Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ Estonia
PRIIT ALAMÄE
NORTAL, CEO
CHALLENGING THE “BUT” IN DIGITALIZATION Nortal’s story began at the same time the second government of prime minister Mart Laar decided to go all in on digital transformation in 1999, followed by the accession to the European Union in 2004. There was an unwritten societal and political understanding that a...
VOICES of the Future
ALLAN PEASE
MEET MR. BODY LANGUAGE
Hon. Professor Allan Pease, acclaimed as ‘Mr. Body Language,’ is an international best-selling author and body language expert. His expertise, spanning advising executives to authoring bestsellers, provides valuable insights into human interactions. He is a distinguished speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading authors with 18 Top 10...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
BART EMBRECHTS
GUMPTION - FOUNDER
You don’t differentiate yourself with technology alone. Our companies make the difference with their experience in the sector, their business insight, and their expertise in proven technologies. Here are a few examples: TheValueChainis known at SAP for their focus on innovation and creativity. They implement a step-by-step plan with online...
INNOVATE™ Estonia
JANA KRIMPE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CO-FOUNDER, B.EST SOLUTIONS
Digital transformation is often viewed in terms of platforms, applications, or the latest disruptive technology. But these are only surface layers. The true foundation of a digital society is trust and trust begins with secure digital identity. Without it, governments cannot serve effectively, businesses cannot scale confidently, and citizens are...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT
MOT DE MICHEL LESAGE, PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DU RÉSEAU DES CCTT
Innover, c’est se donner la capacité, en tant qu’organisation, d’être au-devant du peloton. Cette position privilégiée nous permet d’exercer une force de traction positive dans notre milieu. Il s’agit d’une force rassemblant les acteurs d’une industrie vers un but commun. Une force de collaboratio indispensable au déploiement et au rayonnement...
Global Innovation Spotlight
FRANK LEYHAUSEN
CEO AF1 GMBH, COLOGNE, GERMANY
In almost all countries of the developed world, the labor market is under pressure. The reason: Demographic change has shrunk the number of people of working age. Seriously? I don’t think so! In Western society, age is and always has been associated with the loss of skills and abilities. For...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
JADE ALBERTS
FOUNDER, PEER GUIDANCE
Being an entrepreneur can be very lonely at times, that is why I am such an advocate for mental wellness. I have talked to many entrepreneurs that had no one to turn to, and if they did, it would have made a difference. I am no expert in this mental...
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® Chicago Vol.1
DORRI MCWHORTER
PRESIDENT & CEO OF YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
People will be studying the global pandemic’s effects on the workplace for decades to come. The trends it accelerated. The inequality it exposed. The countless challenges and opportunities it created. However, there is one thing that is already perfectly clear, and business leaders in every industry across the country...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
KALE NEEDHAM
CEO, SPIRAL DATA
From a research scientist to an analyst, my career journey instilled in me a deep-rooted passion for solving complex problems through data driven insights. It became clear to me that academia wasn’t the path for me to make a tangible difference – I wanted to add significant ‘business changing’ value....
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
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™ Stockholm
ASH POURNOURI
FOUNDER BRILLIANT MINDS, AVICII, NORDIC ANGELS, SUPER HUMAN NETWORK
I’ve always believed that opportunity isn’t what you have – it’s what you use. And most people never scratch the surface of their own. We wait. We overthink. We hesitate. We look around for someone to tell us that we’re ready, that we’ve earned it, that we’re allowed to go....
INNOVATE™ Alberta
JEFF HARRIS
VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP
To me, innovation is more than process and action – it’s a mindset. Innovation exists to break limits and barriers and turn new ideas and concepts into everyday activities. It’s the engine that will address the needs and gaps in our city to drive economic diversification and growth. Innovation is...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
HON NICK CHAMPION
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Adelaide and our surrounds are famous for world-class wine, food and cultural attractions and iconic nature experiences. With our close proximity city, abundance of green spaces, world-class vineyards, bustling festival seasons, and pristine beaches, there is no doubt that Adelaide is a great place to live, work and play. But...
INNOVATE™ Montréal
Catherine Mounier
Vice-Rectrice à la Recherche, à la Création et à la Diffusion | Vice-President Research - UNIVERSITÉ
English: UQAM joined the university landscape in 1969 and quickly distinguished itself through its commitment to serving society. Fostering entrepreneurship and social impact innovation, the University believes in the concerted ability of social actors to bring about change in response to issues as they arise. Building knowledge together Like many...
INNOVATE® St. Louis
Zarak Khan
Behavioral Innovation Director, Maritz
When I started at Maritz as the behavioral innovation director, I was asked to introduce myself on stage to the entire company. I’ll admit, I was brand new, and speaking authentically to this huge group of people was a little intimidating. I decided to talk about my grandfathers, because I...
INNOVATE® Nashville
HARRY ALLEN
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER, STUDIO BANK
A NATIVE’S PERSPECTIVEI love Nashville. As a fifth-generation native, Nashville is the only place I’ve ever called home. And while it’s not the town I grew up in, today’s Nashville has certainly kept me engaged and excited. So I’ve continued to choose Nashville as the place to build my family,...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
JOHAN JUHLIN
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF MAVATAR
There’s something profoundly beautiful about entrepreneurship. To throw yourself into the unknown. To build something from nothing. To see an idea, the one you’ve nurtured in your mind, become real in the world. But let me be honest: it’s not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. One...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
AARON CHIN
CEO, ORGANIKA HEALTH PRODUCTS
What does that mean?Armed with a sincere drive to help people live healthier, Aaron took to innovation. He saw that the health and wellness industry catered to niche markets and specific demographics. “I wanted to disrupt the health industry. So, we invested in innovation to formulate health products that are...
INNOVATE™ Montréal
Dr. Fabrice Brunet
Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) – Vers un système de santé innovant et apprenant / Towards an innovative learning health system Dr. Fabrice BrunetPrésident-Directeur Général du CHUM English: The health care system is facing major challenges and needs to change if it wants to provide optimal health care...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
TAMMY BARTON
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, MYBUDGET
It’s about solving real world problems. It’s about inventing, reinventing and trying new things. Having a solid business plan is one thing, but you won’t necessarily know what people want until you start getting out there and testing the market. To me, innovation is really about coming up with a...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation
NIGEL C. THIJS, SES
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, PHILADELPHIA DIVISION
When I think about the future of innovation, I do not think about a single invention or a single breakthrough. I think about speed, collaboration, and adaptability. Innovation will belong to organizations that can learn quickly, test ideas early, and deliver real results without losing focus on mission impact. Philadelphia...
VOICES of the Future
LARA TABET
THE INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITY
In the glittering world of luxury and fashion, Lara Tabet emerges as a pioneering force, seamlessly bridging her Swiss-honed hospitality expertise with the dynamic UAE high-end restaurant industry. Her transformation into a media icon, marked by her roles with ‘Societe’ and ‘City Women,’ has seen her engage with global celebrities...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
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...
PRIIT ALAMÄE
NORTAL, CEO
CHALLENGING THE “BUT” IN DIGITALIZATION Nortal’s story began at the same time the second government of prime minister Mart Laar decided to go all in on digital transformation in 1999, followed by the accession to the European Union in 2004. There was an unwritten societal and political understanding that a...
ALLAN PEASE
MEET MR. BODY LANGUAGE
Hon. Professor Allan Pease, acclaimed as ‘Mr. Body Language,’ is an international best-selling author and body language expert. His expertise, spanning advising executives to authoring bestsellers, provides valuable insights into human interactions. He is a distinguished speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading authors with 18 Top 10...
BART EMBRECHTS
GUMPTION - FOUNDER
You don’t differentiate yourself with technology alone. Our companies make the difference with their experience in the sector, their business insight, and their expertise in proven technologies. Here are a few examples: TheValueChainis known at SAP for their focus on innovation and creativity. They implement a step-by-step plan with online...
JANA KRIMPE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CO-FOUNDER, B.EST SOLUTIONS
Digital transformation is often viewed in terms of platforms, applications, or the latest disruptive technology. But these are only surface layers. The true foundation of a digital society is trust and trust begins with secure digital identity. Without it, governments cannot serve effectively, businesses cannot scale confidently, and citizens are...
LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT
MOT DE MICHEL LESAGE, PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DU RÉSEAU DES CCTT
Innover, c’est se donner la capacité, en tant qu’organisation, d’être au-devant du peloton. Cette position privilégiée nous permet d’exercer une force de traction positive dans notre milieu. Il s’agit d’une force rassemblant les acteurs d’une industrie vers un but commun. Une force de collaboratio indispensable au déploiement et au rayonnement...
FRANK LEYHAUSEN
CEO AF1 GMBH, COLOGNE, GERMANY
In almost all countries of the developed world, the labor market is under pressure. The reason: Demographic change has shrunk the number of people of working age. Seriously? I don’t think so! In Western society, age is and always has been associated with the loss of skills and abilities. For...
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...
DORRI MCWHORTER
PRESIDENT & CEO OF YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
People will be studying the global pandemic’s effects on the workplace for decades to come. The trends it accelerated. The inequality it exposed. The countless challenges and opportunities it created. However, there is one thing that is already perfectly clear, and business leaders in every industry across the country...
KALE NEEDHAM
CEO, SPIRAL DATA
From a research scientist to an analyst, my career journey instilled in me a deep-rooted passion for solving complex problems through data driven insights. It became clear to me that academia wasn’t the path for me to make a tangible difference – I wanted to add significant ‘business changing’ value....
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...
ASH POURNOURI
FOUNDER BRILLIANT MINDS, AVICII, NORDIC ANGELS, SUPER HUMAN NETWORK
I’ve always believed that opportunity isn’t what you have – it’s what you use. And most people never scratch the surface of their own. We wait. We overthink. We hesitate. We look around for someone to tell us that we’re ready, that we’ve earned it, that we’re allowed to go....
JEFF HARRIS
VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP
To me, innovation is more than process and action – it’s a mindset. Innovation exists to break limits and barriers and turn new ideas and concepts into everyday activities. It’s the engine that will address the needs and gaps in our city to drive economic diversification and growth. Innovation is...
HON NICK CHAMPION
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Adelaide and our surrounds are famous for world-class wine, food and cultural attractions and iconic nature experiences. With our close proximity city, abundance of green spaces, world-class vineyards, bustling festival seasons, and pristine beaches, there is no doubt that Adelaide is a great place to live, work and play. But...
Catherine Mounier
Vice-Rectrice à la Recherche, à la Création et à la Diffusion | Vice-President Research - UNIVERSITÉ
English: UQAM joined the university landscape in 1969 and quickly distinguished itself through its commitment to serving society. Fostering entrepreneurship and social impact innovation, the University believes in the concerted ability of social actors to bring about change in response to issues as they arise. Building knowledge together Like many...
Zarak Khan
Behavioral Innovation Director, Maritz
When I started at Maritz as the behavioral innovation director, I was asked to introduce myself on stage to the entire company. I’ll admit, I was brand new, and speaking authentically to this huge group of people was a little intimidating. I decided to talk about my grandfathers, because I...
HARRY ALLEN
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER, STUDIO BANK
A NATIVE’S PERSPECTIVEI love Nashville. As a fifth-generation native, Nashville is the only place I’ve ever called home. And while it’s not the town I grew up in, today’s Nashville has certainly kept me engaged and excited. So I’ve continued to choose Nashville as the place to build my family,...
JOHAN JUHLIN
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF MAVATAR
There’s something profoundly beautiful about entrepreneurship. To throw yourself into the unknown. To build something from nothing. To see an idea, the one you’ve nurtured in your mind, become real in the world. But let me be honest: it’s not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. One...
AARON CHIN
CEO, ORGANIKA HEALTH PRODUCTS
What does that mean?Armed with a sincere drive to help people live healthier, Aaron took to innovation. He saw that the health and wellness industry catered to niche markets and specific demographics. “I wanted to disrupt the health industry. So, we invested in innovation to formulate health products that are...
Dr. Fabrice Brunet
Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) – Vers un système de santé innovant et apprenant / Towards an innovative learning health system Dr. Fabrice BrunetPrésident-Directeur Général du CHUM English: The health care system is facing major challenges and needs to change if it wants to provide optimal health care...
TAMMY BARTON
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, MYBUDGET
It’s about solving real world problems. It’s about inventing, reinventing and trying new things. Having a solid business plan is one thing, but you won’t necessarily know what people want until you start getting out there and testing the market. To me, innovation is really about coming up with a...
NIGEL C. THIJS, SES
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, PHILADELPHIA DIVISION
When I think about the future of innovation, I do not think about a single invention or a single breakthrough. I think about speed, collaboration, and adaptability. Innovation will belong to organizations that can learn quickly, test ideas early, and deliver real results without losing focus on mission impact. Philadelphia...
LARA TABET
THE INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITY
In the glittering world of luxury and fashion, Lara Tabet emerges as a pioneering force, seamlessly bridging her Swiss-honed hospitality expertise with the dynamic UAE high-end restaurant industry. Her transformation into a media icon, marked by her roles with ‘Societe’ and ‘City Women,’ has seen her engage with global celebrities...
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...