Thought Leaders

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

ERIC CARTER

ERIC CARTER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT FAST PATHWAY INC

As practicing physicians and frontline workers, my business partner and I were amazed to discover communications between surgical teams and the patient’s family members were not as frequent as they should be. While it can be difficult to communicate with the patient’s family during surgery, because the surgical team is...

AI Québec

GILLES SAVARD

GILLES SAVARD

CEO, IVADO

Data are everywhere: they are drivers of innovation and at the heart of the transformation taking hold all around us. Integral to many enabling technologies now maturing, from cloud computing to the Internet of things, 5G, 3D, augmented reality, robotics and more, these data and their valorization by analysis are...

VOICES of the Future

DR. MARIAM MATAR

A LEGACY OF HEALING

Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...

INNOVATE® Nashville

SAM DAVIDSON

CEO, NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER

Nashville’s rise as an innovation hotspot isn’t an accident; it’s the natural next verse in a city built on collaboration, craft and communities that show up for one another. Over the past decade entrepreneurs have turned “Music City” into a Startup City, translating the co-writing rooms and in-the-round sessions that...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

PEDRO MATIAS

PEDRO MATIAS - EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT, ISQ GROUP

Innovation, innovation, innovation… this has been the watchword over the past few decades, ever since manuals on the subjects of economics and management associated the word “innovation” with developed nations and dynamic, competitive economies. It is a fact that innovation has always existed, not only in modern societies but over...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AARON HARRIS

GLOBAL CTO AT SAGE

In countless ways, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are the often-unsung heroes on the frontlines of the U.S. economy by providing jobs, uplifting communities, and facing the future with optimism and resilience. That’s why I’m so proud that Sage has made such strong commitments on behalf of SMBs to deliver...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

DEREK ARMSTRONG

MANAGER OF INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS, PRAIRIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA (PRAIRIESCAN)

I obviously knew of the proximity to the Rocky Mountains, but I didn’t know about all the wonders such as the Drumheller Valley, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and Jasper National Park. I also didn’t know that Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada. Or that in 2022 it...

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® Tampa Bay Vol.3

Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective-Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective

As a newcomer to the Tampa Bay region, I’ve had the opportunity to spend the past year immersing myself in the entrepreneurial community that has been growing here. Locals understand that Tampa Bay is a great place to live and get to experience that life each day. However, beyond the...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

Douglas Ferguson

Voltage Control - Douglas Ferguson

President

Douglas is an entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 20 years of experience. He is president of Voltage Control, an Austin-based workshop agency that specializes in Design Sprints and innovation workshops. Less talk, more prototypingThe thought of prototyping might be intimidating. The word can conjure something daunting, technical, or elaborate....

INNOVATE™ South Africa

DR. ALISTAIR MOKOENA

DR. ALISTAIR MOKOENA

SOUTH AFRICA COUNTRY DIRECTOR, GOOGLE AND PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE AT NWU BUSINES

Small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) across South Africa are key to unlocking a myriad of job opportunities through innovative thinking and products that seek to solve some of the country’s most pressing needs. But they also face numerous challenges, from funding to networks and access to markets. Perhaps the...

VOICES of the Future

JOSE CORDEIRO

THE DEATH OF DEATH

José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...

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® Washington DMV Edition

NINA ALBERT

DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

As Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable evolution of our city into a hub of innovation and opportunity. Innovation, to me, means leveraging our unique assets and positioning Washington, D.C., at the forefront of America’s economic future. As the nation’s...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

Sheryl Hunter

Sheryl Hunter

Esquire ,Founder & President

Curiosity, Authenticity & Abundance: Characteristics for a successful life and a thriving community. Sheryl Hunter is the President of Hunter Business Law – The Entrepreneur’s Law Firm – which serves growth-focused entrepreneurs and their business enterprises, from newbie founders to serial entrepreneurs and angel investors. In addition to managing her...

INNOVATE™ Logistics

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, and to do so in a way that does not strain our overall quality of life. The focus here must be on sustainability. The aim is to make the best...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

AMIR ELION

THINK BIG LEADERS - CEO, INNOVATION AND AI ADVISOR, SPEAKER

Many years ago, when I was facilitating internal innovation workshops at Motorola, word got out, and executives would ask me to run “The Innovation Workshop” for their teams. I told them that I don’t have an innovation workshop, and that they should tell me what they aiming to achieve, and...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Shaye Mandle

Shaye Mandle

President & CEO - The Medical Alley Association

You might say modern healthcare was invented in Medical Alley more than 150 years ago when the Mayo Clinic set the standard for care delivery. The medical device industry was born here with Medtronic’s founding in 1949. When the relationship between payers and providers needed to change, HMOs were invented...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

DR. CHRISTIAN GUTTMANN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORDIC AI INSTITUTE & SENIOR RESEARCHER, KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET

I wrote my first lines of AI code at 13 on a home computer—little did I know I was joining the earliest wave of AI natives. By 17 I’d launched a startup building intelligent inventory systems so small retailers always knew what was on their shelves before their accountants did—a...

INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1

Thapelo Letsholo

Publishing Partner, Africa & Middle East | Bolden

Publishing Partner, Global Village Publishing Thapelo Letsholo is a Botswana entrepreneur, publisher and former legislator. He leads Global Village Publishing partnerships and initiatives across Africa and the Middle East, advancing a growing portfolio of flagship series, regional editions, bespoke publications and commissioned editorial projects. His work centres on developing publishing platforms...

INNOVATE® Gainesville

Juan Segarra

Innovation Starts with Culture-BuildingThe greater Gainesville area is abuzz with growth, development and activity. From the expansion of major entertainment, restaurant and retail hubs, to the launch of technology start-ups, to the relocation of major biotechnology and life science firms to our area, it’s an exciting time. Innovation is at...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BRONWYN RUTH WILLIAMS

TREND TRANSLATOR: FUTURE FINANCE SPECIALIST, FLUX TRENDS

From my perspective, one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa is a double-edged sword: our ability to cope, even in the midst of crisis and chaos. South Africans are good at dealing with crises. We’ve had practice. For as long as anyone alive can remember, South Africa has leapt...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

JAMES O’HAGAN

FOUNDER & CEO, THE ACADEMY OF ESPORTS

Would you be so quick to shut off your child’s video game system if you knew that it could be a portal to a scholarship at an international university or a career in a billion-dollar industry? What about if it led to a reduction in your child’s anxiety, better connections...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

KATHRYN DE SHIELDS-MOON

KATHRYN DE SHIELDS-MOON

CO-FOUNDER, DIVERTEGA

My ideal future for this industry is one rich in diversity and equality, from developing games and the content within them to more comprehensive professional representation in gaming and esports for minorities and gender minorities. It will take all of us working together to make this reality, and there is...

ERIC CARTER

ERIC CARTER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT FAST PATHWAY INC

As practicing physicians and frontline workers, my business partner and I were amazed to discover communications between surgical teams and the patient’s family members were not as frequent as they should be. While it can be difficult to communicate with the patient’s family during surgery, because the surgical team is...

GILLES SAVARD

GILLES SAVARD

CEO, IVADO

Data are everywhere: they are drivers of innovation and at the heart of the transformation taking hold all around us. Integral to many enabling technologies now maturing, from cloud computing to the Internet of things, 5G, 3D, augmented reality, robotics and more, these data and their valorization by analysis are...

DR. MARIAM MATAR

A LEGACY OF HEALING

Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...

SAM DAVIDSON

CEO, NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER

Nashville’s rise as an innovation hotspot isn’t an accident; it’s the natural next verse in a city built on collaboration, craft and communities that show up for one another. Over the past decade entrepreneurs have turned “Music City” into a Startup City, translating the co-writing rooms and in-the-round sessions that...

PEDRO MATIAS

PEDRO MATIAS - EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT, ISQ GROUP

Innovation, innovation, innovation… this has been the watchword over the past few decades, ever since manuals on the subjects of economics and management associated the word “innovation” with developed nations and dynamic, competitive economies. It is a fact that innovation has always existed, not only in modern societies but over...

AARON HARRIS

GLOBAL CTO AT SAGE

In countless ways, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are the often-unsung heroes on the frontlines of the U.S. economy by providing jobs, uplifting communities, and facing the future with optimism and resilience. That’s why I’m so proud that Sage has made such strong commitments on behalf of SMBs to deliver...

DEREK ARMSTRONG

MANAGER OF INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS, PRAIRIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA (PRAIRIESCAN)

I obviously knew of the proximity to the Rocky Mountains, but I didn’t know about all the wonders such as the Drumheller Valley, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and Jasper National Park. I also didn’t know that Calgary is the third most diverse major city in Canada. Or that in 2022 it...

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...

Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective-Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective

As a newcomer to the Tampa Bay region, I’ve had the opportunity to spend the past year immersing myself in the entrepreneurial community that has been growing here. Locals understand that Tampa Bay is a great place to live and get to experience that life each day. However, beyond the...

Douglas Ferguson

Voltage Control - Douglas Ferguson

President

Douglas is an entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 20 years of experience. He is president of Voltage Control, an Austin-based workshop agency that specializes in Design Sprints and innovation workshops. Less talk, more prototypingThe thought of prototyping might be intimidating. The word can conjure something daunting, technical, or elaborate....

DR. ALISTAIR MOKOENA

DR. ALISTAIR MOKOENA

SOUTH AFRICA COUNTRY DIRECTOR, GOOGLE AND PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE AT NWU BUSINES

Small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) across South Africa are key to unlocking a myriad of job opportunities through innovative thinking and products that seek to solve some of the country’s most pressing needs. But they also face numerous challenges, from funding to networks and access to markets. Perhaps the...

JOSE CORDEIRO

THE DEATH OF DEATH

José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...

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...

NINA ALBERT

DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

As Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable evolution of our city into a hub of innovation and opportunity. Innovation, to me, means leveraging our unique assets and positioning Washington, D.C., at the forefront of America’s economic future. As the nation’s...

Sheryl Hunter

Sheryl Hunter

Esquire ,Founder & President

Curiosity, Authenticity & Abundance: Characteristics for a successful life and a thriving community. Sheryl Hunter is the President of Hunter Business Law – The Entrepreneur’s Law Firm – which serves growth-focused entrepreneurs and their business enterprises, from newbie founders to serial entrepreneurs and angel investors. In addition to managing her...

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, and to do so in a way that does not strain our overall quality of life. The focus here must be on sustainability. The aim is to make the best...

AMIR ELION

THINK BIG LEADERS - CEO, INNOVATION AND AI ADVISOR, SPEAKER

Many years ago, when I was facilitating internal innovation workshops at Motorola, word got out, and executives would ask me to run “The Innovation Workshop” for their teams. I told them that I don’t have an innovation workshop, and that they should tell me what they aiming to achieve, and...

Shaye Mandle

Shaye Mandle

President & CEO - The Medical Alley Association

You might say modern healthcare was invented in Medical Alley more than 150 years ago when the Mayo Clinic set the standard for care delivery. The medical device industry was born here with Medtronic’s founding in 1949. When the relationship between payers and providers needed to change, HMOs were invented...

DR. CHRISTIAN GUTTMANN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORDIC AI INSTITUTE & SENIOR RESEARCHER, KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET

I wrote my first lines of AI code at 13 on a home computer—little did I know I was joining the earliest wave of AI natives. By 17 I’d launched a startup building intelligent inventory systems so small retailers always knew what was on their shelves before their accountants did—a...

Thapelo Letsholo

Publishing Partner, Africa & Middle East | Bolden

Publishing Partner, Global Village Publishing Thapelo Letsholo is a Botswana entrepreneur, publisher and former legislator. He leads Global Village Publishing partnerships and initiatives across Africa and the Middle East, advancing a growing portfolio of flagship series, regional editions, bespoke publications and commissioned editorial projects. His work centres on developing publishing platforms...

Juan Segarra

Innovation Starts with Culture-BuildingThe greater Gainesville area is abuzz with growth, development and activity. From the expansion of major entertainment, restaurant and retail hubs, to the launch of technology start-ups, to the relocation of major biotechnology and life science firms to our area, it’s an exciting time. Innovation is at...

BRONWYN RUTH WILLIAMS

TREND TRANSLATOR: FUTURE FINANCE SPECIALIST, FLUX TRENDS

From my perspective, one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa is a double-edged sword: our ability to cope, even in the midst of crisis and chaos. South Africans are good at dealing with crises. We’ve had practice. For as long as anyone alive can remember, South Africa has leapt...

JAMES O’HAGAN

FOUNDER & CEO, THE ACADEMY OF ESPORTS

Would you be so quick to shut off your child’s video game system if you knew that it could be a portal to a scholarship at an international university or a career in a billion-dollar industry? What about if it led to a reduction in your child’s anxiety, better connections...

KATHRYN DE SHIELDS-MOON

KATHRYN DE SHIELDS-MOON

CO-FOUNDER, DIVERTEGA

My ideal future for this industry is one rich in diversity and equality, from developing games and the content within them to more comprehensive professional representation in gaming and esports for minorities and gender minorities. It will take all of us working together to make this reality, and there is...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems