Thought Leaders
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
Luca Carducci
CEO - Skaffolder
Luca Carducci is a 28-year-old entrepreneur, he started as a software developer with many projects starting from the age of 16, his first project was a similar to Netflix to watch movies in streaming, after this he created and directed an e-commerce platform; several developers tools. At the age of...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
JEFF DESJARDINS
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VISUAL CAPITALIST
In the media landscape, technology has been the ultimate disruptor—creating several inflection points that have changed the scope of reach for content and business models. To put the evolution of our industry and its future roadmap into perspective, we can take a closer look at the three waves of media....
INNOVATE® Nashville
YESI SEVILLA
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...
INNOVATE® Orlando
MEGHAN WOLFGRAM
CEO OF SWIFTPAWS
Any founder can recall times when they’ve been faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, and know the experience of truly questioning themselves and their idea. In these moments, I’ve found two things in my personal startup journey that keeps me pushing forward. The first is an unwavering belief in my business....
INNOVATE™ South Africa
SASHEEN RAJKUMAR
PROJECT ENGINEER, SANRAL INNOVATION HUB
As a key driver of Africa’s knowledge economy, SANRAL had to the opportunity to contribute to the African Smart Cities Summit, where Sasheen Rajkumar, an Engineer in SANRAL’s Eastern Region (KZN) led the discussion on Smart Mobility for Sustainability. Sasheen, a millennial, is passionate about inspiring people and creating societal...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
MOHAMAD TAKWA
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, EPIGENICA
When I was a young researcher, I believed invention was the pinnacle of achievement. To discover something new and build something no one had built before – that felt like enough. But after launching several deep tech startups, I’ve learned a powerful lesson. Invention is just the beginning. Innovation is...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
MAGNUS MÄHRING
PROFESSOR AND CHAIR, HOUSE OF INNOVATION, STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (SSE)
For more than one and a half decade, Sweden has consecutively been ranked in the top three most innovative economies in the world (according to the United Nations’ Global Innovation Index). There is a longstanding tradition in Sweden to work collaboratively across different societal sectors — and in an interdisciplinary...
INNOVATE® Detroit
CHUCK MARSHALL
PRESIDENT, ITC MICHIGAN
The National Academy of Engineering considers electrification among the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century, and I have to agree– thanks to our electric grid, we effortlessly flip a light switch, and power goes on in less than a second. This speed is faster than any delivery service could...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB-ROCKIES
PERSPECTIVES FROM CDL-ROCKIES’ MENTORS
Providing a growing global population with abundant, safe, affordable and sustainable food and energy are among the defining challenges of this decade. The Global population is expected to grow from just under 8 billion in 2022 to over 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. Given the scale...
INNOVATE® Orlando
David Brim
Marketing Strategist, Entrepreneur, Investor & Founder - Orlando Entrepreneurs
David Brim is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur and investor living in Orlando, Florida. He is a founding partner of Orlando Opportunity Fund (OrlandoOpportunityFund.com), and the founder of Orlando Entrepreneurs (OrlandoEntrepreneurs.org), a network, podcast, and resource center created to connect, cultivate & celebrate Central Florida entrepreneurs. His primary professional focus areas...
VOICES of the Future
JOSE CORDEIRO
THE DEATH OF DEATH
José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
OWEN SAGNESS
CEO, DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)
Introduction The digital sector is experiencing an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals, creating a significant talent gap. Traditional education pathways alone are no longer sufficient to meet this demand. In early2024, Digital Nova Scotia surveyed our members and produced the2024 Digital Nova Scotia Workforce Survey. This survey highlights a promising...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
MIKE SOUTHON
CHIEF EDITOR, STARTUPMAFIA
Many people are fascinated by Unicorns, mythical horse-like animals with a spiralling horn on its forehead, who symbolise purity, rarity and magic. In Estonia you can meet real unicorns, companies who have achieved billion-dollar valuations. There are more of these per head of population than anywhere else on earth. Here...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
AHTI HEINLA
ESTONIAN INNOVATOR BEHIND SKYPE AND STARSHIP ROBOTS
Ahti Heinla is one of Estonia’s most visionary minds – the co-founder of Starship Technologies and formerly the Chief Technical Architect of Skype. His impact on global communication and autonomous technology is immense, yet his story is deeply rooted in Estonia’s culture of curiosity, experimentation, and civic spirit. Heinla wrote...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
ALEX KROOGMAN
CEO | PRESSREADER GROUP OF COMPANIES
ALEX KROOGMAN CEO | PRESSREADER GROUP OF COMPANIES To this day, I look forward to each Monday when Spotify releases my new Discover Weekly playlist. Why, because it’s built entirely for me. It’s personalized with the music I know, plus lots of music I haven’t even heard of before but...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
SAMANTHA MATHEWS
FOUNDER @LEARNBYLOCI
The technology industry is so broad-reaching and established that “innovation” has become the status quo. The problem that comes along with this entrenched approach to technological development is that we’ve also codified what the people who innovate look like; where they went to school, who they know, and what kind...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Marco Costa
Chief Operating Officer International, Talkdesk
When Talkdesk came into existence there was no contact centre entirely hosted in the cloud. We were game changers and that is what we aim to continue to be and do. We do not rest on our laurels and continue to lead, build the future of contact centres and set...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
ALBERTO LUGO
PRESIDENT, INVID LLC
When I first learned to code, I never imagined its profound impact on my life. I was 15 years old when I first learned to discovered software development, and I remember the awe of seeing the computer do what I instructed it to do. I still maintain that same...
INNOVATE™ Bengaluru
Dana Kursh
Partners In Innovative Progress
Israel prides itself in being an Innovative Nation, and has long term diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Mumbai. It chose Bengaluru, with its futuristic ethos, as its third destination to reinforce its economic connection with India. “The bigger economic diplomacy is in creating the right ecosystem involving the best...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
C. PARKHILL MAYS III
CEO, STOPIT SOLUTIONS
I was born and raised in Central Florida and grew up with loving and caring parents to whom I attribute much of my success in life. After a good education at a small liberal arts university in western Virginia, I spent my first few years of adulthood working as an...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
STUART CULLUM
PRESIDENT, RED DEER POLYTECHNIC
Over the course of my career, I have been a teacher, a farmer, a business analyst, an investor, and an applied research and academic leader. I’ve come to understand that the problems and opportunities in our world are highly complex; they are multi-faceted and require multi-disciplinary responses. No single expert,...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP
MEMBER FOR DUNSTAN
My father was less than impressed with Andy Warhol’s art but as a furniture manufacturer competing against international businesses with much lower input costs he knew his business lived or died on its ability to continually innovate, to improve, to change. I took that lesson to heart and into government...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
MARTIN MOKGWARE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BOTSWANA COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
What does innovation mean to you?Innovation simply means new ways of doing things and bringing in new ideas or improving what already exists to solve challenges brought about by new ways of living. Overtime, the word Innovation is commonly associated with technology for the simple reason that modern life is...
Luca Carducci
CEO - Skaffolder
Luca Carducci is a 28-year-old entrepreneur, he started as a software developer with many projects starting from the age of 16, his first project was a similar to Netflix to watch movies in streaming, after this he created and directed an e-commerce platform; several developers tools. At the age of...
JEFF DESJARDINS
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VISUAL CAPITALIST
In the media landscape, technology has been the ultimate disruptor—creating several inflection points that have changed the scope of reach for content and business models. To put the evolution of our industry and its future roadmap into perspective, we can take a closer look at the three waves of media....
YESI SEVILLA
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...
MEGHAN WOLFGRAM
CEO OF SWIFTPAWS
Any founder can recall times when they’ve been faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, and know the experience of truly questioning themselves and their idea. In these moments, I’ve found two things in my personal startup journey that keeps me pushing forward. The first is an unwavering belief in my business....
SASHEEN RAJKUMAR
PROJECT ENGINEER, SANRAL INNOVATION HUB
As a key driver of Africa’s knowledge economy, SANRAL had to the opportunity to contribute to the African Smart Cities Summit, where Sasheen Rajkumar, an Engineer in SANRAL’s Eastern Region (KZN) led the discussion on Smart Mobility for Sustainability. Sasheen, a millennial, is passionate about inspiring people and creating societal...
MOHAMAD TAKWA
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, EPIGENICA
When I was a young researcher, I believed invention was the pinnacle of achievement. To discover something new and build something no one had built before – that felt like enough. But after launching several deep tech startups, I’ve learned a powerful lesson. Invention is just the beginning. Innovation is...
MAGNUS MÄHRING
PROFESSOR AND CHAIR, HOUSE OF INNOVATION, STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (SSE)
For more than one and a half decade, Sweden has consecutively been ranked in the top three most innovative economies in the world (according to the United Nations’ Global Innovation Index). There is a longstanding tradition in Sweden to work collaboratively across different societal sectors — and in an interdisciplinary...
CHUCK MARSHALL
PRESIDENT, ITC MICHIGAN
The National Academy of Engineering considers electrification among the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century, and I have to agree– thanks to our electric grid, we effortlessly flip a light switch, and power goes on in less than a second. This speed is faster than any delivery service could...
CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB-ROCKIES
PERSPECTIVES FROM CDL-ROCKIES’ MENTORS
Providing a growing global population with abundant, safe, affordable and sustainable food and energy are among the defining challenges of this decade. The Global population is expected to grow from just under 8 billion in 2022 to over 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. Given the scale...
David Brim
Marketing Strategist, Entrepreneur, Investor & Founder - Orlando Entrepreneurs
David Brim is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur and investor living in Orlando, Florida. He is a founding partner of Orlando Opportunity Fund (OrlandoOpportunityFund.com), and the founder of Orlando Entrepreneurs (OrlandoEntrepreneurs.org), a network, podcast, and resource center created to connect, cultivate & celebrate Central Florida entrepreneurs. His primary professional focus areas...
JOSE CORDEIRO
THE DEATH OF DEATH
José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...
OWEN SAGNESS
CEO, DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)
Introduction The digital sector is experiencing an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals, creating a significant talent gap. Traditional education pathways alone are no longer sufficient to meet this demand. In early2024, Digital Nova Scotia surveyed our members and produced the2024 Digital Nova Scotia Workforce Survey. This survey highlights a promising...
MIKE SOUTHON
CHIEF EDITOR, STARTUPMAFIA
Many people are fascinated by Unicorns, mythical horse-like animals with a spiralling horn on its forehead, who symbolise purity, rarity and magic. In Estonia you can meet real unicorns, companies who have achieved billion-dollar valuations. There are more of these per head of population than anywhere else on earth. Here...
AHTI HEINLA
ESTONIAN INNOVATOR BEHIND SKYPE AND STARSHIP ROBOTS
Ahti Heinla is one of Estonia’s most visionary minds – the co-founder of Starship Technologies and formerly the Chief Technical Architect of Skype. His impact on global communication and autonomous technology is immense, yet his story is deeply rooted in Estonia’s culture of curiosity, experimentation, and civic spirit. Heinla wrote...
ALEX KROOGMAN
CEO | PRESSREADER GROUP OF COMPANIES
ALEX KROOGMAN CEO | PRESSREADER GROUP OF COMPANIES To this day, I look forward to each Monday when Spotify releases my new Discover Weekly playlist. Why, because it’s built entirely for me. It’s personalized with the music I know, plus lots of music I haven’t even heard of before but...
SAMANTHA MATHEWS
FOUNDER @LEARNBYLOCI
The technology industry is so broad-reaching and established that “innovation” has become the status quo. The problem that comes along with this entrenched approach to technological development is that we’ve also codified what the people who innovate look like; where they went to school, who they know, and what kind...
Marco Costa
Chief Operating Officer International, Talkdesk
When Talkdesk came into existence there was no contact centre entirely hosted in the cloud. We were game changers and that is what we aim to continue to be and do. We do not rest on our laurels and continue to lead, build the future of contact centres and set...
Dana Kursh
Partners In Innovative Progress
Israel prides itself in being an Innovative Nation, and has long term diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Mumbai. It chose Bengaluru, with its futuristic ethos, as its third destination to reinforce its economic connection with India. “The bigger economic diplomacy is in creating the right ecosystem involving the best...
C. PARKHILL MAYS III
CEO, STOPIT SOLUTIONS
I was born and raised in Central Florida and grew up with loving and caring parents to whom I attribute much of my success in life. After a good education at a small liberal arts university in western Virginia, I spent my first few years of adulthood working as an...
STUART CULLUM
PRESIDENT, RED DEER POLYTECHNIC
Over the course of my career, I have been a teacher, a farmer, a business analyst, an investor, and an applied research and academic leader. I’ve come to understand that the problems and opportunities in our world are highly complex; they are multi-faceted and require multi-disciplinary responses. No single expert,...
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP
MEMBER FOR DUNSTAN
My father was less than impressed with Andy Warhol’s art but as a furniture manufacturer competing against international businesses with much lower input costs he knew his business lived or died on its ability to continually innovate, to improve, to change. I took that lesson to heart and into government...
MARTIN MOKGWARE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BOTSWANA COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
What does innovation mean to you?Innovation simply means new ways of doing things and bringing in new ideas or improving what already exists to solve challenges brought about by new ways of living. Overtime, the word Innovation is commonly associated with technology for the simple reason that modern life is...