Thought Leaders

INNOVATE® Miami

Jorge Ruiz

Jorge Ruiz

Founder & CEO - Finconecta

  Jorge Ruiz, Founder & CEO, Finconecta Innovation itself has evolved. It used to be that you could create something, patent that something, and it would serve its purpose until a new and superior product came along and replaced it. Now, innovation is not just about solving a problem that...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

JEFF LAFRENZ

JEFF LAFRENZ

CEO, VIZWORX

Innovation is a way of looking at the world around us. It has no geographic limits. It has no age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or culture limits. It applies to every industry, every profession. It is about being curious and not accepting the status quo. It is about asking why...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

Raghwa Gopal

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...

VOICES of the Future

DR. MICHAEL SINEL-FOUNDER/PHYSICIAN THERAPEUTICS

A VANGUARD OF THE FUTURE IN MEDICINE AND LONGEVITY

Dr. Mike Sinel is a luminary in medicine and health innovation, and his vision of the future embraces the spirit of togetherness and scientific exploration. Our conversation looks at the realities of medicine and longevity. A seasoned physician, a dedicated professor, a keen biohacker, and a dynamic entrepreneur — these...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

PROF. MART USTAV

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ICOSAGEN GROUP

I studied molecular science because I wanted to understand how things work. I built a strong knowledge of molecular processes, but the turning point came when my mother was diagnosed with melanoma. I could explain the disease in detail, but I couldn’t change its course. That loss shifted my focus...

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® New Jersey Vol.2

MICHELLE SHOGREN

CEO, INNOVATE IN WHAT YOU DO! LLC

With 25+ years in clinical research, Michelle Shogren, CEO of Innovate In What You Do! LLC, started as a patient participant, then journeyed through nursing, clinical trial monitoring, and a significant role at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Her innovation-focused path culminated in founding her own company in 2022. Michelle is dedicated to...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

DENNIS SCHMITT

DENNIS SCHMITT

NUROTECH CORP - FOUNDER & CEO

It is hard for me to accept being a visionary leader, as it is difficult for me to reconcile where I am now, with where I was 15 years ago. I didn’t envision a future where I’m the CEO/Founder of a multi-million dollar Biotech company on the precipice to lead...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

Darin Brannan

ClearDATA - Darin Brannan

CEO & Co-Founder

When Darin Brannan co-founded hyper-growth startup ClearDATA in 2011, his mission was clear. He wanted to form a company that would make healthcare better, every single day. His vision to drive the mission was to modernize and protect Healthcare IT by building a state-of-the-art healthcare software platform and services to...

AI Québec

GILLES SAVARD

GILLES SAVARD

DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL -IVADO

Moteur d’innovation, les données sont au cœur de la transformation numérique qui s’impose partout. Liées à plusieurs technologies numériques habilitantes arrivant à maturité dont, l’infonuagique, l’internet des objets, le 5G, le 3D, la réalité augmentée, la robotique, etc., ces données et leur valorisation par l’analytique sont les véritables activateurs de...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Angie Conley

Angie Conley

CEO - Abilitech

In my days at Medtronic, I remember Bill George used to say (as a lighthearted dig at General Mills), “We’re not selling Cheerios; we’ve got soul.” We all laughed, but even today I find it relevant in thinking about the importance of a mission. A mission-centered culture gives employees purpose,...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

DR. JONATHAN HALL PHD

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR & CHIEF SCIENTIST, LIFE WHISPERER

STORY & CHALLENGESIn 2016, I was nearing the end of a frontier research project to combine interdisciplinary knowledge to ask if a biological cell could sustain light circulating inside: called ‘whispering gallery modes’. Could we go further, and turn a cell into a laser, with the hope of it being...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

ANDREW DOWNS

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAGE AUTOMATION

While Australia finds itself in a critical skills shortage, young people who embrace a career in the trades, are finding endless opportunities. When we ask our children what they want to be when they grow up, we hope they will dream big, and pursue a career of enjoyment and meaning....

INNOVATE® St. Louis

Dena Ladd

Executive Director - Missouri Cures Education Foundation

Missouri has not one, but many, outstanding research institutions— Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Missouri, Saint Louis University, and Stowers Institute for Medical Research among them. As the Executive Director of the Missouri Cures Education Foundation, I cultivate and maintain relationships with key policymakers, business leaders, researchers,...

INNOVATION Quebec

GRAHAM CARR

PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Montréal présente la plus forte concentration d’étudiants universitaires de toutes les villes d’Amérique du Nord. Offrant un mélange unique de français et d’anglais, elle attire des étudiantes et étudiants de plus de 155 pays du monde entier. Montréal n’est pas seulement le principal centre de recherche universitaire du Canada, elle...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

JOHAN HARTMAN & MATTIAS RANTALAINEN

CO-FOUNDERS, STRATIPATH

That’s what we, a pathologist and an AI researcher, discovered when ourresearch groups joined forces at Karolinska Institutet. Despite our differentscientific perspectives, we shared a common goal: to take research beyond theacademic setting and into clinical reality—where it can truly help patients. We began by tackling a major clinical gap...

INNOVATE® Nashville

MARIA F. MCLENDON

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL

Every day, I’m reminded that the world of financial services is both exciting and challenging. We live in a time when consumers are flooded with options, yet too often, they’re still unsure where to turn for real guidance and personal connection. In my experience, the three biggest challenges facing our...

Sylvain Coulombe

Sylvain Coulombe

Associate Vice-Principal, Innovation And Partnerships - McGill University

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),...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

PIERRE LEMIRE

CEO, KENT IMAGING

Struggle and EmergeFor as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for building high-tech imaging products. This passion has been the driving force of my professional life, and while I’ve managed to parlay it into a long, varied and rewarding career, it hasn’t always been easy. My successes...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

ANDY CRESTODINA

ANDY CRESTODINA

ORBIT MEDIA STUDIOS - CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

I’m going to start my answer with a few questions: Why would anyone pay attention to your brand?How do you demonstrate your expertise?How will you ever get your service pages to rank if you don’t have content worth linking to?Why would anyone give you an email address?How do you share...

INNOVATE® Utah

Blake Modersitzki

Blake Modersitzki

Managing Partner - Pelion Venture Partners

Blake Modersitzki Managing Partner – Pelion Venture Partners Nobody is born an entrepreneur. Different people take different paths to achieving their definition of success. Just know: The entrepreneurial roller coaster of emotions is vast and deep. No Matter the Generation, the Lessons Ring True I’ve had a front-row seat to entrepreneurship...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

ANDY FISHER

DIRECTOR, BOUNCE HEALTH INNOVATION

Are you a driven entrepreneur who’s passionate about improving the world around you? Then take a look at these two charts: One shows the growing prevalence of chronic disease at every age. The other shows how much we’re spending per person just to keep up. We are getting sicker earlier,...

VOICES of the Future

DR. USAMA FAYYAD

NAVIGATING THE AI HORIZON

In the riveting expanse of technological advancements, few minds have pierced the veil of the future as incisively as Dr. Usama Fayyad. My conversation with him was nothing short of a voyage into the realms of possibility, a journey through the labyrinth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its seismic impact...

INNOVATE® Georgia

LEVI PERKINS

CEO, HANNIBAL AI

When in the shadows of giants, we assume the path to success is to stand on their shoulders. But in the world of technology, I’ve found that it’s not enough to just stand tall; we must also be nimble, ready to jump to the next giant as the ground shifts...

Jorge Ruiz

Jorge Ruiz

Founder & CEO - Finconecta

  Jorge Ruiz, Founder & CEO, Finconecta Innovation itself has evolved. It used to be that you could create something, patent that something, and it would serve its purpose until a new and superior product came along and replaced it. Now, innovation is not just about solving a problem that...

JEFF LAFRENZ

JEFF LAFRENZ

CEO, VIZWORX

Innovation is a way of looking at the world around us. It has no geographic limits. It has no age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or culture limits. It applies to every industry, every profession. It is about being curious and not accepting the status quo. It is about asking why...

Raghwa Gopal

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...

DR. MICHAEL SINEL-FOUNDER/PHYSICIAN THERAPEUTICS

A VANGUARD OF THE FUTURE IN MEDICINE AND LONGEVITY

Dr. Mike Sinel is a luminary in medicine and health innovation, and his vision of the future embraces the spirit of togetherness and scientific exploration. Our conversation looks at the realities of medicine and longevity. A seasoned physician, a dedicated professor, a keen biohacker, and a dynamic entrepreneur — these...

PROF. MART USTAV

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ICOSAGEN GROUP

I studied molecular science because I wanted to understand how things work. I built a strong knowledge of molecular processes, but the turning point came when my mother was diagnosed with melanoma. I could explain the disease in detail, but I couldn’t change its course. That loss shifted my focus...

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...

MICHELLE SHOGREN

CEO, INNOVATE IN WHAT YOU DO! LLC

With 25+ years in clinical research, Michelle Shogren, CEO of Innovate In What You Do! LLC, started as a patient participant, then journeyed through nursing, clinical trial monitoring, and a significant role at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Her innovation-focused path culminated in founding her own company in 2022. Michelle is dedicated to...

DENNIS SCHMITT

DENNIS SCHMITT

NUROTECH CORP - FOUNDER & CEO

It is hard for me to accept being a visionary leader, as it is difficult for me to reconcile where I am now, with where I was 15 years ago. I didn’t envision a future where I’m the CEO/Founder of a multi-million dollar Biotech company on the precipice to lead...

Darin Brannan

ClearDATA - Darin Brannan

CEO & Co-Founder

When Darin Brannan co-founded hyper-growth startup ClearDATA in 2011, his mission was clear. He wanted to form a company that would make healthcare better, every single day. His vision to drive the mission was to modernize and protect Healthcare IT by building a state-of-the-art healthcare software platform and services to...

GILLES SAVARD

GILLES SAVARD

DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL -IVADO

Moteur d’innovation, les données sont au cœur de la transformation numérique qui s’impose partout. Liées à plusieurs technologies numériques habilitantes arrivant à maturité dont, l’infonuagique, l’internet des objets, le 5G, le 3D, la réalité augmentée, la robotique, etc., ces données et leur valorisation par l’analytique sont les véritables activateurs de...

Angie Conley

Angie Conley

CEO - Abilitech

In my days at Medtronic, I remember Bill George used to say (as a lighthearted dig at General Mills), “We’re not selling Cheerios; we’ve got soul.” We all laughed, but even today I find it relevant in thinking about the importance of a mission. A mission-centered culture gives employees purpose,...

DR. JONATHAN HALL PHD

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR & CHIEF SCIENTIST, LIFE WHISPERER

STORY & CHALLENGESIn 2016, I was nearing the end of a frontier research project to combine interdisciplinary knowledge to ask if a biological cell could sustain light circulating inside: called ‘whispering gallery modes’. Could we go further, and turn a cell into a laser, with the hope of it being...

ANDREW DOWNS

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAGE AUTOMATION

While Australia finds itself in a critical skills shortage, young people who embrace a career in the trades, are finding endless opportunities. When we ask our children what they want to be when they grow up, we hope they will dream big, and pursue a career of enjoyment and meaning....

Dena Ladd

Executive Director - Missouri Cures Education Foundation

Missouri has not one, but many, outstanding research institutions— Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Missouri, Saint Louis University, and Stowers Institute for Medical Research among them. As the Executive Director of the Missouri Cures Education Foundation, I cultivate and maintain relationships with key policymakers, business leaders, researchers,...

GRAHAM CARR

PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Montréal présente la plus forte concentration d’étudiants universitaires de toutes les villes d’Amérique du Nord. Offrant un mélange unique de français et d’anglais, elle attire des étudiantes et étudiants de plus de 155 pays du monde entier. Montréal n’est pas seulement le principal centre de recherche universitaire du Canada, elle...

JOHAN HARTMAN & MATTIAS RANTALAINEN

CO-FOUNDERS, STRATIPATH

That’s what we, a pathologist and an AI researcher, discovered when ourresearch groups joined forces at Karolinska Institutet. Despite our differentscientific perspectives, we shared a common goal: to take research beyond theacademic setting and into clinical reality—where it can truly help patients. We began by tackling a major clinical gap...

MARIA F. MCLENDON

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL

Every day, I’m reminded that the world of financial services is both exciting and challenging. We live in a time when consumers are flooded with options, yet too often, they’re still unsure where to turn for real guidance and personal connection. In my experience, the three biggest challenges facing our...

Sylvain Coulombe

Sylvain Coulombe

Associate Vice-Principal, Innovation And Partnerships - McGill University

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),...

PIERRE LEMIRE

CEO, KENT IMAGING

Struggle and EmergeFor as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for building high-tech imaging products. This passion has been the driving force of my professional life, and while I’ve managed to parlay it into a long, varied and rewarding career, it hasn’t always been easy. My successes...

ANDY CRESTODINA

ANDY CRESTODINA

ORBIT MEDIA STUDIOS - CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

I’m going to start my answer with a few questions: Why would anyone pay attention to your brand?How do you demonstrate your expertise?How will you ever get your service pages to rank if you don’t have content worth linking to?Why would anyone give you an email address?How do you share...

Blake Modersitzki

Blake Modersitzki

Managing Partner - Pelion Venture Partners

Blake Modersitzki Managing Partner – Pelion Venture Partners Nobody is born an entrepreneur. Different people take different paths to achieving their definition of success. Just know: The entrepreneurial roller coaster of emotions is vast and deep. No Matter the Generation, the Lessons Ring True I’ve had a front-row seat to entrepreneurship...

ANDY FISHER

DIRECTOR, BOUNCE HEALTH INNOVATION

Are you a driven entrepreneur who’s passionate about improving the world around you? Then take a look at these two charts: One shows the growing prevalence of chronic disease at every age. The other shows how much we’re spending per person just to keep up. We are getting sicker earlier,...

DR. USAMA FAYYAD

NAVIGATING THE AI HORIZON

In the riveting expanse of technological advancements, few minds have pierced the veil of the future as incisively as Dr. Usama Fayyad. My conversation with him was nothing short of a voyage into the realms of possibility, a journey through the labyrinth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its seismic impact...

LEVI PERKINS

CEO, HANNIBAL AI

When in the shadows of giants, we assume the path to success is to stand on their shoulders. But in the world of technology, I’ve found that it’s not enough to just stand tall; we must also be nimble, ready to jump to the next giant as the ground shifts...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems