Thought Leaders

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...

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,...

AI Québec

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

WYGROUP

WYGROUP - Shaped by curiosity

SHAPED BY CURIOSITY

For the last 20 years, WYgroup has been one of the top leading players in digital marketing, technology, and creativity services in Portugal. We are currently the largest independent group for Marketing and Customer Experience Services in Portugal, with a collaborative framework of 7 companies that – together – can...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

KAROL SEVERIN

SENIOR ANALYST AND CO-FOUNDER AT MIDIA RESEARCH

For an activity (like playing video games) to turn into a publicly-observed competition (like esports), first there needs to be a demand to know who is best. Then, for the competition to grow a mainstream appeal and audiences to expand beyond the initial enthusiasts, it needs to have entertainment value....

Global Innovation Spotlight

DR. JOE PEREZ

SENIOR SYSTEMS ANALYST, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

BALANCING ART AND SCIENCE: THE POWER OF DATA STORYTELLING IN BUSINESS INTELLIGENCEAs a seasoned thought leader in the realm of data analytics and business intelligence, I am passionate about communicating the innovative role of data storytelling in effectively communicating data-driven insights. While different perspectives exist on its nature, some viewing...

INNOVATE® Seattle

LAURA RUDERMAN

CEO, TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE

One of the most pressing challenges is the need for an educated workforce, particularly amid a changing understanding of what that means. Over the last 20 years, creating that workforce centered on STEM fields and getting a bachelor’s degree. It is time to move beyond the “hard hats vs. high...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

MARCY EWALD

Most entrepreneurs we work with, including ourselves, have been building businesses for over a decade. Most are not working on the first business they started either. Even if the concept you’re currently working on doesn’t shake out, the lessons, the networks, and how you respond to success and failure will...

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™ Bristol & Bath

Natasha Swinscoe

Chief Executive, West Of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN)

With over 20 years’ experience in the NHS, Natasha Swinscoe joined the West of England AHSN in 2015 and became Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Under her leadership, the AHSN has earned a reputation for its ambitious, system-wide vision for healthcare innovation and transformation, improving patient care and driving economic...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

MIEKE VERSTRAETEN

MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDUVER

Mieke Verstraeten is a Managing Director at induver, the sixth-largest independent broker on the Belgian insurance market. She, along with her husband Sjarel De Bondt, is also a second-generation shareholder in the company. induver’s vision for insurance is straightforward: individuals or companies should only take insurance for risks they are...

VOICES of the Future

DR. MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

NAVIGATING THE WHEEL OF CHANGE

Professor Marshall Goldsmith stands as a paragon of leadership and executive coaching, his name synonymous with transformative change in business and personal development. As a two-time winner of the Thinkers 50 award for the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World and the world’s #1 Executive Coach, his influence stretches across...

INNOVATE® Georgia

PAIGE NEEDLING

CEO, NEEDLING WORLDWIDE

As organizations look to innovate and stay ahead of the competition, it’s becoming increasingly clear that building a nurturing team and environment is key to driving innovation. A nurturing team is one that feels supported, encouraged, and empowered to take risks and try new things. A nurturing environment is one...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

JOHAN WEIGELT

CEO, KI INNOVATIONS

At KI Innovations, we bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and tangible impact, ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries from Karolinska Institutet (KI) reach patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. With a deep-rooted foundation in one of the world’s leading medical universities, we are committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem where...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

JEREMIE BACON

JEREMIE BACON

ENTREPRENEUR, CEO, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST THE FORGE ADVENTURE PARKS

THREE E’S OF INNOVATION -JEREMIE BACON The things I love to do when I’m not at the office are the things I’d like to do forever. That ambition sparked my vision to build an innovative business centered on purpose, passion, and people. People drive innovation. Everything starts with positive leadership...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

TRAVIS OBERG

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP

In a rapidly changing world, where the boundaries of what is possible continue to expand, the essence of innovation lies at the heart of progress. It is not confined to sterile laboratories or academic institutions; rather, it thrives in vibrant communities where collaboration, creativity, and a sense of place converge....

INNOVATE® South Florida

MELISSA MEDINA

CEO & PRESIDENT, eMERGE AMERICAS

Innovation has been a foundational principle I’ve seen throughout my life. As the first-generation daughter of immigrant parents from Cuba, I learned early on from my parents and grandparents how creative, innovative thinking can help me navigate everyday obstacles and unpredictable circumstances. This drive to continuously innovate and think bigger...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

DR. JONATHAN HALL PHD

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR & CHIEF SCIENTIST, LIFE WHISPERER

STORY & CHALLENGESIn 2016, I was nearing the end of a frontier research project to combine interdisciplinary knowledge to ask if a biological cell could sustain light circulating inside: called ‘whispering gallery modes’. Could we go further, and turn a cell into a laser, with the hope of it being...

INNOVATE® Miami

Mitchell Kaplan

Mitchell Kaplan

Founder - BOOKS & BOOKS

“What I do isn’t just about selling books—it’s about creating spaces and events that bring authors and audiences together.” I was in college when I first imagined opening a bookstore. I had discovered that at the center of most literary movements of the twentieth century, a bookstore was involved. In...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

GARY CONKRIGHT

GARY CONKRIGHT

CO-FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO

A visionary serial entrepreneur, physIQ co-founder, Chairman and CEO Gary Conkright has a passion for taking game-changing technology from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace to solve important problems. A University of Chicago MBA and Purdue Aeronautical Engineer, Gary previously served as the founding CEO and Chairman of SmartSignal (acquired...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Neil Douglas

Neil Douglas - Director

Director, Viper Innovations

When we started our company in 2007, one of the first questions we had to ask ourselves, was where is the best place to be located? The client base for our products and services was international and so our selection did not have to be governed by the location of...

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™ Vancouver Vol.2

SHELLY BARDAI

DIRECTOR, BANKING, RBCx

As a young woman, I had dreams, aspirations and a relentless drive to make my dreams a reality. I landed a job at a startup in my early twenties, and over the next two decades, I witnessed a massive revolution in everything from AI, social media to autonomous vehicles and...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CHRIS BOTHA

CHRIS BOTHA

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARK ADVERTISING

Is it possible to put a price on innovation? Not really. I mean, how do you put a price on something that is in essence non-tangible? And how do we know what the real value of innovation is? It is sadly something that is all too often underappreciated because innovation...

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...

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,...

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

WYGROUP

WYGROUP - Shaped by curiosity

SHAPED BY CURIOSITY

For the last 20 years, WYgroup has been one of the top leading players in digital marketing, technology, and creativity services in Portugal. We are currently the largest independent group for Marketing and Customer Experience Services in Portugal, with a collaborative framework of 7 companies that – together – can...

KAROL SEVERIN

SENIOR ANALYST AND CO-FOUNDER AT MIDIA RESEARCH

For an activity (like playing video games) to turn into a publicly-observed competition (like esports), first there needs to be a demand to know who is best. Then, for the competition to grow a mainstream appeal and audiences to expand beyond the initial enthusiasts, it needs to have entertainment value....

DR. JOE PEREZ

SENIOR SYSTEMS ANALYST, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

BALANCING ART AND SCIENCE: THE POWER OF DATA STORYTELLING IN BUSINESS INTELLIGENCEAs a seasoned thought leader in the realm of data analytics and business intelligence, I am passionate about communicating the innovative role of data storytelling in effectively communicating data-driven insights. While different perspectives exist on its nature, some viewing...

LAURA RUDERMAN

CEO, TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE

One of the most pressing challenges is the need for an educated workforce, particularly amid a changing understanding of what that means. Over the last 20 years, creating that workforce centered on STEM fields and getting a bachelor’s degree. It is time to move beyond the “hard hats vs. high...

MARCY EWALD

Most entrepreneurs we work with, including ourselves, have been building businesses for over a decade. Most are not working on the first business they started either. Even if the concept you’re currently working on doesn’t shake out, the lessons, the networks, and how you respond to success and failure will...

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...

Natasha Swinscoe

Chief Executive, West Of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN)

With over 20 years’ experience in the NHS, Natasha Swinscoe joined the West of England AHSN in 2015 and became Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Under her leadership, the AHSN has earned a reputation for its ambitious, system-wide vision for healthcare innovation and transformation, improving patient care and driving economic...

MIEKE VERSTRAETEN

MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDUVER

Mieke Verstraeten is a Managing Director at induver, the sixth-largest independent broker on the Belgian insurance market. She, along with her husband Sjarel De Bondt, is also a second-generation shareholder in the company. induver’s vision for insurance is straightforward: individuals or companies should only take insurance for risks they are...

DR. MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

NAVIGATING THE WHEEL OF CHANGE

Professor Marshall Goldsmith stands as a paragon of leadership and executive coaching, his name synonymous with transformative change in business and personal development. As a two-time winner of the Thinkers 50 award for the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World and the world’s #1 Executive Coach, his influence stretches across...

PAIGE NEEDLING

CEO, NEEDLING WORLDWIDE

As organizations look to innovate and stay ahead of the competition, it’s becoming increasingly clear that building a nurturing team and environment is key to driving innovation. A nurturing team is one that feels supported, encouraged, and empowered to take risks and try new things. A nurturing environment is one...

JOHAN WEIGELT

CEO, KI INNOVATIONS

At KI Innovations, we bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and tangible impact, ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries from Karolinska Institutet (KI) reach patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. With a deep-rooted foundation in one of the world’s leading medical universities, we are committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem where...

JEREMIE BACON

JEREMIE BACON

ENTREPRENEUR, CEO, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST THE FORGE ADVENTURE PARKS

THREE E’S OF INNOVATION -JEREMIE BACON The things I love to do when I’m not at the office are the things I’d like to do forever. That ambition sparked my vision to build an innovative business centered on purpose, passion, and people. People drive innovation. Everything starts with positive leadership...

TRAVIS OBERG

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP

In a rapidly changing world, where the boundaries of what is possible continue to expand, the essence of innovation lies at the heart of progress. It is not confined to sterile laboratories or academic institutions; rather, it thrives in vibrant communities where collaboration, creativity, and a sense of place converge....

MELISSA MEDINA

CEO & PRESIDENT, eMERGE AMERICAS

Innovation has been a foundational principle I’ve seen throughout my life. As the first-generation daughter of immigrant parents from Cuba, I learned early on from my parents and grandparents how creative, innovative thinking can help me navigate everyday obstacles and unpredictable circumstances. This drive to continuously innovate and think bigger...

DR. JONATHAN HALL PHD

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR & CHIEF SCIENTIST, LIFE WHISPERER

STORY & CHALLENGESIn 2016, I was nearing the end of a frontier research project to combine interdisciplinary knowledge to ask if a biological cell could sustain light circulating inside: called ‘whispering gallery modes’. Could we go further, and turn a cell into a laser, with the hope of it being...

Mitchell Kaplan

Mitchell Kaplan

Founder - BOOKS & BOOKS

“What I do isn’t just about selling books—it’s about creating spaces and events that bring authors and audiences together.” I was in college when I first imagined opening a bookstore. I had discovered that at the center of most literary movements of the twentieth century, a bookstore was involved. In...

GARY CONKRIGHT

GARY CONKRIGHT

CO-FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO

A visionary serial entrepreneur, physIQ co-founder, Chairman and CEO Gary Conkright has a passion for taking game-changing technology from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace to solve important problems. A University of Chicago MBA and Purdue Aeronautical Engineer, Gary previously served as the founding CEO and Chairman of SmartSignal (acquired...

Neil Douglas

Neil Douglas - Director

Director, Viper Innovations

When we started our company in 2007, one of the first questions we had to ask ourselves, was where is the best place to be located? The client base for our products and services was international and so our selection did not have to be governed by the location of...

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...

SHELLY BARDAI

DIRECTOR, BANKING, RBCx

As a young woman, I had dreams, aspirations and a relentless drive to make my dreams a reality. I landed a job at a startup in my early twenties, and over the next two decades, I witnessed a massive revolution in everything from AI, social media to autonomous vehicles and...

CHRIS BOTHA

CHRIS BOTHA

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARK ADVERTISING

Is it possible to put a price on innovation? Not really. I mean, how do you put a price on something that is in essence non-tangible? And how do we know what the real value of innovation is? It is sadly something that is all too often underappreciated because innovation...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems