Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
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...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SARAH DETOMA
AQUATIK ESPORTS - DIRECTOR OF GROWTH
Just over a year ago, I started my journey in the esports industry as an intern. Fast forward to today, and I am the director of an esports/media company while also leading our newest endeavor – Aquatik Studios. Interestingly, Aquatik is my first job post-college. I made sure to take...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
MELODI ASKELÖF
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, SATOCCI
Next stop: Mars. That’s the mindset that drives me. I’m scaling Retail Tech from MENA to the world with Satocci and our Scan & Pay revolution. I’ve spent fifteen years moving between banking, finance, sales and telecom, and here’s what I’ve learned: money always moves faster than the systems built...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
Angelos Angelou
Founder & CEO - International Accelerator (IA)
Everything is bigger and better in Texas (smile) and the same now holds true for the technology hub of Austin. It’s growing, expanding, and changing the landscape of innovation, serving as a catalyst of increasing value. According to the U.S. News & World Report, Austin is the number 1 place...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
KEN POLOTAN
Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
SOFIA M. WESTIN
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, FLÖDE
I grew up in the north of Sweden dreaming of becoming a fashion designer. Like many young creatives, I believed in the magic of making clothes, their power to express, connect, and transform. I worked hard to realize that dream and eventually found myself inside the industry I had once...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
MICHAEL SANDERSON
DIRECTOR - ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE, SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
When talking about innovation and entrepreneurship, we conjure images of revolutionary products and world-changing ideas. What is often missed in the discussion is the impact that these concepts have on the student. To help illustrate and understand this, I think it is important that I share a little bit of...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
MARCO SALINAS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & CO-FOUNDER, HUBBLE
I envision a world where “energy efficiency” is a familiar concept to every single mum and dad. I want transparency in every stage of the construction process, and energy efficiency used as a feature in every property transaction. We want a world where everyone knows the benefits of better energy...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
Wout de Backer
Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina
From South Carolina’s thriving aerospace and automotive hubs to its vibrant academic institutions, I see the ingredients of South Carolina’s transformative growth. We are establishing ourselves as leaders in composites,robotics, manufacturing, batteries, electric power, and autonomous systems. To realize this potential, we must prepare our workforce for a future as...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
PROFESSOR TOM HAJDU
DIRECTOR, SIA FURLER INSTITUTE AND CHAIR OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
As the inaugural director of the Sia Furler Institute and the Chair of Creative Technologies at the University of Adelaide, I have been privileged to be a co-founder of the Art Intelligence Agency — a first-of its-kind convergence of creativity and machine learning. Creativity: The Core CompetencyIn recent years, there...
INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2
MATTHEW UNGER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Have you ever experienced the sinking feeling of discovering that your identity or credit card information has been stolen? I have. As a technologist, this experience led me on a personal journey to create new standards of trust, security, accountability, and privacy for every individual, every business, every transaction. While...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
PETER DEMPSEY
FOUNDER,OWN THE POWER
DISABILITY DRIVES INNOVATIONI want to see this world thriving with innovation, creativity for good. I say Be the change you want to see in the world. When the brain doesn’t work the way it used to, the effects are profound and long lasting. You see, it’s not just about the...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Brian Kornfield
Synapse - Building The Community, One Connection At A Time
Over the last year, I have been asked time and time again about my story: where I came from and why nobody knew my name. While the long answer involves transitioning from life as a rocket scientist to the President of Synapse (a 501c3 working to connect and organize the...
INNOVATE® Nashville
LARRY RUBIN
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN THNKS
Five Things You Need to Create a Highly Successful StartupAn entrepreneur’s journey is never easy. It requires perseverance to make it through the tough times and vision and commitment to stay true to yourself when the unexpected happens. Failure should be an expectation, something that happens every day, from hiring...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
ALEXANDRA FENTON CAAL
SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education At SuperNOVA, our mission is empowering youth through educational experiences in STEM that cultivate curiosity and an attitude for lifelong learning. We are committed to ensuring that youth—regardless of their geographic location, socio-economic situation, ability, or gender—can be inspired through STEM. For youth from...
INNOVATE® Georgia
DR. RAMNATH K. CHELLAPPA
PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
DR. RAMNATH K. CHELLAPPA,PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS &OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT;ASSOCIATE DEAN & ACADEMIC DIRECTOR,MS IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS. AI, BUSINESS & EMORYAmidst all the technological advances, businesses have been struggling to keep up. From Machine Learning to AI to now Large Language Models, the readiness of organizations to adopt these new techniques...
INNOVATE™ Stockholm
RASMUS RAHM
PHD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Sweden has a global reputation for entrepreneurship. We’re a small country, but we’ve produced our fair share of global companies and ideas. People ask ”why?”, seemingly expecting a secret (?) formula. I don’t think there is one. What there is – however – is a lot of trial and error,...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
STEPHEN OEHLEY
FOUNDER, XTENDEVENT.COM
I’m just a boy from Benoni inspired by a loving family and good friends that put values first. My proudest contribution to this world will always be my son Nicholas, who inspires everyone around him. My career has primarily been B2B focused and spanned trade publishing, trade exhibitions, running a...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Lisa Marks-Canty
President & Managing Partner – Nest Global Solutions
Innovation is very important for any company to grow and be successful. However, in order to innovate, a company needs to be able to learn how to monetize its innovation. That means being able to exceed or meet goals by monetizing products, and that happens when companies recognize the needs...
INNOVATE® Minnesota
Teddy Bekele
Chief Technology Officer - LAND O'LAKES, INC.
Teddy Bekele Chief Technology Officer – Land O’ Lakes Inc. At its very heart, farming is filled with uncertainty. Just ask any farmer here in Minnesota who has ever wrapped up harvest amid a list of nearly endless variables, from trade to prices to weather and beyond. But there’s one...
VOICES of the Future
DR. RISA RYGER
EMBRACING CHANGE FOR A VIBRANT FUTURE
In an era where change is our only constant, one woman has taken it upon herself to guide us through the shifting sands of time: Dr. Risa Ryger, a distinguished clinical psychologist, international speaker, and entrepreneur. She has dedicated her life to helping individuals and organizations navigate the often turbulent...
AI Québec
GILLES SAVARD
DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL -IVADO
Moteur d’innovation, les données sont au cœur de la transformation numérique qui s’impose partout. Liées à plusieurs technologies numériques habilitantes arrivant à maturité dont, l’infonuagique, l’internet des objets, le 5G, le 3D, la réalité augmentée, la robotique, etc., ces données et leur valorisation par l’analytique sont les véritables activateurs de...
INNOVATE® Utah
Prof./Dr. Susan R. Madsen
Founding Director - Orin r. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics
Prof./Dr. Susan R. Madsen, Founding Director – Orin r. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics Dr. Susan R. Madsen is the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University and also the Founding Director of the Utah Women &...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
The Water Council
Dean Amhaus, President & CEO
Fifteen years ago, when I became the founding CEO of The Water Council, I brought with me a background in government and nonprofit management. I faced a steep learning curve in understanding water technology and environmental issues. I’m still very much a novice, but over time I’ve learned a thing...
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...
SARAH DETOMA
AQUATIK ESPORTS - DIRECTOR OF GROWTH
Just over a year ago, I started my journey in the esports industry as an intern. Fast forward to today, and I am the director of an esports/media company while also leading our newest endeavor – Aquatik Studios. Interestingly, Aquatik is my first job post-college. I made sure to take...
MELODI ASKELÖF
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, SATOCCI
Next stop: Mars. That’s the mindset that drives me. I’m scaling Retail Tech from MENA to the world with Satocci and our Scan & Pay revolution. I’ve spent fifteen years moving between banking, finance, sales and telecom, and here’s what I’ve learned: money always moves faster than the systems built...
Angelos Angelou
Founder & CEO - International Accelerator (IA)
Everything is bigger and better in Texas (smile) and the same now holds true for the technology hub of Austin. It’s growing, expanding, and changing the landscape of innovation, serving as a catalyst of increasing value. According to the U.S. News & World Report, Austin is the number 1 place...
KEN POLOTAN
Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...
SOFIA M. WESTIN
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, FLÖDE
I grew up in the north of Sweden dreaming of becoming a fashion designer. Like many young creatives, I believed in the magic of making clothes, their power to express, connect, and transform. I worked hard to realize that dream and eventually found myself inside the industry I had once...
MICHAEL SANDERSON
DIRECTOR - ARTHUR L. IRVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE, SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
When talking about innovation and entrepreneurship, we conjure images of revolutionary products and world-changing ideas. What is often missed in the discussion is the impact that these concepts have on the student. To help illustrate and understand this, I think it is important that I share a little bit of...
MARCO SALINAS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & CO-FOUNDER, HUBBLE
I envision a world where “energy efficiency” is a familiar concept to every single mum and dad. I want transparency in every stage of the construction process, and energy efficiency used as a feature in every property transaction. We want a world where everyone knows the benefits of better energy...
Wout de Backer
Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina
From South Carolina’s thriving aerospace and automotive hubs to its vibrant academic institutions, I see the ingredients of South Carolina’s transformative growth. We are establishing ourselves as leaders in composites,robotics, manufacturing, batteries, electric power, and autonomous systems. To realize this potential, we must prepare our workforce for a future as...
PROFESSOR TOM HAJDU
DIRECTOR, SIA FURLER INSTITUTE AND CHAIR OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
As the inaugural director of the Sia Furler Institute and the Chair of Creative Technologies at the University of Adelaide, I have been privileged to be a co-founder of the Art Intelligence Agency — a first-of its-kind convergence of creativity and machine learning. Creativity: The Core CompetencyIn recent years, there...
MATTHEW UNGER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Have you ever experienced the sinking feeling of discovering that your identity or credit card information has been stolen? I have. As a technologist, this experience led me on a personal journey to create new standards of trust, security, accountability, and privacy for every individual, every business, every transaction. While...
PETER DEMPSEY
FOUNDER,OWN THE POWER
DISABILITY DRIVES INNOVATIONI want to see this world thriving with innovation, creativity for good. I say Be the change you want to see in the world. When the brain doesn’t work the way it used to, the effects are profound and long lasting. You see, it’s not just about the...
Brian Kornfield
Synapse - Building The Community, One Connection At A Time
Over the last year, I have been asked time and time again about my story: where I came from and why nobody knew my name. While the long answer involves transitioning from life as a rocket scientist to the President of Synapse (a 501c3 working to connect and organize the...
LARRY RUBIN
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN THNKS
Five Things You Need to Create a Highly Successful StartupAn entrepreneur’s journey is never easy. It requires perseverance to make it through the tough times and vision and commitment to stay true to yourself when the unexpected happens. Failure should be an expectation, something that happens every day, from hiring...
ALEXANDRA FENTON CAAL
SUPERNOVA AT DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SuperNOVA: Empowering Youth Through STEM Education At SuperNOVA, our mission is empowering youth through educational experiences in STEM that cultivate curiosity and an attitude for lifelong learning. We are committed to ensuring that youth—regardless of their geographic location, socio-economic situation, ability, or gender—can be inspired through STEM. For youth from...
DR. RAMNATH K. CHELLAPPA
PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
DR. RAMNATH K. CHELLAPPA,PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS &OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT;ASSOCIATE DEAN & ACADEMIC DIRECTOR,MS IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS. AI, BUSINESS & EMORYAmidst all the technological advances, businesses have been struggling to keep up. From Machine Learning to AI to now Large Language Models, the readiness of organizations to adopt these new techniques...
RASMUS RAHM
PHD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Sweden has a global reputation for entrepreneurship. We’re a small country, but we’ve produced our fair share of global companies and ideas. People ask ”why?”, seemingly expecting a secret (?) formula. I don’t think there is one. What there is – however – is a lot of trial and error,...
STEPHEN OEHLEY
FOUNDER, XTENDEVENT.COM
I’m just a boy from Benoni inspired by a loving family and good friends that put values first. My proudest contribution to this world will always be my son Nicholas, who inspires everyone around him. My career has primarily been B2B focused and spanned trade publishing, trade exhibitions, running a...
Lisa Marks-Canty
President & Managing Partner – Nest Global Solutions
Innovation is very important for any company to grow and be successful. However, in order to innovate, a company needs to be able to learn how to monetize its innovation. That means being able to exceed or meet goals by monetizing products, and that happens when companies recognize the needs...
Teddy Bekele
Chief Technology Officer - LAND O'LAKES, INC.
Teddy Bekele Chief Technology Officer – Land O’ Lakes Inc. At its very heart, farming is filled with uncertainty. Just ask any farmer here in Minnesota who has ever wrapped up harvest amid a list of nearly endless variables, from trade to prices to weather and beyond. But there’s one...
DR. RISA RYGER
EMBRACING CHANGE FOR A VIBRANT FUTURE
In an era where change is our only constant, one woman has taken it upon herself to guide us through the shifting sands of time: Dr. Risa Ryger, a distinguished clinical psychologist, international speaker, and entrepreneur. She has dedicated her life to helping individuals and organizations navigate the often turbulent...
GILLES SAVARD
DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL -IVADO
Moteur d’innovation, les données sont au cœur de la transformation numérique qui s’impose partout. Liées à plusieurs technologies numériques habilitantes arrivant à maturité dont, l’infonuagique, l’internet des objets, le 5G, le 3D, la réalité augmentée, la robotique, etc., ces données et leur valorisation par l’analytique sont les véritables activateurs de...
Prof./Dr. Susan R. Madsen
Founding Director - Orin r. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics
Prof./Dr. Susan R. Madsen, Founding Director – Orin r. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics Dr. Susan R. Madsen is the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership & Ethics in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University and also the Founding Director of the Utah Women &...
The Water Council
Dean Amhaus, President & CEO
Fifteen years ago, when I became the founding CEO of The Water Council, I brought with me a background in government and nonprofit management. I faced a steep learning curve in understanding water technology and environmental issues. I’m still very much a novice, but over time I’ve learned a thing...