Thought Leaders

The expansion of the world economy in the pre-pandemic period heightened efforts from companies looking to attract the best talent to provide an appealing workspace environment. Design, service, sustainability and experience became core requirements for the most successful and ambitious companies.The real estate industry responded and is evolving from simply...

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...

As of the writing of this article in October 2021, the Twitch Influencer payment hack was making its way through the metaverse, enabling a comparison between the compensation that influencers and broadcast anchors enjoy, and the relative engagement they have with theiraudiences and the business models that underpin their ecosystems...

The Economy is Transforming As the world shifts into a zero-emission sustainable economy, there will be a transformation of the entire infrastructure of our society.  Canada has a role to play in this shift, and I believe British Columbia should take a profound and pivotable leadership role in this transition....

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...

  I’ve been doing angel investing since the early 1980s after I took my first venture, a computer terminals manufacturer in Waterloo, public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Since then, I’ve invested in well over 200 startup ventures. I often hear entrepreneurs complain about the lack of funding. One of...

I grew up in the north of Sweden dreaming of becoming a fashion designer. Like many young creatives, I believed in the magic of making clothes, their power to express, connect, and transform. I worked hard to realize that dream and eventually found myself inside the industry I had once...

When his military pension wasn’t enough to support our family, my father went into life insurance. He realized no one was coordinating all of the separate aspects of families’ financial planning. The Glass Steagall Act was still in effect, and it kept all financial companies separate; insurance was separate from...

The world is changing rapidly, as are the skills needed to succeed. With the rise of cryptocurrencies, cyber warfare, and artificial intelligence, there is a growing demand for skilled professionals in these areas. However, traditional education systems are not equipped to provide the necessary training for these emerging fields. With...

Since the inception of the Gray Court facility in Laurens County in 2012, ZF and the State of South Carolina have been a winning combination that has benefitted South Carolina citizens, state and local governments, the ZF Group, and all of our employees at our Gray Court, Charleston and Duncan....

As the inaugural director of the Sia Furler Institute and the Chair of Creative Technologies at the University of Adelaide, I have been privileged to be a co-founder of the Art Intelligence Agency — a first-of its-kind convergence of creativity and machine learning. Creativity: The Core CompetencyIn recent years, there...

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....

Innovation is often misunderstood as a pursuit of the latest technology, but in reality, it’s about solving meaningful problems in new ways. It’s about leveraging data, AI, and strategic thinking to drive real business value. Throughout my career, from consulting to leading 7Rivers, I’ve focused on not just embracing change...

The College of Engineering at the University of South Florida is at the forefront of engineering research and education, cultivating knowledgeable, passionate engineers who are dedicated to needs-based, solutions-oriented engineering. We are innovators. We are explorers. For us, it’s all about helping people. After more than fifty years of pursuing...

Plus jeune, j’adorais tous les jeux, du hockey bottine avec mon frère jusqu’au jeu d’échecs avec mon père. J’avais une certaine aversion pour l’ennuyant Monopoly, qui prenait invariablement fin lorsqu’une personne (habituellement ma sœur) provoquait la faillite des autres. Pas de tueur à démasquer, pas d’épique bataille navale, de dessins...

Mentor and Investor “True tech innovation in India is happening in life sciences, nanoscience, chemistry, mechanical engineering and the like”, says Prof. Vijay Chandru, one of the earliest academics in India to move from an impressive career in academics to highly successful deep science entrepreneurship. “If you look at creativity...

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, our greatest responsibility as leaders is to ensure that the advancements we champion do more than just enhance efficiency—they must also contribute to a sustainable and equitable world. My vision for the industry is centered around the seamless integration of technology into...

In a rapidly changing world, with long-term disruptive evolutions, innovation is a powerful response. The ambition of Port of Antwerp-Bruges is to be the world’s first port that reconciles economy, people and climate. We believe in innovation as a lever towards a sustainable future. That is why the focus on...

One HeartCreating an NFT movie masterpiece to document inspiring stories made through NFT technology requires a shared vision, goal, and a dedicated team. Blockchain technology may be new to the world, but proven leadership and purpose-driven teams remain the driving heart of success in this novel industry and space. As...

When I arrived at the Pope Francis Center in downtown Detroit in 2015, our focus was on providing food and a space for respite for our friends experiencing homelessness. I quickly realized that while providing immediate relief is critical to staying alive, we were not doing enough to make a...

I used to live out of my car. When things got worse, I slept on gas station bathroom floors, behind buildings, constantly watching my back. I made a series of bad decisions that caused a lot of pain, and left me with a criminal record (now pardoned). But it wasn’t...

La notoriété de l’écosystème d’innovation en intelligence artificielle (IA) du Québec repose sur trois grandes raisons : un bassin de talents phénoménal, des partenariats collaboratifs et un engagement marqué à l’égard du design éthique. En fait, c’est ici qu’a été lancée la déclaration de Montréal pour un développement responsable de...

  Thirty years ago when I started my career at Novell, I never imagined that someday Utah would benefit from a vibrant and amazing technology community, dubbed Silicon Slopes. Back then, technology was a small ecosystem in which super-nerdy coders and geeks – like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael...

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...