Stories of Innovation
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
upace™
Revolutionizing How Members Engage with Recreation Centers
Revolutionizing How Members Engage with Recreation Centers In 2014, Rachel Koretsky founded Upace, which has since skyrocketed to become the top mobile app engagement and reservation platform, supporting over one million members of community recreation centers across the US and Canada. Her journey started at American University, driven by a...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Mom Juice
Wine made with only 8 ingredients or less
Mom Juice is our very own unconventional love story. A blind business lunch date turned into a dynamic friendship, and years later, a lucrative business opportunity that helps us bring women and mothers together over a glass of wine. Because if people are getting together, trust and believe wine will...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
SAWAI FRAGRANCES USA
PERFECTING THE ART OF FRAGRANCE SINCE 1965
Born in India in 1965, Sawai Fragrances is a traditional Indian manufacturing business that is changing the way the world sees (or smells) perfume, in its new avatar in New Jersey. Sawai Fragrances was founded by Mr. Sawailal Jain in Kanauj, India – an area that is home to a...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Dangerous Myth of "All-Season"
Why Your Tires Aren't Safe for Winter
The tires that came with your vehicle are likely labeled “All-Season.” It’s a comforting term that suggests they are ready for anything the calendar throws at them—from the heat of summer to the chill of winter. However, for drivers on the Vancouver North Shore and across Canada, relying on All-Season...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PIPELINE ENTREPRENEURS
A MIDWEST MOVEMENT WITH GLOBAL REACH
Kansas City has long been a center of industry and grit. In recent years, it has also proven itself to be a center of innovation. Pipeline Entrepreneurs sits at the heart of that shift. Founded in 2007, the organization supports the Midwest’s most driven founders and proves that world-class companies...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
POPULAR AND PUERTO RICO
BANKING ON THE ISLAND’S FUTURE
Popular is an intricate part of Puerto Rico’s history. We are the longest serving and the largest financial institution in the Island, and a top 50 U.S. financial institution by assets. We play an important role in Puerto Rico’s economy, and we have supported its communities for over 130 years...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
MOVE THE NEEDLE
FOSTERING INCLUSIVE INNOVATION IN JERSEY CITY’S MELTING POT
In the vibrant heart of downtown Jersey City, a city that boasts one of the most diverse populations in the nation, Move The Needle at the Brand Experience Lab (a retail technology showroom) stands as a testament to the power of inclusive innovation. Founded by Jose Espinoza, a visionary entrepreneur...
INNOVATE® Georgia
AFLAC
REIMAGINING THE WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE
Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SIGMA
A TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY IN CYBERSECURITY
Five years ago, Sigma stood at the forefront of a seismic shift. As a telecommunications veteran with over three decades of experience, Sigma faced a bold decision: to embrace the dynamic and complex world of cybersecurity. This pivot, driven by a profound purpose and commitment to client evolution, catapulted Sigma...
INNOVATION Quebec
VTE
VALLÉE DE LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE : VERS UN FUTUR DÉCARBONÉ
Guidées par la volonté de contribuer à l’accélération de la transition énergétique et à la réduction de l’empreinte environnementale au sein des milieux urbains, industriels et portuaires, les villes de Bécancour, Shawinigan et TroisRivières ainsi que l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières ont unis leurs forces. Ainsi, est née la zone...
INNOVATION Quebec
LA GUILDE
DU JEU VIDÉO DU QUÉBEC : ACTEUR MAJEUR DE L’INDUSTRIE
La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, issue de la fusion entre l’Alliance numérique et La Guilde des développeurs de jeux vidéo indépendants du Québec. est une coopérative qui regroupe les studios de jeux vidéo, les établissements d’enseignement et les entrepreneur.euse.s de milieux connexes établis au Québec. Regroupant aujourd’hui plus...
INNOVATION Quebec
Québec VITAE
The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster
Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
Genesis
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Poised on a cliffside overlooking historic St. John’s harbor, the oldest city in North America, Genesis is literally, and figuratively, on the cutting edge of creating the world’s best startup community. Founded in 1997, Genesis helps build amazing tech companies, with the higher mission of creating widespread opportunity for Newfoundland...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION
THE FESTIVAL STATE
With a world-class festival and events calendar that spans the whole year, you’ll always find frivolity on your South Australian itinerary. Think festivals dedicated to Australia’s most watched game, or all things culinary excellence; Australia’s greatest cycling race, international sporting debuts or the world’s second largest arts festival. There’s a...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
WORKWOLF
THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL
Owning one of Canada’s most successful Healthcare Recruiting Agencies, Workwolf’s Cofounder and CEO, Erik Simins, spent years working with enterprise companies to help establish more efficient ways to identify, attract and hire talent. Overseeing thousands of hiring cycles, one thing was very clear; resumes were the prominent source of data...
Global Innovation Spotlight
South African Institute of Canada
Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home
When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...
INNOVATE® Nashville
STUDIO BANK
How Studio Bank is fueling Nashville’s creative economy with creative financial solutions and human connections
A bank for creators…A Studio is a place where creators do their thing. Studio Bank exists to empower creators. Whether you’re designing a company or creating a better life for your family, crafting a song or writing code, orchestrating social change or enhancing the quality of care, we launched Studio...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOLINNOV
EMPOWERING DEFENCE WITH AGILITY IN ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATIONS
Solinnov, an Adelaide-based company specialising in embedded signal processing systems, delivers advanced solutions in electromagnetic operations for Defence and Law Enforcement organisations. They are at the forefront of designing groundbreaking real-time signal processing algorithms for software-defined radios (SDRs) that interpret and transmit signals. The company’s expertise enables efficient and accurate...
INNOVATE® Miami
500 Startups
Discovering And Backing The World's Most Talented Entrepreneurs
500 Startups is a venture capital firm on a mission to discover and back the world’s most talented entrepreneurs, help them create successful companies at scale, and build thriving global ecosystems. It is one of the most active venture capital firms in the world. Ana Paula Gonzalez, Innovation & Partnerships...
INNOVATION Quebec
Bio.Enviro.In
Innover pour un système bioalimentaire résilient et adaptatif
Créé en 2018, le centre d’innovation bioalimentaire et environnemental Bio.Enviro.In, affilié au Cégep de Lanaudière à Joliette, s’est bâti une vaste expertise bioalimentaire, qui s’étend du terroir à l’assiette du consommateur, en passant par la transformation des aliments. Soucieux de s’intégrer dans le contexte socioéconomique de la région de Lanaudière,...
INNOVATION Manitoba
OUTREACHGENIUS
THE SILENT REVENUE LEAK KILLING FRANCHISE GROWTH, AND THE AI PLATFORM FIXING IT
OutreachGenius is an AI voice platform built to help franchise brands and home service businesses capture every sales opportunity – without increasing headcount. In the home services industry, missed calls, unworked leads, and slow follow-up create a silent but significant revenue leak. For franchisors and their operators, the cost is...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SPLITIT
REVOLUTIONIZING INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS
In a world dominated by ever-evolving financial technology, Splitit emerged as a beacon of innovation, ushering in a new era of responsible shopping. While the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) industry surged forward, Splitit stood out as a trailblazer, transforming the landscape through their merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. Their mission was...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ATIBA
TECH IS HARD. BITS, BYTES, ACRONYMS, AND BUZZWORDS— OH MY!
When we started our Nashville-based technology consulting firm Atiba all the way back in 1992, the tech services world was relatively simple. When a business needed tech help, they simply opened The Yellow Pages and looked under “Computer Consultants” to hire any one of the dozen or so Nashville IT...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
upace™
Revolutionizing How Members Engage with Recreation Centers
Revolutionizing How Members Engage with Recreation Centers In 2014, Rachel Koretsky founded Upace, which has since skyrocketed to become the top mobile app engagement and reservation platform, supporting over one million members of community recreation centers across the US and Canada. Her journey started at American University, driven by a...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Mom Juice
Wine made with only 8 ingredients or less
Mom Juice is our very own unconventional love story. A blind business lunch date turned into a dynamic friendship, and years later, a lucrative business opportunity that helps us bring women and mothers together over a glass of wine. Because if people are getting together, trust and believe wine will...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Frampton Construction
Building Value Across the Southeast
Commercial construction plays a critical role in shaping South Carolina’s economy and the communities it serves. From advanced manufacturing and industrial facilities to office, medical, and distribution centers, Frampton Construction delivers projects that support growth, innovation, and long-term resilience. Founded in 1993 as Frampton & Associates, Inc., Frampton Construction is...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
SAWAI FRAGRANCES USA
PERFECTING THE ART OF FRAGRANCE SINCE 1965
Born in India in 1965, Sawai Fragrances is a traditional Indian manufacturing business that is changing the way the world sees (or smells) perfume, in its new avatar in New Jersey. Sawai Fragrances was founded by Mr. Sawailal Jain in Kanauj, India – an area that is home to a...
Global Innovation Spotlight
The Dangerous Myth of "All-Season"
Why Your Tires Aren't Safe for Winter
The tires that came with your vehicle are likely labeled “All-Season.” It’s a comforting term that suggests they are ready for anything the calendar throws at them—from the heat of summer to the chill of winter. However, for drivers on the Vancouver North Shore and across Canada, relying on All-Season...
INNOVATE® Kansas City
PIPELINE ENTREPRENEURS
A MIDWEST MOVEMENT WITH GLOBAL REACH
Kansas City has long been a center of industry and grit. In recent years, it has also proven itself to be a center of innovation. Pipeline Entrepreneurs sits at the heart of that shift. Founded in 2007, the organization supports the Midwest’s most driven founders and proves that world-class companies...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
POPULAR AND PUERTO RICO
BANKING ON THE ISLAND’S FUTURE
Popular is an intricate part of Puerto Rico’s history. We are the longest serving and the largest financial institution in the Island, and a top 50 U.S. financial institution by assets. We play an important role in Puerto Rico’s economy, and we have supported its communities for over 130 years...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
MOVE THE NEEDLE
FOSTERING INCLUSIVE INNOVATION IN JERSEY CITY’S MELTING POT
In the vibrant heart of downtown Jersey City, a city that boasts one of the most diverse populations in the nation, Move The Needle at the Brand Experience Lab (a retail technology showroom) stands as a testament to the power of inclusive innovation. Founded by Jose Espinoza, a visionary entrepreneur...
INNOVATE® Georgia
AFLAC
REIMAGINING THE WORKPLACE OF THE FUTURE
Aflac’s vision is to create a world in which people are better prepared for the expected — and unexpected — with benefits primary health insurance doesn’t cover. For nearly 70 years, Aflac supplemental insurance has provided millions of people worldwide the opportunity to focus on recovery instead of financial stress,...
INNOVATE™ Curitiba
SIGMA
A TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY IN CYBERSECURITY
Five years ago, Sigma stood at the forefront of a seismic shift. As a telecommunications veteran with over three decades of experience, Sigma faced a bold decision: to embrace the dynamic and complex world of cybersecurity. This pivot, driven by a profound purpose and commitment to client evolution, catapulted Sigma...
INNOVATION Quebec
VTE
VALLÉE DE LA TRANSITION ÉNERGÉTIQUE : VERS UN FUTUR DÉCARBONÉ
Guidées par la volonté de contribuer à l’accélération de la transition énergétique et à la réduction de l’empreinte environnementale au sein des milieux urbains, industriels et portuaires, les villes de Bécancour, Shawinigan et TroisRivières ainsi que l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières ont unis leurs forces. Ainsi, est née la zone...
INNOVATION Quebec
LA GUILDE
DU JEU VIDÉO DU QUÉBEC : ACTEUR MAJEUR DE L’INDUSTRIE
La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, issue de la fusion entre l’Alliance numérique et La Guilde des développeurs de jeux vidéo indépendants du Québec. est une coopérative qui regroupe les studios de jeux vidéo, les établissements d’enseignement et les entrepreneur.euse.s de milieux connexes établis au Québec. Regroupant aujourd’hui plus...
INNOVATION Quebec
Québec VITAE
The Life Sciences and Health Technology Cluster
Québec VITAE is a group of stakeholders in the life sciences and health technology sector who are dedicated to promoting growth and performance for the 170 organizations it represents. The Capitale-Nationale is the second-most important region in the industry in the province of Quebec, with its many state-of-the-art research centres...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
Genesis
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Poised on a cliffside overlooking historic St. John’s harbor, the oldest city in North America, Genesis is literally, and figuratively, on the cutting edge of creating the world’s best startup community. Founded in 1997, Genesis helps build amazing tech companies, with the higher mission of creating widespread opportunity for Newfoundland...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION
THE FESTIVAL STATE
With a world-class festival and events calendar that spans the whole year, you’ll always find frivolity on your South Australian itinerary. Think festivals dedicated to Australia’s most watched game, or all things culinary excellence; Australia’s greatest cycling race, international sporting debuts or the world’s second largest arts festival. There’s a...
INNOVATE™ Toronto
WORKWOLF
THE NEXT WAVE OF HIRING SOFTWARE IS ENABLING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AT A COMMERCIAL LEVEL
Owning one of Canada’s most successful Healthcare Recruiting Agencies, Workwolf’s Cofounder and CEO, Erik Simins, spent years working with enterprise companies to help establish more efficient ways to identify, attract and hire talent. Overseeing thousands of hiring cycles, one thing was very clear; resumes were the prominent source of data...
Global Innovation Spotlight
South African Institute of Canada
Helping South Africans Thrive, Connect, and Make Canada Home
When South Africans move to Canada, they don’t just leave behind family, culture, and familiar surroundings — they leave behind a network that took a lifetime to build. The South African Institute of Canada (SAIC) exists to rebuild that network — faster, stronger, and tailored for life on this side...
INNOVATE® Nashville
STUDIO BANK
How Studio Bank is fueling Nashville’s creative economy with creative financial solutions and human connections
A bank for creators…A Studio is a place where creators do their thing. Studio Bank exists to empower creators. Whether you’re designing a company or creating a better life for your family, crafting a song or writing code, orchestrating social change or enhancing the quality of care, we launched Studio...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
SOLINNOV
EMPOWERING DEFENCE WITH AGILITY IN ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATIONS
Solinnov, an Adelaide-based company specialising in embedded signal processing systems, delivers advanced solutions in electromagnetic operations for Defence and Law Enforcement organisations. They are at the forefront of designing groundbreaking real-time signal processing algorithms for software-defined radios (SDRs) that interpret and transmit signals. The company’s expertise enables efficient and accurate...
INNOVATE® Miami
500 Startups
Discovering And Backing The World's Most Talented Entrepreneurs
500 Startups is a venture capital firm on a mission to discover and back the world’s most talented entrepreneurs, help them create successful companies at scale, and build thriving global ecosystems. It is one of the most active venture capital firms in the world. Ana Paula Gonzalez, Innovation & Partnerships...
INNOVATION Quebec
Bio.Enviro.In
Innover pour un système bioalimentaire résilient et adaptatif
Créé en 2018, le centre d’innovation bioalimentaire et environnemental Bio.Enviro.In, affilié au Cégep de Lanaudière à Joliette, s’est bâti une vaste expertise bioalimentaire, qui s’étend du terroir à l’assiette du consommateur, en passant par la transformation des aliments. Soucieux de s’intégrer dans le contexte socioéconomique de la région de Lanaudière,...
INNOVATION Manitoba
OUTREACHGENIUS
THE SILENT REVENUE LEAK KILLING FRANCHISE GROWTH, AND THE AI PLATFORM FIXING IT
OutreachGenius is an AI voice platform built to help franchise brands and home service businesses capture every sales opportunity – without increasing headcount. In the home services industry, missed calls, unworked leads, and slow follow-up create a silent but significant revenue leak. For franchisors and their operators, the cost is...
INNOVATE® Georgia
SPLITIT
REVOLUTIONIZING INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS
In a world dominated by ever-evolving financial technology, Splitit emerged as a beacon of innovation, ushering in a new era of responsible shopping. While the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) industry surged forward, Splitit stood out as a trailblazer, transforming the landscape through their merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. Their mission was...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ATIBA
TECH IS HARD. BITS, BYTES, ACRONYMS, AND BUZZWORDS— OH MY!
When we started our Nashville-based technology consulting firm Atiba all the way back in 1992, the tech services world was relatively simple. When a business needed tech help, they simply opened The Yellow Pages and looked under “Computer Consultants” to hire any one of the dozen or so Nashville IT...