Thought Leaders
VOICES of the Future
ERIK ALMQVIST
FOUNDER AND CEO, SENSE STRATEGY, & OWNER ALMQVIST FAMILY OFFICE
LEGACY OF INNOVATION Two of the most well-known rules in the global ICT industry are “For every ten percent increase in broadband penetration there is a 1 percent increase in GDP”, and “For every doubling of broadband speed, there is a 0.3 percent increase in GDP”. Both were devised by...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MPUME NGOBESE
CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR, JOE PUBLIC JOHANNESBURG
With digital media usage higher than ever, more than 38 million people in South Africa are active on the internet, and 27-million consume social media content by liking, sharing, posting and commenting on everything from politics and the pandemic, to funnies and pictures of ‘fur babies’. Consumers have so many...
INNOVATE® Nashville
RUSS BLATTNER
CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT SUPERWISE®
“Innovation in AI is not just about technology—it’s about trust. Without transparency, there is no adoption. Forrester, Gartner, and IDC emphasize that AI governance and accountability are now enterprise imperatives. Companies that ignore explainability will face declining adoption and increased regulatory scrutiny.” Innovation in AI is happening at a breakneck...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
SHAUN M. ROWLES
Author, The Money revolution
GOLD RUSHOn January 24th, 1848, Swiss-born Johann Sutter was dismayed by the news that his chief mechanic delivered: Gold had been discovered on the site of Sutter’s sawmill. Most readers are aware that this discovery kicked off the “California Gold Rush,” but few ever hear of Sutter’s immediate reaction: “From...
INNOVATE® Minnesota
Dr. Bhabani Misra
Associate Dean - University of St. Thomas School of Engineering
Dr. Bhabani Misra Associate Dean – University of St. Thomas School of Engineering Not long ago, students could simply complete a college degree and find work for the rest of their lives. But today, industry is evolving rapidly—especially engineering and technology. Today, every one of us needs to retool and...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
LAKSHMI SHENOY
CEO-EMBARC COLLECTIVE
REFLECTING ON THE CURVEBALLS OF 2020 For Embarc Collective, 2020 was defined as an exercise of turning obstacles into opportunity. In January we launched the final component of our value proposition, our 32,000-square-foot physical space. In doing this, we could finally bring our vision of making Embarc Collective the central...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
LOUISE NOBES
CEO, 42 ADELAIDE
n I discovered 42 in France it was my ‘eureka” moment! A school that had mastered the way to disrupt learning, so it could serve a more authentic purpose. A belief that ‘everyone can be great’ and ‘someone’s social status should not hinder them from learning’. With this belief at...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
MICHAEL WESTAFER
FOUNDER & CEO OF ROGER WEST CREATIVE& CODE
I like to think of ourselves as the creative catalysts of innovation. Our own pathway to innovation lies in how we view market disruption through our clients’ eyes. Don’t get me wrong. We do awesome work. Our people are among the best at what they do. We’re regulars on the...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
WALTER EEVERS
VITO - DIRECTOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
WALTER EEVERS DIRECTOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, VITO And when we speak of sustainability, VITO is the key player in this arena. With about 1,000 employees, VITO is an independent Flemish research organization with top researchers working on cleantech and sustainable development. Antwerp is a place where innovation is also massively...
Virginia Grant
Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals
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,...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DAVID HESS
MCG DEAN, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
The statistics are startling. Georgia routinely ranks in the top 10 states in the country in terms of population size and growth, yet we continue to rank near the bottom in the number of physicians per capita, at a dismal 41st. Recent data show that roughly 185 Georgians die from...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
NUKE GOLDSTEIN
CTO, CELSIUS NETWORK
We have seen it before – the PC, internet, Web 2.0, smartphones – each wave bringing dramatic changes to society and our daily lives. And here it is again – blockchains, cryptocurrencies, smart-contracts, dApps, DeFi, NFTs – all leads to decentralization and Web3. The excitement has been building among entrepreneurs,...
VOICES of the Future
MARIA DA CONCEICAO
CLIMBING NEW HEIGHTS FOR HUMANITY
Maria Da Conceicao’s eyes sparkle with an intensity that reflects a life of profound challenges and extraordinary achievements. Born in Portugal, Maria’s story began with adversity. At just two years old, her mother fell ill, and an African immigrant cleaner, Maria Cristina Matos, took her under her wing. This new...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
EVA-CARIN BANKA JOHNSON
EXPLORATION LEADER FOR IKEA INSIGHT AS EXTERNAL CONSULTANT
By studying the environment and seeing the full context—what people do, how they do it, and why – it creates a solid foundation for new ideas. But facts and research alone are not enough. True innovation also requires empathy for the user—the drive that keeps you going until you find...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
Raghwa Gopal
President , CEO - Innovate BC
If you’re reading this book right now, there’s a good chance you already know that: In other words – we’re growing fast, we have challenges to overcome, and the future looks extremely bright. Yet, despite the mounting momentum and optimistic outlook, it’s difficult to pin down exactly what our tech...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.
Chief Executive Officer - Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
Innovation is at the heart of everything I do as the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), and something I expect my teams to integrate into all their initiatives. Being innovative means being bold—taking risks and toppling the traditional ways we’ve operated as providers of public transportation. My industry...
INNOVATION Quebec
RICHARD CHÉNIER
CENTECH CEO
The next decade will offer several strategic opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly technological. Several scientific advances, once considered fundamental, are now transiting at lightning speed to real applications. These new applications must act as a catalyst for concrete solutions to meet our climate challenges and improve the quality of...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
Troy LeMaile-Stovall
CEO OF TEDCO
CEO OF TEDCO From Southeast Houston to the boardrooms of the tech world, my journey has been anything but ordinary. Guided by a principle instilled in me by my mother, I’ve always believed that our primary purpose is to make a difference. This belief has not only shaped my personal...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
Dès mon arrivée à La Cité en 2010, j’ai constaté l’engagement et la passion de la communauté collégiale, la vitalité et la joie de vivre francophones, la culture de l’excellence dans un environnement des plus stimulants et fertiles, le désir profond de voir nos étudiants réussir, et des projets plus...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
WYGROUP
SHAPED BY CURIOSITY
For the last 20 years, WYgroup has been one of the top leading players in digital marketing, technology, and creativity services in Portugal. We are currently the largest independent group for Marketing and Customer Experience Services in Portugal, with a collaborative framework of 7 companies that – together – can...
VOICES of the Future
KHALED AL HURAIMEL
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
My conversation with Khaled Al Huraimel encapsulates a vision that transcends the present and leaps into a realm of sustainability and innovation. The backdrop is BEEAH Group’s headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, a masterpiece designed by the late Zaha Hadid, embodying the future Khaled envisions where technology, sustainability, and culture intertwine...
INNOVATE™ Ottawa
Franco Varriano
Technologist & Entrepreneur
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...
INNOVATE® San Diego Vol.1
Jason Anderson
President & CEO - Cleantech San Diego
As urban populations continue to grow and digital tools expand at warp speed, cities and public agencies around the globe are looking to new technologies to help manage resources in more sustainable and cost-effective ways. The San Diego region is no exception, where public leaders and organizations have made a...
INNOVATE® Puerto Rico
LAURA CANTERO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRUPO GUAYACÁN, INC
One aspect I can highlight about doing business in Puerto Rico is the vibrant and growing community of entrepreneurs committed to transforming the local economy. This community of entrepreneurs is navigating a complex scenario under the shadow of an economic crisis that forced the local government to overhaul public finances....
ERIK ALMQVIST
FOUNDER AND CEO, SENSE STRATEGY, & OWNER ALMQVIST FAMILY OFFICE
LEGACY OF INNOVATION Two of the most well-known rules in the global ICT industry are “For every ten percent increase in broadband penetration there is a 1 percent increase in GDP”, and “For every doubling of broadband speed, there is a 0.3 percent increase in GDP”. Both were devised by...
MPUME NGOBESE
CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR, JOE PUBLIC JOHANNESBURG
With digital media usage higher than ever, more than 38 million people in South Africa are active on the internet, and 27-million consume social media content by liking, sharing, posting and commenting on everything from politics and the pandemic, to funnies and pictures of ‘fur babies’. Consumers have so many...
RUSS BLATTNER
CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT SUPERWISE®
“Innovation in AI is not just about technology—it’s about trust. Without transparency, there is no adoption. Forrester, Gartner, and IDC emphasize that AI governance and accountability are now enterprise imperatives. Companies that ignore explainability will face declining adoption and increased regulatory scrutiny.” Innovation in AI is happening at a breakneck...
SHAUN M. ROWLES
Author, The Money revolution
GOLD RUSHOn January 24th, 1848, Swiss-born Johann Sutter was dismayed by the news that his chief mechanic delivered: Gold had been discovered on the site of Sutter’s sawmill. Most readers are aware that this discovery kicked off the “California Gold Rush,” but few ever hear of Sutter’s immediate reaction: “From...
Dr. Bhabani Misra
Associate Dean - University of St. Thomas School of Engineering
Dr. Bhabani Misra Associate Dean – University of St. Thomas School of Engineering Not long ago, students could simply complete a college degree and find work for the rest of their lives. But today, industry is evolving rapidly—especially engineering and technology. Today, every one of us needs to retool and...
LAKSHMI SHENOY
CEO-EMBARC COLLECTIVE
REFLECTING ON THE CURVEBALLS OF 2020 For Embarc Collective, 2020 was defined as an exercise of turning obstacles into opportunity. In January we launched the final component of our value proposition, our 32,000-square-foot physical space. In doing this, we could finally bring our vision of making Embarc Collective the central...
LOUISE NOBES
CEO, 42 ADELAIDE
n I discovered 42 in France it was my ‘eureka” moment! A school that had mastered the way to disrupt learning, so it could serve a more authentic purpose. A belief that ‘everyone can be great’ and ‘someone’s social status should not hinder them from learning’. With this belief at...
MICHAEL WESTAFER
FOUNDER & CEO OF ROGER WEST CREATIVE& CODE
I like to think of ourselves as the creative catalysts of innovation. Our own pathway to innovation lies in how we view market disruption through our clients’ eyes. Don’t get me wrong. We do awesome work. Our people are among the best at what they do. We’re regulars on the...
WALTER EEVERS
VITO - DIRECTOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
WALTER EEVERS DIRECTOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, VITO And when we speak of sustainability, VITO is the key player in this arena. With about 1,000 employees, VITO is an independent Flemish research organization with top researchers working on cleantech and sustainable development. Antwerp is a place where innovation is also massively...
Virginia Grant
Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals
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,...
DAVID HESS
MCG DEAN, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
The statistics are startling. Georgia routinely ranks in the top 10 states in the country in terms of population size and growth, yet we continue to rank near the bottom in the number of physicians per capita, at a dismal 41st. Recent data show that roughly 185 Georgians die from...
NUKE GOLDSTEIN
CTO, CELSIUS NETWORK
We have seen it before – the PC, internet, Web 2.0, smartphones – each wave bringing dramatic changes to society and our daily lives. And here it is again – blockchains, cryptocurrencies, smart-contracts, dApps, DeFi, NFTs – all leads to decentralization and Web3. The excitement has been building among entrepreneurs,...
MARIA DA CONCEICAO
CLIMBING NEW HEIGHTS FOR HUMANITY
Maria Da Conceicao’s eyes sparkle with an intensity that reflects a life of profound challenges and extraordinary achievements. Born in Portugal, Maria’s story began with adversity. At just two years old, her mother fell ill, and an African immigrant cleaner, Maria Cristina Matos, took her under her wing. This new...
EVA-CARIN BANKA JOHNSON
EXPLORATION LEADER FOR IKEA INSIGHT AS EXTERNAL CONSULTANT
By studying the environment and seeing the full context—what people do, how they do it, and why – it creates a solid foundation for new ideas. But facts and research alone are not enough. True innovation also requires empathy for the user—the drive that keeps you going until you find...
Raghwa Gopal
President , CEO - Innovate BC
If you’re reading this book right now, there’s a good chance you already know that: In other words – we’re growing fast, we have challenges to overcome, and the future looks extremely bright. Yet, despite the mounting momentum and optimistic outlook, it’s difficult to pin down exactly what our tech...
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.
Chief Executive Officer - Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
Innovation is at the heart of everything I do as the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), and something I expect my teams to integrate into all their initiatives. Being innovative means being bold—taking risks and toppling the traditional ways we’ve operated as providers of public transportation. My industry...
RICHARD CHÉNIER
CENTECH CEO
The next decade will offer several strategic opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly technological. Several scientific advances, once considered fundamental, are now transiting at lightning speed to real applications. These new applications must act as a catalyst for concrete solutions to meet our climate challenges and improve the quality of...
Troy LeMaile-Stovall
CEO OF TEDCO
CEO OF TEDCO From Southeast Houston to the boardrooms of the tech world, my journey has been anything but ordinary. Guided by a principle instilled in me by my mother, I’ve always believed that our primary purpose is to make a difference. This belief has not only shaped my personal...
Dès mon arrivée à La Cité en 2010, j’ai constaté l’engagement et la passion de la communauté collégiale, la vitalité et la joie de vivre francophones, la culture de l’excellence dans un environnement des plus stimulants et fertiles, le désir profond de voir nos étudiants réussir, et des projets plus...
WYGROUP
SHAPED BY CURIOSITY
For the last 20 years, WYgroup has been one of the top leading players in digital marketing, technology, and creativity services in Portugal. We are currently the largest independent group for Marketing and Customer Experience Services in Portugal, with a collaborative framework of 7 companies that – together – can...
KHALED AL HURAIMEL
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
My conversation with Khaled Al Huraimel encapsulates a vision that transcends the present and leaps into a realm of sustainability and innovation. The backdrop is BEEAH Group’s headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, a masterpiece designed by the late Zaha Hadid, embodying the future Khaled envisions where technology, sustainability, and culture intertwine...
Franco Varriano
Technologist & Entrepreneur
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...
Jason Anderson
President & CEO - Cleantech San Diego
As urban populations continue to grow and digital tools expand at warp speed, cities and public agencies around the globe are looking to new technologies to help manage resources in more sustainable and cost-effective ways. The San Diego region is no exception, where public leaders and organizations have made a...
LAURA CANTERO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRUPO GUAYACÁN, INC
One aspect I can highlight about doing business in Puerto Rico is the vibrant and growing community of entrepreneurs committed to transforming the local economy. This community of entrepreneurs is navigating a complex scenario under the shadow of an economic crisis that forced the local government to overhaul public finances....