Thought Leaders

VOICES of the Future

BERNARD POULIN

THE HUMAN ESSENCE IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL ERA

Listening to Bernard Poulin, I’m struck by his narrative that encapsulates not just the essence of innovation and foresight but also a profound connection to the human spirit and our planet. Hailing from Canada, he shares his life’s tapestry woven with experiences from around the globe, embodying a passion for...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

MIGUEL COPPEDGE

AGE 17, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

I pride myself on being unique and different. Most teens my age are worried about having the latest name brand clothing, shoes, or gadgets. But not me! I want to help and inspire people and change the world for the better. As a former foster child and current adoptee, I...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

GUSTAV BUDER

FINTECH FOUNDER, BOARD-LEVEL ADVISOR AND ACTIVE INVESTOR - REGION PARTNER, BYBIT NORDIC

Most people don’t reject new ideas because they’re irrational. They reject them because they’re using the wrong frame. I learned this the hard way. Coming from the payment’s world, I initially looked at Bitcoin like a payment network and asked, “Why is it so slow?” That’s the classic mistake: judging...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Ron Gaboury

Ron Gaboury

CEO - Yorktel and Caregility

As the CEO of two technology companies, I have the distinct honor of leading a group of highly talented and passionate individuals across both organizations. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is that building the right team can be a force multiplier when it comes to...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

THULANI HEADMAN AKA FOSTA

THULANI HEADMAN AKA FOSTA

FOUNDING MEMBER AND OPERATIONS MANAGER, BRIDGES FOR MUSIC

I grew up in a family of musicians and in a township like Langa that has been home to many legendary artists, but unfortunately for most of them, life was challenging and didn´t bring the rewards one would expect from a successful career. When I was in my late teens...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Brian Kornfield

Synapse - Brian Kornfield - Building The Community

Synapse - Building The Community, One Connection At A Time

Over the last year, I have been asked time and time again about my story: where I came from and why nobody knew my name. While the long answer involves transitioning from life as a rocket scientist to the President of Synapse (a 501c3 working to connect and organize the...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

OLA AHLVARSSON

CO-CREATOR, CURATOR AND HOST, SIME

WHY INNOVATION STARTS WITH PEOPLE, NOT PRESSURE For most of my career, I’ve worked at the intersection of technology, business, and culture. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few decades, it’s this: real innovation doesn’t start with tools, processes, or pressure. It starts with people. Since...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

Judy Genshaft

Judy Genshaft - All Great Cities Have Great Research Universities

President, USF System

As the state’s first public research university to be located in a metropolitan region, the University of South Florida System has always been proud of its relationship with the Tampa Bay community we serve.We live in an era when the public increasingly depends on research universities to be a key...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

ALI FARHA

SENIOR PRODUCER, STAR STABLE ENTERTAINMENT

BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH THE POWER OF PLAY It started with a simple Nintendo Entertainment System and a curious peek past bedtime. My dad had bought the console, seemingly for me, but never watched me play. One night, I heard familiar game music playing from the living room. Sneaking out of...

INNOVATE® South Florida

MICHAEL FOWLER

SOUTH FLORIDA TECH HUB - CURRENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER

WHERE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE MEETS LOCAL INNOVATION: A SOUTH FLORIDA TECH JOURNEY Just as my camera lens has captured moments across 120 countries, my journey in technology has taught me to see innovation through multiple frames. After nearly four decades in the utility industry, including my role as Business Unit CIO...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

Marco Costa

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™ Vancouver Vol.2

CYBELE NEGRIS

CYBELE NEGRIS

CEO - WEBNAMES.CA

CYBELE NEGRIS   Life is so fast-paced that we take too much for granted, whether it is the Internet which has now practically become a basic right or the growing role of women in positions of power, which is an outcome that has not come easily. All these giant leaps...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

KEET VAN ZYL

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™ Alberta

REENA SAHNEY

OWNER & FOUNDER, JIVA CONSULTING

Alberta has a rich history of entrepreneurialism originating in the oil and gas industry. From the first discovery of oil around 1900 to the rapid growth starting in the middle of the 20th century, fossil fuels have been the economic engine of the province. With one of the largest reserves...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

ALI SARRAFI

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, 4THBRAIN

We are on the threshold of a creative renaissance powered by GenerativeAI—technology that frees us from specialized skills and speeds up the path from idea to execution. In mere hours, what once took months can be accomplished, fueling rapid experimentation and bold innovation. By automating tasks like image generation, software...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

CHARLES RADCLYFFE

PARTNER, ETHICS GRADE

“WE ARE CONCERNED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LOSE JOBS AS A RESULT OF AUTOMATION”.– CHARLES RADCLYFFE, PARTNER We are worried. Some of the things we worry about are the same as everyone else who is trying to imagine the impact of technology on our lives. We worry about how...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

Atlee Clark

I moved from San Francisco to Ottawa to pursue a tech career. Yes, you read that right. I grew up north of Toronto, but my curiosity took me all over North America. I moved to Calgaryat the height of the oil boom in Alberta. I chased the energy of Barack...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

KÄDI RISTKOK

CEO, ESTONIAN CLEANTECH ASSOCIATION

The past decade has seen a lot of shifts in the world and this is also inherent in the cleantech sector. Cleantech is no longer defined solely by its sustainability goals; it is positioning itself as a foundational driver of resilience, autonomy, and transformation across industries. Clean technologies emerging in...

INNOVATE® St. Louis

Jennah Purk

Jennah Purk

Founder & CEO - Purk Associates

Talking about innovation in accounting is sort of like talking about water and oil. They aren’t exactly synonymous, and while it’s not like we’re using an abacus, we’re not far off. It’s also not as boring as people think it is. But the two things that obstruct the industry are...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

STEPHAN EKBERGH

TRAVELSTART - FOUNDER

Travel is the most important industry in the world....

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

WOUTER BLEUKX

WOUTER BLEUKX

HYDROGEN ACTIVITIES, INEOS

Young people are concerned about the impact of climate change. I think it is our job to address their concerns about the future. This is the reason why I took the job in INEOS’ hydrogen activities. It’s important that we can tell our children that the industrial sector is leading...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DR. HANK CAPPS

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF INFORMATION AND DIGITAL OFFICER AT WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM, PRESIDENT AT CATALYST BY WELLSTAR

Healthcare is personal. We are all one diagnosis away from being a patient. To a doctor, the relationship with a patient is one of the most sacred connections. To the patient, it is almost always a moment of anxiety and fear. As a family doctor, I’ve seen this moment of...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

NatWest

Olly Reid

Olly Reid, Scale Acceleration Manager

THE INNOVATION MYTH – WHY OLD HABITS ARE STIFLING INNOVATION IN A NEW WORLD BY OLLY REID As John Holt once said, ‘’since we can’t know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to...

INNOVATE™ Bengaluru

Revathy Ashok

Strategy Garage-Investments Shouldn’t be Dumb & Boring

Angel Investor, Adviser & Co-founder of Strategy Garage

With an increasing number of startups looking to scale up, we spoke to angel investor and advisor Revathy Ashok about what investors look for. Ashok is one of the early members of the Indian Angel Network and co-founder of Strategy Garage, a boutique advisory for startups & SMEs, and says...

BERNARD POULIN

THE HUMAN ESSENCE IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL ERA

Listening to Bernard Poulin, I’m struck by his narrative that encapsulates not just the essence of innovation and foresight but also a profound connection to the human spirit and our planet. Hailing from Canada, he shares his life’s tapestry woven with experiences from around the globe, embodying a passion for...

MIGUEL COPPEDGE

AGE 17, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

I pride myself on being unique and different. Most teens my age are worried about having the latest name brand clothing, shoes, or gadgets. But not me! I want to help and inspire people and change the world for the better. As a former foster child and current adoptee, I...

GUSTAV BUDER

FINTECH FOUNDER, BOARD-LEVEL ADVISOR AND ACTIVE INVESTOR - REGION PARTNER, BYBIT NORDIC

Most people don’t reject new ideas because they’re irrational. They reject them because they’re using the wrong frame. I learned this the hard way. Coming from the payment’s world, I initially looked at Bitcoin like a payment network and asked, “Why is it so slow?” That’s the classic mistake: judging...

Ron Gaboury

Ron Gaboury

CEO - Yorktel and Caregility

As the CEO of two technology companies, I have the distinct honor of leading a group of highly talented and passionate individuals across both organizations. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is that building the right team can be a force multiplier when it comes to...

THULANI HEADMAN AKA FOSTA

THULANI HEADMAN AKA FOSTA

FOUNDING MEMBER AND OPERATIONS MANAGER, BRIDGES FOR MUSIC

I grew up in a family of musicians and in a township like Langa that has been home to many legendary artists, but unfortunately for most of them, life was challenging and didn´t bring the rewards one would expect from a successful career. When I was in my late teens...

Brian Kornfield

Synapse - Brian Kornfield - Building The Community

Synapse - Building The Community, One Connection At A Time

Over the last year, I have been asked time and time again about my story: where I came from and why nobody knew my name. While the long answer involves transitioning from life as a rocket scientist to the President of Synapse (a 501c3 working to connect and organize the...

OLA AHLVARSSON

CO-CREATOR, CURATOR AND HOST, SIME

WHY INNOVATION STARTS WITH PEOPLE, NOT PRESSURE For most of my career, I’ve worked at the intersection of technology, business, and culture. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few decades, it’s this: real innovation doesn’t start with tools, processes, or pressure. It starts with people. Since...

Judy Genshaft

Judy Genshaft - All Great Cities Have Great Research Universities

President, USF System

As the state’s first public research university to be located in a metropolitan region, the University of South Florida System has always been proud of its relationship with the Tampa Bay community we serve.We live in an era when the public increasingly depends on research universities to be a key...

ALI FARHA

SENIOR PRODUCER, STAR STABLE ENTERTAINMENT

BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH THE POWER OF PLAY It started with a simple Nintendo Entertainment System and a curious peek past bedtime. My dad had bought the console, seemingly for me, but never watched me play. One night, I heard familiar game music playing from the living room. Sneaking out of...

MICHAEL FOWLER

SOUTH FLORIDA TECH HUB - CURRENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER

WHERE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE MEETS LOCAL INNOVATION: A SOUTH FLORIDA TECH JOURNEY Just as my camera lens has captured moments across 120 countries, my journey in technology has taught me to see innovation through multiple frames. After nearly four decades in the utility industry, including my role as Business Unit CIO...

Marco Costa

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...

CYBELE NEGRIS

CYBELE NEGRIS

CEO - WEBNAMES.CA

CYBELE NEGRIS   Life is so fast-paced that we take too much for granted, whether it is the Internet which has now practically become a basic right or the growing role of women in positions of power, which is an outcome that has not come easily. All these giant leaps...

KEET VAN ZYL

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...

REENA SAHNEY

OWNER & FOUNDER, JIVA CONSULTING

Alberta has a rich history of entrepreneurialism originating in the oil and gas industry. From the first discovery of oil around 1900 to the rapid growth starting in the middle of the 20th century, fossil fuels have been the economic engine of the province. With one of the largest reserves...

ALI SARRAFI

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, 4THBRAIN

We are on the threshold of a creative renaissance powered by GenerativeAI—technology that frees us from specialized skills and speeds up the path from idea to execution. In mere hours, what once took months can be accomplished, fueling rapid experimentation and bold innovation. By automating tasks like image generation, software...

CHARLES RADCLYFFE

PARTNER, ETHICS GRADE

“WE ARE CONCERNED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LOSE JOBS AS A RESULT OF AUTOMATION”.– CHARLES RADCLYFFE, PARTNER We are worried. Some of the things we worry about are the same as everyone else who is trying to imagine the impact of technology on our lives. We worry about how...

Atlee Clark

I moved from San Francisco to Ottawa to pursue a tech career. Yes, you read that right. I grew up north of Toronto, but my curiosity took me all over North America. I moved to Calgaryat the height of the oil boom in Alberta. I chased the energy of Barack...

KÄDI RISTKOK

CEO, ESTONIAN CLEANTECH ASSOCIATION

The past decade has seen a lot of shifts in the world and this is also inherent in the cleantech sector. Cleantech is no longer defined solely by its sustainability goals; it is positioning itself as a foundational driver of resilience, autonomy, and transformation across industries. Clean technologies emerging in...

Jennah Purk

Jennah Purk

Founder & CEO - Purk Associates

Talking about innovation in accounting is sort of like talking about water and oil. They aren’t exactly synonymous, and while it’s not like we’re using an abacus, we’re not far off. It’s also not as boring as people think it is. But the two things that obstruct the industry are...

STEPHAN EKBERGH

TRAVELSTART - FOUNDER

Travel is the most important industry in the world....

WOUTER BLEUKX

WOUTER BLEUKX

HYDROGEN ACTIVITIES, INEOS

Young people are concerned about the impact of climate change. I think it is our job to address their concerns about the future. This is the reason why I took the job in INEOS’ hydrogen activities. It’s important that we can tell our children that the industrial sector is leading...

DR. HANK CAPPS

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF INFORMATION AND DIGITAL OFFICER AT WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM, PRESIDENT AT CATALYST BY WELLSTAR

Healthcare is personal. We are all one diagnosis away from being a patient. To a doctor, the relationship with a patient is one of the most sacred connections. To the patient, it is almost always a moment of anxiety and fear. As a family doctor, I’ve seen this moment of...

NatWest

Olly Reid

Olly Reid, Scale Acceleration Manager

THE INNOVATION MYTH – WHY OLD HABITS ARE STIFLING INNOVATION IN A NEW WORLD BY OLLY REID As John Holt once said, ‘’since we can’t know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to...

Revathy Ashok

Strategy Garage-Investments Shouldn’t be Dumb & Boring

Angel Investor, Adviser & Co-founder of Strategy Garage

With an increasing number of startups looking to scale up, we spoke to angel investor and advisor Revathy Ashok about what investors look for. Ashok is one of the early members of the Indian Angel Network and co-founder of Strategy Garage, a boutique advisory for startups & SMEs, and says...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems