeastern United States. With plants in...
INNOVATION Quebec
CIMMI
CENTRE EN IMAGERIE NUMÉRIQUE ET MÉDIAS INTÉRACTIFS
Founded in 2008, the Centre en imagerie numérique et médias interactifs (CIMMI) is a technology transfer centre located in Cégep de Sainte-Foy’s Pavillon de la recherche in Quebec City. Our mission is to help Quebec and Canadian businesses and public institutions develop innovative solutions in the field of digital technologies....
INNOVATE™ Alberta
STARTUP TNT
HAVE FUN. MAKE FRIENDS. BUILD COMPANIES.
That’s the motto of Startup TNT. An organization that fosters community, connection, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the tech ecosystem while raising millions of dollars for local startups from local investors. Through a range of engaging events and programs, Startup TNT aims to empower entrepreneurs, connect new and seasoned investors with...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
CREATING IT FUTURES
Satisfying, Well-Paying Tech Jobs Abound
The acute shortage of technology workers in the United States has driven up wages significantly. The median annual salary of an entry-level employee working on a help desk is $53,470, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median salary for all tech workers is $81,000. The expected growth...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ENLEDGER
Is a story of fortuitous serendipity and strange coincidence, a random meeting of minds and a coming together of disparate expertise, chasing wild breakthrough ideas in data science and blockchain incentives engineering
Jason Dispenza, an energy exec running a solar energy and building performance company in D.C., meets Ryan Molecke, cryptocurrency exchange technical officer, on a tour bus taking the Icelandic Southern coastal tour, Jan 2016. By the next year, they are paired up with a new blockchain energy applications company, pitching...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
RFLX
WE’RE A CREATIVE AGENCY DEDICATED TO ESPORTS, SPORTS AND LIFESTYLE MARKETING CONTENT
RFLX is an integrated suite of content marketing expertise, dedicated to the eSports, sports, and lifestyle industries in North America. Our purpose is to create online and offline experiences that are both captivating and exhilarating and allow brands to increase or establish their notoriety. RFLX was born out of a...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
SOLARSTEAM
LOWEST COST RENEWABLE HEAT
SolarSteam’s purpose is to decarbonize the highest emitting and hardest to abate heavy industry segments. The problem that SolarSteam addresses is the elephant in the energy room – industrial heat. Globally, thermal energy requirements constitute close to 50% of total GHG emissions. In Alberta approximately 2⁄3 of GHG emissions come...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
SUPERNOVA
SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY: EMPOWERING ATLANTIC CANADA’S YOUTH THROUGH STEM EDUCATION
SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education Across Atlantic Canada SuperNOVA, a non-profit organization based at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a network member of Actua, has gained widespread recognition for providing high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming across Atlantic Canada. Founded in 1996, SuperNOVA provides hands-on...