Thought Leaders

Jason has spent over 25 years providing operational and financial expertise in leadership positions for rapidly growing companies such as Conversant (MOSAID), AVID Technologies, and IBM (Cognos). He started Positive Venture Group with the mission to help growth-stage businesses reach their full potential. “Most entrepreneurs start a venture because they...

Jump Into New Jersey’s Innovation EcosystemAcross the globe, countries are seeking to harness the power of the invention to innovation pipeline to drive economic growth and address a wide range of societal issues including national security, health, inequity, education, and environmental challenges. It is estimated that 85% of a country’s...

Many people think that the healthcare system is broken because hospitals & insurance companies charge too much. The fact is, the market has seen a massive shift in financial responsibility for healthcare costs to the consumer. Combined with increased compliance burdens, the result is a massive spike in consumer out-of-pocket...

Just over a year ago, I started my journey in the esports industry as an intern. Fast forward to today, and I am the director of an esports/media company while also leading our newest endeavor – Aquatik Studios. Interestingly, Aquatik is my first job post-college. I made sure to take...

CEOs constantly hear noise about competitive “disruption” in their sectors, fueling concerns about their organization’s ability to innovate in an increasingly competitive and agile global market. This creates natural pressure to grow and meet earnings targets—but growth can be slow and expensive. With Open-Innovation and Co-Creation platforms, it doesn’t have...

English: At a time when local and global challenges demand discoveries at the intersections of diverse disciplines, fostering an adaptable, agile and multi-sectorial innovation ecosystem enables universities to lead as social and economic accelerators. To set this vision in motion, McGill has established a dedicated unit, Innovation, and Partnerships (I+P),...

Adversity Is a Leadership SuperpowerA leader is forged through the trials and tribulations of life. And when faced with negative influences, instead of giving into personal doubt and insecurities, leaders demonstrate the qualities of resiliency, passion, and authenticity enabling them to overcome the challenges of life empowering them to reach...

Franco Varriano Technologist & Entrepreneur, Head Of Product Discovery & Innovation At Workshopx & Executive Director – Fresh Founders It’s a powerful, attractive and evocative concept. We all have ideas and conceptions on what innovation is all about; usually centering around new products, novel technologies, or advanced patents. But innovation...

“Miami is Becoming A HealthTech Innovation Hub.” Kate Black, Shareholder – Greenberg Traurig, P. A. Miami has a singularly scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit, making it well situated to become a regional technology hub that plays a vital role in connecting the global economy – especially in healthcare, life sciences, and consumer...

The huge influences of the Caribbean, of South America, and Central America that we have here in Miami makes the entrepreneurial ecosystem unique across the States and arguably across the globe. So many people start a business out of necessity, which forces them to be really creative with limited resources—again,...

Both society and technology are changing ever more rapidly. Higher education is historically designed to be steady and slow in changing. The conflict caused between slow-moving institutions and a rapidly changing world has become ever more obvious – to the point, for many, that it has reached a definitive inflection...

PUTTING SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN THE SPOTLIGHTI’ve never watched the world go by without wanting to stick my hand up and disrupt proceedings. At school I was the one with the locker full of PlayStation memory cards, running my own business and disrupting. School students are supposed to sit and learn,...

As women representing a mosaic of cultural diversity in the esports and the traditional sport industry, both Jessica Medeiros & Suzanne Duncan are no strangers to the heavy lifts asked of female leadership at executive tables in the gaming space. As the founders of Femme Gaming, we are both passionate...

  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...

THE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF PUERTO RICO’S ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM AND WHAT’S NEEDED TO CHARGE AHEADFew people know that in 2010 Puerto Rico pioneered the first multistakeholder entrepreneurship ecosystem project in the world. Led by the Island’s most successful entrepreneurs in partnership with the Department of Economic Development, the Puerto Rico...

True innovation isn’t just about expertise and knowledge — it’s about having an unwavering passion to make a difference. Over the past decade, I’ve been fortunate to witness remarkable enthusiasm and drive that Alberta’s entrepreneurs bring to the table. As the Regional Innovation Director for Prairies Canada at the Canadian...

It requires an effective link between the university and the business sector, which encourages higher education institutions to train professionals and what the labour market demands, in order to encourage companies to invest in research and development as a strategic activity to incorporate knowledge and progress. We understand that the...

Rob Panepinto is an innovator who has always challenged the status quo of “good enough.” He is President of Florentine Strategies, CEO of Entrepreneurs in Action, and he recently joined UCF’s Partnership and Innovation team, serving as a Senior Strategic Advisor and Director of the Downtown Innovation District. Rob is...

INNOVATE is a verb and it means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. It is often thought of as it relates to technology, inventions, manufacturing, and business development. It is less often thought of as it relates to culture, social development, diversity,...

I often tell people that BrightMa didn’t start as a company — it started as a calling. My ancestors were enslaved farmers who worked the same South Carolina soil I walk today. Their sacrifice, resilience, ingenuity, and stewardship of the land are the foundation for everything I do. BrightMa Farms...

Phoebe Cade Miles Co-Founder – The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention In 2004, I helped my father, Dr. James Robert Cade, the lead inventor of Gatorade, to establish the Cade Museum. Sixteen years later, it is inspiring the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. The Gatorade story had...

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...

South Australia loves a party. We are the festival state – one proud to break new ground. Innovation is crucial when delivering major events, and so too is fostering a culture in which they continue to thrive. Our place as host of the best, brightest celebrations is directly linked to...

What we see in our startup community is so inspiring. There are so many entrepreneurs building companies with exciting technology and creative thinking. Problems are being solved and doors being opened. Tampa Bay is a community of great opportunities and wonderful people. It is the community that I have called...