Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ South Africa
JOHN SANEI
FOUNDER, JOHN SANEI INC.
I’m a futures strategist who combines human behaviour and future studies to create keynotes, masterclasses and books that help people, businesses and brands build the courage and clarity they need to forge the future they want. Driven by the real world, by humanity and ‘the now’, as a Futures Strategist...
VOICES of the Future
DR. MARIAM MATAR
A LEGACY OF HEALING
Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
TRINIDAD HERMIDA, FOUNDER
THE HERMIDA COMPANY
Parents and guardians, hear me! You play an essential role in developing and guiding our youth/young adults of this generation and the generations to come. I know this is not rocket science or new information, but I wanted to be as blatant as possible with my intentions for the next...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
HON NICK CHAMPION
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Adelaide and our surrounds are famous for world-class wine, food and cultural attractions and iconic nature experiences. With our close proximity city, abundance of green spaces, world-class vineyards, bustling festival seasons, and pristine beaches, there is no doubt that Adelaide is a great place to live, work and play. But...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
Kris Bogaerts
Co-Founder & Engineer, Cellows
As long as I can remember, I have always wondered how things work and how I could improve them. At ten years old, I came up with an electrical motor with magnets, only to discover a few years later that the damn thing already existed! This made me realize that...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
KEET VAN ZYL
CO-FOUNDER, KNIFE CAPITAL
Adversity is a pressure cooker that fosters innovation. This is a philosophy that was entrenched in my formative years. Having had some heavy, life questioning challenges thrown my way very early, I had to adapt and adjust, and this learning has set me in good stead. It’s also given me...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
MICHAEL ROSE
FOUNDER OF VIGNETIC, PERMEVO AND TKTKONNECT
The global talent market is a pressing concern that affects organizations and economies worldwide. According to a survey conducted by ManpowerGroup, 69% of employers reported difficulty in finding skilled workers in 2022. This shortage has been attributed to various factors, including demographic shifts, skills gaps, and the rapid pace of...
INNOVATE® Nashville
AAMIR PAUL
PRESIDENT OF NORTH AMERICA OPERATIONS, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
The next industrial revolution is here, but it’s not about steam, mechanization, or electronics. It’s about software, data, and interconnected, electrified systems. It’s going to force us to rethink everything we know about manufacturing and about humans’ role in it. Schneider Electric has operated in the United States for 135...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
GAIL POWLEY
PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA
That is what Technology Alberta does, and by saving their valuable time, we help Tech Entrepreneurs do more – faster, better and have more fun than when they go it alone. We know that tech entrepreneurs are on a race against time: as an innovator they need their product to...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
HON. CHRIS PICTON
MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Taking hold of the opportunities derived from research excellence and innovation will help us to build a resilient, efficient, and informed health system that supports the future health and wellbeing of all South Australians. Research excellence and innovation will also play a vital role in our ability to proactively respond...
INNOVATE® Detroit
PHILIP KAFKA
PRESIDENT AT PRINCE CONCEPTS
My company, Prince Concepts, is a real estate development studio, laboratory and office based in Core City, Detroit. We acquire, develop, own and manage land and building projects. The studio works to express personal experience, philosophy and belief through built work. The laboratory tinkers – seeking truth and developing precision....
INNOVATE® Miami
Jorge Ruiz
Founder & CEO - Finconecta
Jorge Ruiz, Founder & CEO, Finconecta Innovation itself has evolved. It used to be that you could create something, patent that something, and it would serve its purpose until a new and superior product came along and replaced it. Now, innovation is not just about solving a problem that...
INNOVATE® Utah
Ivy V. Estabrooke
Phd, Vice President For Government And Community Programs - PolarityTE
The United States has long depended on innovation, technology, and small businesses to maintain economic prosperity and a national security advantage. While much of this economic growth has come out of hubs on the East and West Coasts, Utah has managed to create a non-traditional innovation ecosystem that has resulted...
AI Québec
PROF. ANDREA LODI
EST PROFESSEUR TITULAIRE EN OPTIMISATION MATHÉMATIQUE À POLYTECHNIQUE MONTRÉAL
À mon arrivée à Montréal en 2015, j’ai trouvé au Québec un environnement des plus stimulants, où la collaboration entre les grands établissements universitaires est non seulement encouragée, mais aussi reconnue comme un moyen de parvenir à une carrière fructueuse. Cela a sans aucun doute été un facteur déterminant dans...
INNOVATE® Utah
The early seventies saw the launch of the pocket calculator. As a kid at that time growing up in Palo Alto, I went door to door selling the Litronix 1100, one of the early pocket models. My father, an attorney who represented many startups including Litronix, would bring them home for me to sell....
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
Rima Aristocrat
President & Ceo - Willis College
Rima Aristocrat President & Ceo – Willis College When they come together to elevate, inspire, and empower, they can truly make a difference in people’s lives and build a thriving community. Thriving communities mean stronger countries and stronger countries mean a better world—socially, economically, and politically—for our future generations. As...
INNOVATE® Miami
Mitchell Kaplan
Founder - BOOKS & BOOKS
“What I do isn’t just about selling books—it’s about creating spaces and events that bring authors and audiences together.” I was in college when I first imagined opening a bookstore. I had discovered that at the center of most literary movements of the twentieth century, a bookstore was involved. In...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Eduardo Baptista Correia
CEO, Taguspark
Development and innovation are close concepts that are at the basis of the evolution of mankind. If we look at this evolution we see that development is essentially felt in a stable set of elements: the ways in which we communicate, how we obtain information and learn, how we move...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
JENS DOLK
CEO, AN INNOVATOR OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, K-MÄRKT AB
I’ve never been afraid of weird ideas. In fact, that’s kind of the point with K-märkt. When we started, we didn’t just want to run a great restaurant – we wanted to challenge the entire way restaurants operate. Why? Because if we’re going to make food more sustainable, we can’t...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
DR. TIM MAHLBERG
DIRECTOR OF ECOSYSTEMS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, STONE & CHALK GROUP
I moved to Adelaide in my twenties to study, at a time when South Australia was seeing the decline of our manufacturing and automotive industries, and the Global Financial Crisis was about to bite. It was, and continues to be, a wonderful place to study and get involved in our...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO OF S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My goal as a leader is to create a company culture that is focused on people first. While it has been an incredible honor to be nationally recognized as an executive (for instance, winning the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Southeast Award), I find that I have true fulfillment when...
INNOVATE® Maryland
RICH BENDIS
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO, BIOHEALTH INNOVATION, INC. (BHI)
Conversations about innovation happen constantly, yet execution rarely receives the same attention. Breakthrough research can capture headlines, attract investment, and signal scientific progress, yet discovery alone rarely builds industries or creates lasting economic growth. The hard work continues after the breakthrough, when ideas must leave the laboratory and prove themselves...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
JEREMIE BACON
ENTREPRENEUR, CEO, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST THE FORGE ADVENTURE PARKS
THREE E’S OF INNOVATION -JEREMIE BACON The things I love to do when I’m not at the office are the things I’d like to do forever. That ambition sparked my vision to build an innovative business centered on purpose, passion, and people. People drive innovation. Everything starts with positive leadership...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
CLAUDE MARINOWER
ALDERMAN FOR ECONOMY, INNOVATION AND DIGITALISATION
In 1906, riots broke out in Verviers, Liège, caused by lamplighters protesting the electrification of city lighting. Today, Antwerp is experimenting with smart street lighting using software and smart sensors. This is just one example of how a twenty-first century city is in full digital transition. As alderman for the...
JOHN SANEI
FOUNDER, JOHN SANEI INC.
I’m a futures strategist who combines human behaviour and future studies to create keynotes, masterclasses and books that help people, businesses and brands build the courage and clarity they need to forge the future they want. Driven by the real world, by humanity and ‘the now’, as a Futures Strategist...
DR. MARIAM MATAR
A LEGACY OF HEALING
Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...
TRINIDAD HERMIDA, FOUNDER
THE HERMIDA COMPANY
Parents and guardians, hear me! You play an essential role in developing and guiding our youth/young adults of this generation and the generations to come. I know this is not rocket science or new information, but I wanted to be as blatant as possible with my intentions for the next...
HON NICK CHAMPION
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Adelaide and our surrounds are famous for world-class wine, food and cultural attractions and iconic nature experiences. With our close proximity city, abundance of green spaces, world-class vineyards, bustling festival seasons, and pristine beaches, there is no doubt that Adelaide is a great place to live, work and play. But...
Kris Bogaerts
Co-Founder & Engineer, Cellows
As long as I can remember, I have always wondered how things work and how I could improve them. At ten years old, I came up with an electrical motor with magnets, only to discover a few years later that the damn thing already existed! This made me realize that...
KEET VAN ZYL
CO-FOUNDER, KNIFE CAPITAL
Adversity is a pressure cooker that fosters innovation. This is a philosophy that was entrenched in my formative years. Having had some heavy, life questioning challenges thrown my way very early, I had to adapt and adjust, and this learning has set me in good stead. It’s also given me...
MICHAEL ROSE
FOUNDER OF VIGNETIC, PERMEVO AND TKTKONNECT
The global talent market is a pressing concern that affects organizations and economies worldwide. According to a survey conducted by ManpowerGroup, 69% of employers reported difficulty in finding skilled workers in 2022. This shortage has been attributed to various factors, including demographic shifts, skills gaps, and the rapid pace of...
AAMIR PAUL
PRESIDENT OF NORTH AMERICA OPERATIONS, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
The next industrial revolution is here, but it’s not about steam, mechanization, or electronics. It’s about software, data, and interconnected, electrified systems. It’s going to force us to rethink everything we know about manufacturing and about humans’ role in it. Schneider Electric has operated in the United States for 135...
GAIL POWLEY
PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA
That is what Technology Alberta does, and by saving their valuable time, we help Tech Entrepreneurs do more – faster, better and have more fun than when they go it alone. We know that tech entrepreneurs are on a race against time: as an innovator they need their product to...
HON. CHRIS PICTON
MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Taking hold of the opportunities derived from research excellence and innovation will help us to build a resilient, efficient, and informed health system that supports the future health and wellbeing of all South Australians. Research excellence and innovation will also play a vital role in our ability to proactively respond...
PHILIP KAFKA
PRESIDENT AT PRINCE CONCEPTS
My company, Prince Concepts, is a real estate development studio, laboratory and office based in Core City, Detroit. We acquire, develop, own and manage land and building projects. The studio works to express personal experience, philosophy and belief through built work. The laboratory tinkers – seeking truth and developing precision....
Jorge Ruiz
Founder & CEO - Finconecta
Jorge Ruiz, Founder & CEO, Finconecta Innovation itself has evolved. It used to be that you could create something, patent that something, and it would serve its purpose until a new and superior product came along and replaced it. Now, innovation is not just about solving a problem that...
Ivy V. Estabrooke
Phd, Vice President For Government And Community Programs - PolarityTE
The United States has long depended on innovation, technology, and small businesses to maintain economic prosperity and a national security advantage. While much of this economic growth has come out of hubs on the East and West Coasts, Utah has managed to create a non-traditional innovation ecosystem that has resulted...
PROF. ANDREA LODI
EST PROFESSEUR TITULAIRE EN OPTIMISATION MATHÉMATIQUE À POLYTECHNIQUE MONTRÉAL
À mon arrivée à Montréal en 2015, j’ai trouvé au Québec un environnement des plus stimulants, où la collaboration entre les grands établissements universitaires est non seulement encouragée, mais aussi reconnue comme un moyen de parvenir à une carrière fructueuse. Cela a sans aucun doute été un facteur déterminant dans...
The early seventies saw the launch of the pocket calculator. As a kid at that time growing up in Palo Alto, I went door to door selling the Litronix 1100, one of the early pocket models. My father, an attorney who represented many startups including Litronix, would bring them home for me to sell....
Rima Aristocrat
President & Ceo - Willis College
Rima Aristocrat President & Ceo – Willis College When they come together to elevate, inspire, and empower, they can truly make a difference in people’s lives and build a thriving community. Thriving communities mean stronger countries and stronger countries mean a better world—socially, economically, and politically—for our future generations. As...
Mitchell Kaplan
Founder - BOOKS & BOOKS
“What I do isn’t just about selling books—it’s about creating spaces and events that bring authors and audiences together.” I was in college when I first imagined opening a bookstore. I had discovered that at the center of most literary movements of the twentieth century, a bookstore was involved. In...
Eduardo Baptista Correia
CEO, Taguspark
Development and innovation are close concepts that are at the basis of the evolution of mankind. If we look at this evolution we see that development is essentially felt in a stable set of elements: the ways in which we communicate, how we obtain information and learn, how we move...
JENS DOLK
CEO, AN INNOVATOR OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, K-MÄRKT AB
I’ve never been afraid of weird ideas. In fact, that’s kind of the point with K-märkt. When we started, we didn’t just want to run a great restaurant – we wanted to challenge the entire way restaurants operate. Why? Because if we’re going to make food more sustainable, we can’t...
DR. TIM MAHLBERG
DIRECTOR OF ECOSYSTEMS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, STONE & CHALK GROUP
I moved to Adelaide in my twenties to study, at a time when South Australia was seeing the decline of our manufacturing and automotive industries, and the Global Financial Crisis was about to bite. It was, and continues to be, a wonderful place to study and get involved in our...
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO OF S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My goal as a leader is to create a company culture that is focused on people first. While it has been an incredible honor to be nationally recognized as an executive (for instance, winning the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Southeast Award), I find that I have true fulfillment when...
RICH BENDIS
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO, BIOHEALTH INNOVATION, INC. (BHI)
Conversations about innovation happen constantly, yet execution rarely receives the same attention. Breakthrough research can capture headlines, attract investment, and signal scientific progress, yet discovery alone rarely builds industries or creates lasting economic growth. The hard work continues after the breakthrough, when ideas must leave the laboratory and prove themselves...
JEREMIE BACON
ENTREPRENEUR, CEO, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST THE FORGE ADVENTURE PARKS
THREE E’S OF INNOVATION -JEREMIE BACON The things I love to do when I’m not at the office are the things I’d like to do forever. That ambition sparked my vision to build an innovative business centered on purpose, passion, and people. People drive innovation. Everything starts with positive leadership...
CLAUDE MARINOWER
ALDERMAN FOR ECONOMY, INNOVATION AND DIGITALISATION
In 1906, riots broke out in Verviers, Liège, caused by lamplighters protesting the electrification of city lighting. Today, Antwerp is experimenting with smart street lighting using software and smart sensors. This is just one example of how a twenty-first century city is in full digital transition. As alderman for the...