Thought Leaders

INNOVATE™ Alberta

MICHAEL MCKERRACHER,

REGIONAL MANAGING PARTNER, KPMG IN CANADA’S CALGARY OFFICE

Having served as KPMG in Canada’s National Energy leader for 12 years and working in the Calgary marketplace for the past 30 years. I see Alberta uniquely positioned to foster and lead innovation at the intersection of sustainability, energy, and technology. Businesses are presented with opportunities for growth as the...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

NICK ADDISON

CEO, ADELAIDE OVAL STADIUM MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Whether in technology, the cost of goods and wages, contracts, regulatory variations, social and environmental change – the list is endless. However, in my opinion, changes in expectations is the most important dynamic. A business staying abreast of things on paper but deaf to a shift in mood from its...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

JOHN SANEI

JOHN SANEI INC. Building Your Personal Brand: Your Bridge To The Future

FOUNDER, JOHN SANEI INC.

I’m a futures strategist who combines human behaviour and future studies to create keynotes, masterclasses and books that help people, businesses and brands build the courage and clarity they need to forge the future they want. Driven by the real world, by humanity and ‘the now’, as a Futures Strategist...

INNOVATE™ Montréal

Lidia Divry

Lidia Divry

Chief Executive Director, CPA-CMA, MBA - TechnoMontréal

English: Greater Montréal, Québec’s economic heartland, definitely beats in tune with digital innovation. We have one of the richest tech ecosystems in terms of knowledge, know-how, and creativity. A source of great pride for Québec and Canada. We stand out on the global scene with our world-class academic institutions and...

VOICES of the Future

KIARA KAUR

A YOUNG VISIONARY’S MESSAGE FOR TOMORROW

As I engage in conversation with Kiara Kaur, the air fills with an electrifying sense of the future. At just seven years old, Kiara, a prodigious talent and a beacon of hope, articulates her vision with the clarity and passion of a seasoned leader. Her achievements are staggering: the world’s...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

MARTIN MOKGWARE

MARTIN MOKGWARE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BOTSWANA COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY

What does innovation mean to you?Innovation simply means new ways of doing things and bringing in new ideas or improving what already exists to solve challenges brought about by new ways of living. Overtime, the word Innovation is commonly associated with technology for the simple reason that modern life is...

VOICES of the Future

FADI GHANDOUR

THE POWER VISION

In the grand tapestry of influential leaders who have shaped our world, few threads are as vibrant and enduring as the story of Fadi Ghandour. As I sit down with Fadi for our conversation, I’m reminded of his monumental contributions to entrepreneurship and social empowerment. His journey encapsulates the spirit...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

ABDULLAH SNOBAR

ABDULLAH SNOBAR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DMZ AND CEO OF DMZ VENTURES

Let’s be real: Toronto tech has been hitting it out of the park lately. The ecosystem has soared to new highs. Venture funding deals are crushing new records. The GTA is rich with leading innovation hubs. Merger and acquisition activity is revving up. We’re now rated as North America’s fastest-growing...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

GIANNI MAIORANO

GIANNI MAIORANO

CONSULTANT-ONLINE BRAND PROTECTION & DOMAIN NAME SECURITY

Gaming to this point has been a profoundly positive experience that has helped shape my life and who I am today. Providing me community, challenges, identity, entertainment and more, I can safely say I would not be the person I am today without gaming and its continued evolution. Currently, I...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

GILLIAN ALDRIDGE OAM

MAYOR, CITY OF SALISBURY

Our City is the fourth largest economy in the State with a Gross Regional Product of 8.65 billion and more than 8,700 businesses calling Salisbury home, including a host of international firms and flourishing entrepreneurs. We are an important area for the State’s economic growth for population, small business, innovation...

INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®

Karen Roy

Karen Roy

Chief Strategic Officer - Phlexglobal

On joining Phlexglobal in 2007, and becoming immersed in the trial master file (TMF) space, I didn’t imagine that something that seemed to get so little focus (a TMF was really just a paper archive) could turn into such an innovative space. When I started, an eTMF was broadly an...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

DAVID RYAN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SA WATER

At its heart, innovation is a simple concept: to bring to life new ideas that deliver value and benefits. We all live in the realm of ideas, and from small ideas can come big changes. In my experience, people working on the frontline play a leading role in generating ideas...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

KALEV KALLEMETS

CEO, FERMI ENERGIA

THE COURAGE TO BUILD THE FUTURE When we started Fermi Energia in 2019, there were a handful of nuclear experts in Estonia, but not nearly enough for a nuclear power plant. There was no law to regulate nuclear energy. No political support. No clear understanding of which technology to choose,...

INNOVATE® Seattle

KIRBY WINFIELD

ASCEND VC - GENERAL PARTNER

Much like the adoption of electricity, however, the integration of AI into the core of the world’s companies will occur in phases. Initially, vertical (or “applied”) AI point solutions will arise and plug into existing workflows and frameworks. “Copilots” are one great example here; natural language programming and custom LLMs...

INNOVATE® Nashville

YESI SEVILLA

DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

TOM BLOMMAERT

TOM BLOMMAERT

CEO, BLOMMAERT ALUMINIUM CONSTRUCTIONS

I was born in Antwerp, having lived my life in the northern Antwerp suburbs, and still do, now together with my wife and two teenagers. After secondary school, I wanted to pursue a career as a pilot. I therefore studied Mathematics and Science at the University of Brussels, followed by...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

JEVAN FOX

JEVAN FOX

CRO, AGENCY ENTERPRISE

The rate of technological innovation has increased exponentially since the industrial revolution. A 12-second flight along a North Carolina beach led to a moon landing only 66 years later. That staggering pace of development pales in comparison to what has occurred with digital technology in the past decades. That pace...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB-ROCKIES

PERSPECTIVES FROM CDL-ROCKIES’ MENTORS

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...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

KRIS NEYENS

MANAGER INTERNATIONALIZATION AT VIL FLANDERS INNOVATION CLUSTER FOR LOGISTICS

Global logistics is facing strong growth, even in uncertain times, and an ever-increasing demand for quality and speed of service, all while ensuring that our overall quality of life is not strained. The focus here must be on sustainability. The aim is to make the best possible use of integrated...

INNOVATION Quebec

PRÉFACE DE MURIELLE LABERGE

RECTRICE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC EN OUTAOUAIS

L’innovation est intrinsèquement liée à la recherche constante d’amélioration. Elle requiert un esprit créatif et agile pour se concrétiser. C’est cet état d’esprit qui pousse les individus en quête de l’amélioration du bien-être et de la création d’un monde meilleur à se consacrer aux innovations sociales fondées sur des valeurs...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

KATARINA GOSPIC

CO-FOUNDER, EDSVÄRD

FROM STRAWBERRIES TO THE STATES One of my first memories from when I was about 4-years old is about strawberries. I used to close my eyes and imagined one, then another. This little thought experiment was something I became obsessed with. I wanted to be like Lucky Luke, faster than...

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® Kansas City

JESSICA POWELL

OWNER OF SOCIAL BALANCES

I’ve always believed that the most successful people—whether founders, investors, or community leaders—aren’t the ones who know the most or have the most. They’re the ones who give first. They show up, offer help, make introductions, and invest in others long before expecting anything in return. And over time, the...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

Gillan Taddune

Gillan Taddune

Banyan Water, President & CEO

Gillan Taddune is the Chief Executive Officer of Banyan Water. She believes that technology solutions are the most effective way to address critical natural resource issues and has dedicated her career to realizing that vision. Gillan came to Banyan with the belief that water scarcity is a growing global concern...

MICHAEL MCKERRACHER,

REGIONAL MANAGING PARTNER, KPMG IN CANADA’S CALGARY OFFICE

Having served as KPMG in Canada’s National Energy leader for 12 years and working in the Calgary marketplace for the past 30 years. I see Alberta uniquely positioned to foster and lead innovation at the intersection of sustainability, energy, and technology. Businesses are presented with opportunities for growth as the...

NICK ADDISON

CEO, ADELAIDE OVAL STADIUM MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Whether in technology, the cost of goods and wages, contracts, regulatory variations, social and environmental change – the list is endless. However, in my opinion, changes in expectations is the most important dynamic. A business staying abreast of things on paper but deaf to a shift in mood from its...

JOHN SANEI

JOHN SANEI INC. Building Your Personal Brand: Your Bridge To The Future

FOUNDER, JOHN SANEI INC.

I’m a futures strategist who combines human behaviour and future studies to create keynotes, masterclasses and books that help people, businesses and brands build the courage and clarity they need to forge the future they want. Driven by the real world, by humanity and ‘the now’, as a Futures Strategist...

Lidia Divry

Lidia Divry

Chief Executive Director, CPA-CMA, MBA - TechnoMontréal

English: Greater Montréal, Québec’s economic heartland, definitely beats in tune with digital innovation. We have one of the richest tech ecosystems in terms of knowledge, know-how, and creativity. A source of great pride for Québec and Canada. We stand out on the global scene with our world-class academic institutions and...

KIARA KAUR

A YOUNG VISIONARY’S MESSAGE FOR TOMORROW

As I engage in conversation with Kiara Kaur, the air fills with an electrifying sense of the future. At just seven years old, Kiara, a prodigious talent and a beacon of hope, articulates her vision with the clarity and passion of a seasoned leader. Her achievements are staggering: the world’s...

MARTIN MOKGWARE

MARTIN MOKGWARE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BOTSWANA COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY

What does innovation mean to you?Innovation simply means new ways of doing things and bringing in new ideas or improving what already exists to solve challenges brought about by new ways of living. Overtime, the word Innovation is commonly associated with technology for the simple reason that modern life is...

FADI GHANDOUR

THE POWER VISION

In the grand tapestry of influential leaders who have shaped our world, few threads are as vibrant and enduring as the story of Fadi Ghandour. As I sit down with Fadi for our conversation, I’m reminded of his monumental contributions to entrepreneurship and social empowerment. His journey encapsulates the spirit...

ABDULLAH SNOBAR

ABDULLAH SNOBAR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DMZ AND CEO OF DMZ VENTURES

Let’s be real: Toronto tech has been hitting it out of the park lately. The ecosystem has soared to new highs. Venture funding deals are crushing new records. The GTA is rich with leading innovation hubs. Merger and acquisition activity is revving up. We’re now rated as North America’s fastest-growing...

GIANNI MAIORANO

GIANNI MAIORANO

CONSULTANT-ONLINE BRAND PROTECTION & DOMAIN NAME SECURITY

Gaming to this point has been a profoundly positive experience that has helped shape my life and who I am today. Providing me community, challenges, identity, entertainment and more, I can safely say I would not be the person I am today without gaming and its continued evolution. Currently, I...

GILLIAN ALDRIDGE OAM

MAYOR, CITY OF SALISBURY

Our City is the fourth largest economy in the State with a Gross Regional Product of 8.65 billion and more than 8,700 businesses calling Salisbury home, including a host of international firms and flourishing entrepreneurs. We are an important area for the State’s economic growth for population, small business, innovation...

Karen Roy

Karen Roy

Chief Strategic Officer - Phlexglobal

On joining Phlexglobal in 2007, and becoming immersed in the trial master file (TMF) space, I didn’t imagine that something that seemed to get so little focus (a TMF was really just a paper archive) could turn into such an innovative space. When I started, an eTMF was broadly an...

DAVID RYAN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SA WATER

At its heart, innovation is a simple concept: to bring to life new ideas that deliver value and benefits. We all live in the realm of ideas, and from small ideas can come big changes. In my experience, people working on the frontline play a leading role in generating ideas...

KALEV KALLEMETS

CEO, FERMI ENERGIA

THE COURAGE TO BUILD THE FUTURE When we started Fermi Energia in 2019, there were a handful of nuclear experts in Estonia, but not nearly enough for a nuclear power plant. There was no law to regulate nuclear energy. No political support. No clear understanding of which technology to choose,...

KIRBY WINFIELD

ASCEND VC - GENERAL PARTNER

Much like the adoption of electricity, however, the integration of AI into the core of the world’s companies will occur in phases. Initially, vertical (or “applied”) AI point solutions will arise and plug into existing workflows and frameworks. “Copilots” are one great example here; natural language programming and custom LLMs...

YESI SEVILLA

DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...

TOM BLOMMAERT

TOM BLOMMAERT

CEO, BLOMMAERT ALUMINIUM CONSTRUCTIONS

I was born in Antwerp, having lived my life in the northern Antwerp suburbs, and still do, now together with my wife and two teenagers. After secondary school, I wanted to pursue a career as a pilot. I therefore studied Mathematics and Science at the University of Brussels, followed by...

JEVAN FOX

JEVAN FOX

CRO, AGENCY ENTERPRISE

The rate of technological innovation has increased exponentially since the industrial revolution. A 12-second flight along a North Carolina beach led to a moon landing only 66 years later. That staggering pace of development pales in comparison to what has occurred with digital technology in the past decades. That pace...

CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB-ROCKIES

PERSPECTIVES FROM CDL-ROCKIES’ MENTORS

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...

KRIS NEYENS

MANAGER INTERNATIONALIZATION AT VIL FLANDERS INNOVATION CLUSTER FOR LOGISTICS

Global logistics is facing strong growth, even in uncertain times, and an ever-increasing demand for quality and speed of service, all while ensuring that our overall quality of life is not strained. The focus here must be on sustainability. The aim is to make the best possible use of integrated...

PRÉFACE DE MURIELLE LABERGE

RECTRICE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC EN OUTAOUAIS

L’innovation est intrinsèquement liée à la recherche constante d’amélioration. Elle requiert un esprit créatif et agile pour se concrétiser. C’est cet état d’esprit qui pousse les individus en quête de l’amélioration du bien-être et de la création d’un monde meilleur à se consacrer aux innovations sociales fondées sur des valeurs...

KATARINA GOSPIC

CO-FOUNDER, EDSVÄRD

FROM STRAWBERRIES TO THE STATES One of my first memories from when I was about 4-years old is about strawberries. I used to close my eyes and imagined one, then another. This little thought experiment was something I became obsessed with. I wanted to be like Lucky Luke, faster than...

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...

JESSICA POWELL

OWNER OF SOCIAL BALANCES

I’ve always believed that the most successful people—whether founders, investors, or community leaders—aren’t the ones who know the most or have the most. They’re the ones who give first. They show up, offer help, make introductions, and invest in others long before expecting anything in return. And over time, the...

Gillan Taddune

Gillan Taddune

Banyan Water, President & CEO

Gillan Taddune is the Chief Executive Officer of Banyan Water. She believes that technology solutions are the most effective way to address critical natural resource issues and has dedicated her career to realizing that vision. Gillan came to Banyan with the belief that water scarcity is a growing global concern...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems