Thought Leaders

INNOVATE® Detroit

BONNIE FAHOOME

CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN CORE DETROIT

Detroit has been an epicenter of innovation for well over a century, leading the world in mass manufacturing, music and industrial design. In 1920, for example, Detroit police officer William Potts was credited with inventing the four-way and three-colored traffic light, a standard still used today for regulating traffic flow...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

PHILIP VON SEGEBADEN

HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS, NOVATRON FUSION GROUP.

Fusion energy—the process that powers the sun—has long been considered the holy grail of clean energy. Unlike traditional nuclear fission, fusion offers the promise of limitless, emission-free power without the hazardous waste. For decades, scientists have worked to make fusion commercially viable, and today, the world is closer than ever...

INNOVATE® San Diego Vol.1

Fred H. Gage

What Is the Next Game-Changing Scientific Idea? That’s the Salk Ethos, and It’s Why We Say That Salk Is Where Cures Begin. San Diego’s scientific leaders include at least a half-dozen world-renowned research institutes (J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Scripps Research and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical...

INNOVATE® Gainesville

Rich Blaser

Rich Blaser

Co-Founder & CO-CEO - Infinite Energy

I can’t think of a better place to start a business than Gainesville. When my business partner and I started here more than 25 years ago, it was the location that drew us. Geographically we’re at the hub of a wheel–just two hours from Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa–so we...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

JOSEPHINE BUYS

JOSEPHINE BUYS

FOUNDING CEO, INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU (IAB SA) AND DIGITAL MEDIA LITERACY ADVOCATE

As a media and marketing pioneer, throughout my career I have been at the forefront of lightning speed change in the advertising and media landscape, from representing several top newspaper and magazine publishers, as they migrated online, to founding CEO of the first and only Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB SA)...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

KRISTINA NOELL

ANACOSTIA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Progress isn’t just a metric; it’s a mindset. I envision a world where art is at the heart of innovation, powering inclusive economic growth and nurturing a vibrant, diverse, and connected society. My journey has been fueled by a lifelong commitment to learning—both through formal education and the invaluable experiences...

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™ Estonia

KADI OJA

HEAD OF FLAGSHIP EVENTS, MINDVALLEY

We live in a paradox. Billions of us are more connected than ever through apps, platforms, and now AI – yet loneliness is at an all-time high. Nearly half of adults worldwide report feeling disconnected from others. If technology connects us, why do so many of us feel so alone?...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Dedicated to the Memory of Edward Cohen

Contributed by Mario M. Casabona, Commissioner Emeritus NJ CS&T

When pioneering educator and entrepreneurial advocate, Edward Cohen passed away in 2019, the State of New Jersey lost a veritable lion of education and technological entrepreneurship. Over 30 years ago, Cohen understood that to revitalize the State’s flagging economy, a fuse had to be lit forging the sectors of higher...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

LAKSHMI SHENOY

LAKSHMI SHENOY

CEO-EMBARC COLLECTIVE

REFLECTING ON THE CURVEBALLS OF 2020 For Embarc Collective, 2020 was defined as an exercise of turning obstacles into opportunity. In January we launched the final component of our value proposition, our 32,000-square-foot physical space. In doing this, we could finally bring our vision of making Embarc Collective the central...

INNOVATE® Gainesville

Christine E. Schmidt

Christine E. Schmidt

J. Crayton Pruitt Family Chair & Department Chair Of Biomedical Engineering - University Of Florida

One of the most important jobs of any leader is to create a vision for what they want to accomplish and to implement a realistic plan to realize that vision. It was fundamentally important to me in executing my vision to identify what voices were not being heard and to...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

Martin Martinez

Martin Martinez

Founder - A-Player Media | Managing Director, Founder - Institute Texas

As a Native Texan, my family has stretched back either 5 or 7 generations (depending on which parent I ask). While the early years of my life were split between San Antonio and Dallas, it wasn’t until I moved to the Texas Capital of Austin where I discovered the meaning...

INNOVATE® Gainesville

Chad Paris

Chad Paris

CEO - Parisleaf

Chad Paris Ceo – Parisleaf I can vividly recall the moment I realized how special Gainesville is. I was in Mexico for my sister’s wedding and feeling homesick for a place I’d only called home for a short time. Beyond the confusion of feeling such a strong connection to a...

INNOVATE® Jacksonville

Jim Stallings

Jim Stallings

CEO - PS27 Ventures

What is your vision for startup culture in Jacksonville? I believe Jax will become a first-tier city for entrepreneurs. We’re well on our way, there’s tremendous momentum and interest. We have all of the basics in place. We’ve been gifted a great natural environment that is a great place to...

INNOVATE® San Antonio

CHARLES WOODIN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GEEKDOM

I forgot about my dream of being part of a city and space my children would one day want to call home. When I learned about Graham Weston’s vision for founding Geekdom, those dreams came flooding back to me. Graham’s overall vision for revitalizing downtown San Antonio was to build...

INNOVATE® South Carolina

DR. TIM HARDEE

PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM

When I reflect on what truly drives me—and what has guided my career in education and leadership—it always comes back to this: helping people discover their purpose and realize their potential. That’s what education is really about. Not just degrees, or job titles, or even economic development. At its core,...

INNOVATE™ Ottawa

Alan Forster

Why do we pursue innovation in health care? The population is aging, and patients are entering the health-care system with more complex health needs. As a leader in world-first health-care research and as a part of the Ottawa community, The Ottawa Hospital pursues health-care innovation to support healthier populations while...

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™ Montréal

Federico Puebla

Desjardin - Become Everyone’s #1 Choice. Be A Socio-Economic Leader. Enrich The Lives Of People And Communities

Directeur Innovation Ouverte - Open Innovation Manager - Mouvement Desjardins

French: ÊTRE PREMIER DANS LE CŒUR DES GENS. DEVENIR UN LEADER SOCIO-ÉCONOMIQUE. ENRICHIR LA VIE DES PERSONNES ET DES COMMUNAUTÉS. VOILÀ, TOUT À LA FOIS, UNE MISSION NOBLE, HUMAINE ET AMBITIEUSE. OUI, NOUS VISONS HAUT. NOUS L’AVONS TOUJOURS FAIT. ET NOUS LE FERONS TOUJOURS PUISQUE NOTRE HISTOIRE EST MARQUÉE DE...

INNOVATE® Seattle

MARIA COLACURCIO,

CEO, SYNDIO

Winning in the Transparency Era Workplace equity has taken on new urgency in today’s era of public salary ranges, pay gap reporting laws, voluntary disclosures by leading global companies, and investor scorecards. Every measure of how you value your people is now on display. This includes pay, performance, promotions, and...

INNOVATE® Georgia

CHRIS DOWNIE

FLEXENTIAL, CEO

Building a Sustainable Future: The Legacy We Leave In my role as CEO of Flexential, I have the privilege and the duty to steer our company towards not just innovation but sustainable innovation. Our industry is at the crossroads of technological advancement and environmental stewardship. We have the unique opportunity...

VOICES of the Future

DR. V. FRANCIS JOHN

THE STARTUP SUPREMO

From the moment I sat down with Dr. V. Francis John, my neighbor and the luminary behind Ztartup.com and Kube VC, it was clear that I was in the presence of a true visionary. His journey is a testament to the transformative power of technology and innovation. Chief Enablement Officer...

INNOVATE™ Bengaluru

Geetha Panda

IWN-Mentoring Involves Leading by Example

Mentoring Involves Leading by Example

As more women reach out for leadership positions within the proliferating innovative companies, mentorship plays a crucial role in nurturing their talent. We spoke to Geetha Panda who contributes as a mentor in her dual roles as the Global Director, Service Desk & Large Platform Security Capability, DXC Technology and...

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...

BONNIE FAHOOME

CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN CORE DETROIT

Detroit has been an epicenter of innovation for well over a century, leading the world in mass manufacturing, music and industrial design. In 1920, for example, Detroit police officer William Potts was credited with inventing the four-way and three-colored traffic light, a standard still used today for regulating traffic flow...

PHILIP VON SEGEBADEN

HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS, NOVATRON FUSION GROUP.

Fusion energy—the process that powers the sun—has long been considered the holy grail of clean energy. Unlike traditional nuclear fission, fusion offers the promise of limitless, emission-free power without the hazardous waste. For decades, scientists have worked to make fusion commercially viable, and today, the world is closer than ever...

Fred H. Gage

What Is the Next Game-Changing Scientific Idea? That’s the Salk Ethos, and It’s Why We Say That Salk Is Where Cures Begin. San Diego’s scientific leaders include at least a half-dozen world-renowned research institutes (J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Scripps Research and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical...

Rich Blaser

Rich Blaser

Co-Founder & CO-CEO - Infinite Energy

I can’t think of a better place to start a business than Gainesville. When my business partner and I started here more than 25 years ago, it was the location that drew us. Geographically we’re at the hub of a wheel–just two hours from Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa–so we...

JOSEPHINE BUYS

JOSEPHINE BUYS

FOUNDING CEO, INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU (IAB SA) AND DIGITAL MEDIA LITERACY ADVOCATE

As a media and marketing pioneer, throughout my career I have been at the forefront of lightning speed change in the advertising and media landscape, from representing several top newspaper and magazine publishers, as they migrated online, to founding CEO of the first and only Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB SA)...

KRISTINA NOELL

ANACOSTIA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Progress isn’t just a metric; it’s a mindset. I envision a world where art is at the heart of innovation, powering inclusive economic growth and nurturing a vibrant, diverse, and connected society. My journey has been fueled by a lifelong commitment to learning—both through formal education and the invaluable experiences...

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...

KADI OJA

HEAD OF FLAGSHIP EVENTS, MINDVALLEY

We live in a paradox. Billions of us are more connected than ever through apps, platforms, and now AI – yet loneliness is at an all-time high. Nearly half of adults worldwide report feeling disconnected from others. If technology connects us, why do so many of us feel so alone?...

Dedicated to the Memory of Edward Cohen

Contributed by Mario M. Casabona, Commissioner Emeritus NJ CS&T

When pioneering educator and entrepreneurial advocate, Edward Cohen passed away in 2019, the State of New Jersey lost a veritable lion of education and technological entrepreneurship. Over 30 years ago, Cohen understood that to revitalize the State’s flagging economy, a fuse had to be lit forging the sectors of higher...

LAKSHMI SHENOY

LAKSHMI SHENOY

CEO-EMBARC COLLECTIVE

REFLECTING ON THE CURVEBALLS OF 2020 For Embarc Collective, 2020 was defined as an exercise of turning obstacles into opportunity. In January we launched the final component of our value proposition, our 32,000-square-foot physical space. In doing this, we could finally bring our vision of making Embarc Collective the central...

Christine E. Schmidt

Christine E. Schmidt

J. Crayton Pruitt Family Chair & Department Chair Of Biomedical Engineering - University Of Florida

One of the most important jobs of any leader is to create a vision for what they want to accomplish and to implement a realistic plan to realize that vision. It was fundamentally important to me in executing my vision to identify what voices were not being heard and to...

Martin Martinez

Martin Martinez

Founder - A-Player Media | Managing Director, Founder - Institute Texas

As a Native Texan, my family has stretched back either 5 or 7 generations (depending on which parent I ask). While the early years of my life were split between San Antonio and Dallas, it wasn’t until I moved to the Texas Capital of Austin where I discovered the meaning...

Chad Paris

Chad Paris

CEO - Parisleaf

Chad Paris Ceo – Parisleaf I can vividly recall the moment I realized how special Gainesville is. I was in Mexico for my sister’s wedding and feeling homesick for a place I’d only called home for a short time. Beyond the confusion of feeling such a strong connection to a...

Jim Stallings

Jim Stallings

CEO - PS27 Ventures

What is your vision for startup culture in Jacksonville? I believe Jax will become a first-tier city for entrepreneurs. We’re well on our way, there’s tremendous momentum and interest. We have all of the basics in place. We’ve been gifted a great natural environment that is a great place to...

CHARLES WOODIN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GEEKDOM

I forgot about my dream of being part of a city and space my children would one day want to call home. When I learned about Graham Weston’s vision for founding Geekdom, those dreams came flooding back to me. Graham’s overall vision for revitalizing downtown San Antonio was to build...

DR. TIM HARDEE

PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM

When I reflect on what truly drives me—and what has guided my career in education and leadership—it always comes back to this: helping people discover their purpose and realize their potential. That’s what education is really about. Not just degrees, or job titles, or even economic development. At its core,...

Alan Forster

Why do we pursue innovation in health care? The population is aging, and patients are entering the health-care system with more complex health needs. As a leader in world-first health-care research and as a part of the Ottawa community, The Ottawa Hospital pursues health-care innovation to support healthier populations while...

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...

Federico Puebla

Desjardin - Become Everyone’s #1 Choice. Be A Socio-Economic Leader. Enrich The Lives Of People And Communities

Directeur Innovation Ouverte - Open Innovation Manager - Mouvement Desjardins

French: ÊTRE PREMIER DANS LE CŒUR DES GENS. DEVENIR UN LEADER SOCIO-ÉCONOMIQUE. ENRICHIR LA VIE DES PERSONNES ET DES COMMUNAUTÉS. VOILÀ, TOUT À LA FOIS, UNE MISSION NOBLE, HUMAINE ET AMBITIEUSE. OUI, NOUS VISONS HAUT. NOUS L’AVONS TOUJOURS FAIT. ET NOUS LE FERONS TOUJOURS PUISQUE NOTRE HISTOIRE EST MARQUÉE DE...

MARIA COLACURCIO,

CEO, SYNDIO

Winning in the Transparency Era Workplace equity has taken on new urgency in today’s era of public salary ranges, pay gap reporting laws, voluntary disclosures by leading global companies, and investor scorecards. Every measure of how you value your people is now on display. This includes pay, performance, promotions, and...

CHRIS DOWNIE

FLEXENTIAL, CEO

Building a Sustainable Future: The Legacy We Leave In my role as CEO of Flexential, I have the privilege and the duty to steer our company towards not just innovation but sustainable innovation. Our industry is at the crossroads of technological advancement and environmental stewardship. We have the unique opportunity...

DR. V. FRANCIS JOHN

THE STARTUP SUPREMO

From the moment I sat down with Dr. V. Francis John, my neighbor and the luminary behind Ztartup.com and Kube VC, it was clear that I was in the presence of a true visionary. His journey is a testament to the transformative power of technology and innovation. Chief Enablement Officer...

Geetha Panda

IWN-Mentoring Involves Leading by Example

Mentoring Involves Leading by Example

As more women reach out for leadership positions within the proliferating innovative companies, mentorship plays a crucial role in nurturing their talent. We spoke to Geetha Panda who contributes as a mentor in her dual roles as the Global Director, Service Desk & Large Platform Security Capability, DXC Technology and...

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® Ecosystems