Thought Leaders
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
KEISHA HOWARD
FOUNDER, SUGAR GAMERS
Pursuing your dreamsThe gaming industry faces a stumbling block. Playing (and making) games isn’t the only goal of the industry. The gaming industry is Big Business with entrenched systems, processes, and structures. Today’s gaming space inspires and connects people in more ways than ever before and has the power to...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
ROGÉRIO COLAÇO
DEAN, INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TÉCNICO
At Instituto Superior Técnico we believe that although we cannot do more than the bigger ones, although we cannot do better than the best ones, we could be at least as big as the bigger ones and as best as the best ones. And we also believe that we can...
INNOVATE® Utah
Carine Strom Clark
Saas CEO - Public Board Member, Silicon Slopes & Strategic Alliances
Thirty years ago when I started my career at Novell, I never imagined that someday Utah would benefit from a vibrant and amazing technology community, dubbed Silicon Slopes. Back then, technology was a small ecosystem in which super-nerdy coders and geeks – like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael...
INNOVATION Quebec
MARIE CLAUDE LAGACÉ
DIRECTRICE PRINCIPALE, INNOVATION ET TRANSFORMATION SOCIALE
Plus jeune, j’adorais tous les jeux, du hockey bottine avec mon frère jusqu’au jeu d’échecs avec mon père. J’avais une certaine aversion pour l’ennuyant Monopoly, qui prenait invariablement fin lorsqu’une personne (habituellement ma sœur) provoquait la faillite des autres. Pas de tueur à démasquer, pas d’épique bataille navale, de dessins...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
John Oberg
DSW, is a Founder, CEO, Board Director, Advisor, and Investor
John Oberg, DSW, is a Founder, CEO, Board Director, Advisor, and Investor who is trusted by organizations to navigate growth, conflict, and change. He founded two Austin-based healthcare innovators, Sedera, a community-based medical cost-sharing organization, and Precina, a chronic care virtual medical practice. John serves on the board of directors...
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® 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...
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® Nashville
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO, S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My career in the electronics recycling industry is a vehicle to fund my passion. Yes, it excites me to have a profession that reduces e-waste and creates a more sustainable planet. But my true passion is giving back to my community and putting technology in the hands of people who...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
THE HON. DR. SUSAN CLOSE
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AND SPACE INDUSTRIES
South Australia is an innovative, collaborative and forward-thinking state with defence and space manufacturing at the heart of our emerging high-tech economy. Home to a critical mass of defence industry, cutting-edge research and education institutions as well as world-class infrastructure, precincts and advanced manufacturing capability, South Australia is firmly established...
INNOVATE® Nashville
BRIAN MOYER
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE INNOVATION STUDIO
Since the dawn of time, change has proven to be the only constant. In the current digital age, the speed of change has reached a level never seen in the history of the world. One of my favorite quotes is, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives,...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
NAMIR ANANI
PRESIDENT & CEO, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
We live in an era of rapid disruption where global forces are now demanding our full attention. Emerging economies, geopolitical inflections, health risks, cyber threats, and changing employment prospects are now top of mind. Against this backdrop are digital technologies that are accelerating innovations and transforming industries faster than economies...
INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®
Cristina Campos
Country President, Novartis Portugal & Head Integrated Access Programs & Markets Novartis Global Hea
Healthcare is a top priority of an aging society, this industry is key in the development of innovative treatments to address society’s needs and to foster better health, for longer and healthier lives. COVID-19 only made this clearer. With a global scale and deep understanding of healthcare needs, the pharma...
VOICES of the Future
ALEXANDER ALEGRIA-SEIF
THE INTENTIONAL INVESTOR
Alexander Alegria-Seif stands at the crossroads of passion, purpose, and impact, embodying what it means to dream and act with intention. “I’m an impact investor and passionate about creating impact in the world,” he states, heralding a dialogue transcending the mundane. As friends and Harvard Business School alums, our connection...
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® Orlando
David Brim
Marketing Strategist, Entrepreneur, Investor & Founder - Orlando Entrepreneurs
David Brim is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur and investor living in Orlando, Florida. He is a founding partner of Orlando Opportunity Fund (OrlandoOpportunityFund.com), and the founder of Orlando Entrepreneurs (OrlandoEntrepreneurs.org), a network, podcast, and resource center created to connect, cultivate & celebrate Central Florida entrepreneurs. His primary professional focus areas...
INNOVATE® Nashville
David Vulcano
Angel Investor
People are often surprised when they find out “Music City” is not just mega-music companies. In fact, the business ecosystem is very diversified in national and global business, and the greater Nashville area has many home-grown companies as well. The city is fertile soil for startup companies; many of our...
INNOVATE® South Florida
BETH WAGMEISTER
CEO, WAG - WORKPLACE ACCESSIBILITY GROUP
BREAKING BARRIERS: HOW THE WAG EMPOWERS BUSINESSES TO CREATE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS Accessibility as a Catalyst for Innovation In the United States, the employment disparity between deaf and hearing individuals highlights a significant accessibility gap. According to the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC), only 48% of deaf individuals aged...
INNOVATE® San Diego Vol.1
It is no coincidence that Seqster was born in San Diego, a city with an underdog culture where small startups transform into large enterprises that address giant markets. Perfect weather drives innovation—always sunny, 72 degrees, and 70 miles of beaches. Perhaps the combination of unique culture and weather has drawn...
INNOVATE® Phoenix
Paul Johnson
Founder & CEO - Redirect Health
Imagine this… In 2010, 1.8 billion people were connected. Today, 3 billion, and by 2022 – 2025, that number will expand to include every human on the planet, approaching 8 billion humans. Today Solar and renewable energy have become cheaper than coal. 25% of the World’s Power Comes From Renewables....
INNOVATE® South Carolina
HAROLD SINGLETARY
CEO & FOUNDER, BRIGHTMA FARMS INC.
I often tell people that BrightMa didn’t start as a company — it started as a calling. My ancestors were enslaved farmers who worked the same South Carolina soil I walk today. Their sacrifice, resilience, ingenuity, and stewardship of the land are the foundation for everything I do. BrightMa Farms...
INNOVATE® Seattle
FRANÇOIS BANEYX
COMOTION - DIRECTOR AND VICE PROVOST FOR INNOVATION
For over 150 years, the University of Washington (UW) has nurtured scholarly endeavors that have yielded discoveries and inventions with profound effects on people’s lives. From medical devices and vaccines to deep-sea mapping and natural language processing, our researchers have uncovered bold new insights that have pushed the boundaries of...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
DR. GREGORY D. LITTLE
PRESIDENT, MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE
In this life, some our greatest joys and successes are deeply connected to our relationships. It’s easy to remember and see it in our personal lives, but it can be easy to forget in our professional and business lives. All too often, we get mentally and physically stuck behind our...
VOICES of the Future
MARISA PEER
THE POWER OF ENOUGH
As I sit with Marisa Peer, I feel a sense of awe. Her groundbreaking work in Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) not only transforms lives but also reshapes the narrative around mental health and well-being for the future. My conversation with Marisa is a profound privilege. An award-winning therapist with a...
KEISHA HOWARD
FOUNDER, SUGAR GAMERS
Pursuing your dreamsThe gaming industry faces a stumbling block. Playing (and making) games isn’t the only goal of the industry. The gaming industry is Big Business with entrenched systems, processes, and structures. Today’s gaming space inspires and connects people in more ways than ever before and has the power to...
ROGÉRIO COLAÇO
DEAN, INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TÉCNICO
At Instituto Superior Técnico we believe that although we cannot do more than the bigger ones, although we cannot do better than the best ones, we could be at least as big as the bigger ones and as best as the best ones. And we also believe that we can...
Carine Strom Clark
Saas CEO - Public Board Member, Silicon Slopes & Strategic Alliances
Thirty years ago when I started my career at Novell, I never imagined that someday Utah would benefit from a vibrant and amazing technology community, dubbed Silicon Slopes. Back then, technology was a small ecosystem in which super-nerdy coders and geeks – like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael...
MARIE CLAUDE LAGACÉ
DIRECTRICE PRINCIPALE, INNOVATION ET TRANSFORMATION SOCIALE
Plus jeune, j’adorais tous les jeux, du hockey bottine avec mon frère jusqu’au jeu d’échecs avec mon père. J’avais une certaine aversion pour l’ennuyant Monopoly, qui prenait invariablement fin lorsqu’une personne (habituellement ma sœur) provoquait la faillite des autres. Pas de tueur à démasquer, pas d’épique bataille navale, de dessins...
John Oberg
DSW, is a Founder, CEO, Board Director, Advisor, and Investor
John Oberg, DSW, is a Founder, CEO, Board Director, Advisor, and Investor who is trusted by organizations to navigate growth, conflict, and change. He founded two Austin-based healthcare innovators, Sedera, a community-based medical cost-sharing organization, and Precina, a chronic care virtual medical practice. John serves on the board of directors...
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...
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),...
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO, S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My career in the electronics recycling industry is a vehicle to fund my passion. Yes, it excites me to have a profession that reduces e-waste and creates a more sustainable planet. But my true passion is giving back to my community and putting technology in the hands of people who...
THE HON. DR. SUSAN CLOSE
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AND SPACE INDUSTRIES
South Australia is an innovative, collaborative and forward-thinking state with defence and space manufacturing at the heart of our emerging high-tech economy. Home to a critical mass of defence industry, cutting-edge research and education institutions as well as world-class infrastructure, precincts and advanced manufacturing capability, South Australia is firmly established...
BRIAN MOYER
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE INNOVATION STUDIO
Since the dawn of time, change has proven to be the only constant. In the current digital age, the speed of change has reached a level never seen in the history of the world. One of my favorite quotes is, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives,...
NAMIR ANANI
PRESIDENT & CEO, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
We live in an era of rapid disruption where global forces are now demanding our full attention. Emerging economies, geopolitical inflections, health risks, cyber threats, and changing employment prospects are now top of mind. Against this backdrop are digital technologies that are accelerating innovations and transforming industries faster than economies...
Cristina Campos
Country President, Novartis Portugal & Head Integrated Access Programs & Markets Novartis Global Hea
Healthcare is a top priority of an aging society, this industry is key in the development of innovative treatments to address society’s needs and to foster better health, for longer and healthier lives. COVID-19 only made this clearer. With a global scale and deep understanding of healthcare needs, the pharma...
ALEXANDER ALEGRIA-SEIF
THE INTENTIONAL INVESTOR
Alexander Alegria-Seif stands at the crossroads of passion, purpose, and impact, embodying what it means to dream and act with intention. “I’m an impact investor and passionate about creating impact in the world,” he states, heralding a dialogue transcending the mundane. As friends and Harvard Business School alums, our connection...
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...
David Brim
Marketing Strategist, Entrepreneur, Investor & Founder - Orlando Entrepreneurs
David Brim is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur and investor living in Orlando, Florida. He is a founding partner of Orlando Opportunity Fund (OrlandoOpportunityFund.com), and the founder of Orlando Entrepreneurs (OrlandoEntrepreneurs.org), a network, podcast, and resource center created to connect, cultivate & celebrate Central Florida entrepreneurs. His primary professional focus areas...
David Vulcano
Angel Investor
People are often surprised when they find out “Music City” is not just mega-music companies. In fact, the business ecosystem is very diversified in national and global business, and the greater Nashville area has many home-grown companies as well. The city is fertile soil for startup companies; many of our...
BETH WAGMEISTER
CEO, WAG - WORKPLACE ACCESSIBILITY GROUP
BREAKING BARRIERS: HOW THE WAG EMPOWERS BUSINESSES TO CREATE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS Accessibility as a Catalyst for Innovation In the United States, the employment disparity between deaf and hearing individuals highlights a significant accessibility gap. According to the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC), only 48% of deaf individuals aged...
It is no coincidence that Seqster was born in San Diego, a city with an underdog culture where small startups transform into large enterprises that address giant markets. Perfect weather drives innovation—always sunny, 72 degrees, and 70 miles of beaches. Perhaps the combination of unique culture and weather has drawn...
Paul Johnson
Founder & CEO - Redirect Health
Imagine this… In 2010, 1.8 billion people were connected. Today, 3 billion, and by 2022 – 2025, that number will expand to include every human on the planet, approaching 8 billion humans. Today Solar and renewable energy have become cheaper than coal. 25% of the World’s Power Comes From Renewables....
HAROLD SINGLETARY
CEO & FOUNDER, BRIGHTMA FARMS INC.
I often tell people that BrightMa didn’t start as a company — it started as a calling. My ancestors were enslaved farmers who worked the same South Carolina soil I walk today. Their sacrifice, resilience, ingenuity, and stewardship of the land are the foundation for everything I do. BrightMa Farms...
FRANÇOIS BANEYX
COMOTION - DIRECTOR AND VICE PROVOST FOR INNOVATION
For over 150 years, the University of Washington (UW) has nurtured scholarly endeavors that have yielded discoveries and inventions with profound effects on people’s lives. From medical devices and vaccines to deep-sea mapping and natural language processing, our researchers have uncovered bold new insights that have pushed the boundaries of...
DR. GREGORY D. LITTLE
PRESIDENT, MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE
In this life, some our greatest joys and successes are deeply connected to our relationships. It’s easy to remember and see it in our personal lives, but it can be easy to forget in our professional and business lives. All too often, we get mentally and physically stuck behind our...
MARISA PEER
THE POWER OF ENOUGH
As I sit with Marisa Peer, I feel a sense of awe. Her groundbreaking work in Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) not only transforms lives but also reshapes the narrative around mental health and well-being for the future. My conversation with Marisa is a profound privilege. An award-winning therapist with a...