Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ Estonia
ERKI ANI
CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD, ESTONIAN CLEANTECH ASSOCIATION AND CO-FOUNDER & CEO, JÄLLE TECHNOLOGIES
The technologies that fall under its umbrella shift over time—new breakthroughs emerge, trends take the podium, and success stories in sector X blind us to what’s happening in sectors Y and Z. It gets even trickier when you realize cleantech isn’t just a sector—it’s a mindset. It’s a commitment to...
VOICES of the Future
MARIA DA CONCEICAO
CLIMBING NEW HEIGHTS FOR HUMANITY
Maria Da Conceicao’s eyes sparkle with an intensity that reflects a life of profound challenges and extraordinary achievements. Born in Portugal, Maria’s story began with adversity. At just two years old, her mother fell ill, and an African immigrant cleaner, Maria Cristina Matos, took her under her wing. This new...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ANTHONY DUCA
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, CAVRNUS INC
I have been involved in the 3D computer graphics field for over 25 years and have helped build tools that simplify workflows for creators. Early on in my career, I came to understand that in any industry, creators are the key players driving progress and different perspectives forward. Creators have...
INNOVATION Quebec
KATHY MALAS
Adjointe au Président-directeur général, Pôle d’Innovation
Adjointe au Président-directeur général, Pôle d’Innovation, d’intelligence artificielle et de Projets, direction générale, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). Membre du conseil d’admisnistration, Conseil de l’innovation du Québec. Membre du conseil d’administration, Quartier de l’innovation en santé. Chercheuse professionnelle de la santé, Axe Carrefour de l’innovation, CRCHUM. Professeure associée,...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
RACHEL KORETSKY
FOUNDER & CEO UPACE, CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF DC STARTUP & TECH WEEK
Embracing Community: A Founder’s Journey Through Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship often carries an aura of glamour and excitement, but beneath the surface lies a challenging journey demanding resilience, creativity, and—perhaps most importantly—a strong community of support. As the Founder & CEO of Upace and Co-Founder & Director of DC Startup Week, I’ve...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
SARI KITELYN
DIRECTOR OF ESPORTS AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
Building a successful esports program requires a comprehensive, 360 plan to fully support all aspects of the industry. Most importantly and often overlooked – community. The gaming and esports community is the foundation of this explosive industry. Each game genre has unique community identities, and you’ll find both variations and...
INNOVATE™ Montréal
Alan MacIntosh
Partner, Real Ventures Chairman, OSMO Foundation
The Future Starts Here An entrepreneurial endeavor of consequence is provocatively described as the pursuit of an opportunity beyond the resources you currently control combined with challenges you have yet to imagine. Ten years ago when the Notman Project was conceived, it had many such hallmarks from the discouraging skeptics...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Rui Pedro Almeida
Chair Of The British-Portuguese Chamber Of Commerce
We have worked with both the Portuguese and British Government, local municipalities and several institutions to find solutions and seek out opportunities to local, regional and global challenges and to support the private sector. Our primary mission is to promote bilateral trade and business opportunities between Portugal and the UK...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
WAYNE KARPOFF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT, WILLOWGLEN SYSTEMS
In 1986, I left my position at the University of Alberta to enter the world of high-technology startups. Back then, there were no business support platforms that we enjoy today, such as Startup Edmonton or Platform Calgary. Canadians were cynical of the high-tech sector and assumed it was all in...
INNOVATE™ Montréal
Dr. Fabrice Brunet
Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) – Vers un système de santé innovant et apprenant / Towards an innovative learning health system Dr. Fabrice BrunetPrésident-Directeur Général du CHUM English: The health care system is facing major challenges and needs to change if it wants to provide optimal health care...
VOICES of the Future
DR. ABIR HADDAD
THE FUTURE OF LAW
Challenging the status quo requires a brave voice, one that resounds with a clarity and vision that slices through the din to shape the contours of tomorrow. My conversation with Dr. Abir Haddad, a luminary in the realm of legal transformation, unfurls a narrative rich with rebelliousness, innovation, and a...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
SHAMSH HADI
CEO, ZORROSIGN, INC
Data democratization is an approach to information technology (IT) whereby everyone has access to data, and data systems have few—or no—gatekeepers to that data. Such aspiration goes beyond breaking data free from IT departments, organizational silos, and institutional borders, to even across governments and states. The origins of Bitcoin, for...
INNOVATE® Nashville
YESI SEVILLA
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
GILLIAN ALDRIDGE OAM
MAYOR, CITY OF SALISBURY
Our City is the fourth largest economy in the State with a Gross Regional Product of 8.65 billion and more than 8,700 businesses calling Salisbury home, including a host of international firms and flourishing entrepreneurs. We are an important area for the State’s economic growth for population, small business, innovation...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
KUBA KABACINSKI
OWNER AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF CONSUNET.
My parents brought me to Adelaide from Poland at age 12, attracted by the Australian national values of freedom, respect, equality and a fair go. At age 21, while completing my Information Technology studies at Flinders University, a friend and I bought a fledgling web development business for $200. Nearly...
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™ Vancouver Vol.2
DR. SARAH LUBIK
CHARLES CHANG INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP @ SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Innovation policy around the world puts massive emphasis on the importance of increasing entrepreneurship for economic, and more recently, social impact. In many cases, there is a fairly narrow focus on digital tech-based startups, “tech”- style entrepreneurs, and programming to increase the number of people who act like them. This...
INNOVATE™ Oeiras
Jose Rui Marcelino
CEO - Almadesign
From an early age, I was fascinated with the possibility of materializing, through images or objects, what is created by our imagination and which, without the proper communication tools, exists only in our heads: whether to satisfy a need, solve a problem or just because its beauty inspires us. It...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
MICHAEL MCKERRACHER,
REGIONAL MANAGING PARTNER, KPMG IN CANADA’S CALGARY OFFICE
Having served as KPMG in Canada’s National Energy leader for 12 years and working in the Calgary marketplace for the past 30 years. I see Alberta uniquely positioned to foster and lead innovation at the intersection of sustainability, energy, and technology. Businesses are presented with opportunities for growth as the...
INNOVATE® Jacksonville
Marc Blumenthal
Co-Founder - Synapse Florida Partner
Marc Blumenthal Co-Founder, Synapse Florida Partner, Florida Funders It is hard to believe that it’s been two years since the launch of Synapse. Every day since then has been a validation of our mission: to connect Florida’s innovation communities in a meaningful, purposeful way. As I’ve traveled the state I’ve...
INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo
AMIN YAZDANI
PHD. CSP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND PERFORMANCE (CISWP)
For example, skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet the individuals who build our homes, roads, hospitals, and infrastructure often face preventable risks every day. How can we prolong working lives of our workforce in critical sectors? What if safety solutions were designed for everyone, not just the...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
SHAUN M. ROWLES
Author, The Money revolution
GOLD RUSHOn January 24th, 1848, Swiss-born Johann Sutter was dismayed by the news that his chief mechanic delivered: Gold had been discovered on the site of Sutter’s sawmill. Most readers are aware that this discovery kicked off the “California Gold Rush,” but few ever hear of Sutter’s immediate reaction: “From...
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™ Stockholm
CARIN ERIKSON
FOUNDER OF CUREVO HEALTH
In an age where it’s never been easier to build something flashy, the real challenge is building something useful. Purpose is the anchor in that process. It keeps you honest, focused, and resilient. And surprisingly often, it becomes your unfair advantage. I’ve seen this firsthand at Curevo Health, the company...
ERKI ANI
CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD, ESTONIAN CLEANTECH ASSOCIATION AND CO-FOUNDER & CEO, JÄLLE TECHNOLOGIES
The technologies that fall under its umbrella shift over time—new breakthroughs emerge, trends take the podium, and success stories in sector X blind us to what’s happening in sectors Y and Z. It gets even trickier when you realize cleantech isn’t just a sector—it’s a mindset. It’s a commitment to...
MARIA DA CONCEICAO
CLIMBING NEW HEIGHTS FOR HUMANITY
Maria Da Conceicao’s eyes sparkle with an intensity that reflects a life of profound challenges and extraordinary achievements. Born in Portugal, Maria’s story began with adversity. At just two years old, her mother fell ill, and an African immigrant cleaner, Maria Cristina Matos, took her under her wing. This new...
ANTHONY DUCA
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, CAVRNUS INC
I have been involved in the 3D computer graphics field for over 25 years and have helped build tools that simplify workflows for creators. Early on in my career, I came to understand that in any industry, creators are the key players driving progress and different perspectives forward. Creators have...
KATHY MALAS
Adjointe au Président-directeur général, Pôle d’Innovation
Adjointe au Président-directeur général, Pôle d’Innovation, d’intelligence artificielle et de Projets, direction générale, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). Membre du conseil d’admisnistration, Conseil de l’innovation du Québec. Membre du conseil d’administration, Quartier de l’innovation en santé. Chercheuse professionnelle de la santé, Axe Carrefour de l’innovation, CRCHUM. Professeure associée,...
RACHEL KORETSKY
FOUNDER & CEO UPACE, CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF DC STARTUP & TECH WEEK
Embracing Community: A Founder’s Journey Through Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship often carries an aura of glamour and excitement, but beneath the surface lies a challenging journey demanding resilience, creativity, and—perhaps most importantly—a strong community of support. As the Founder & CEO of Upace and Co-Founder & Director of DC Startup Week, I’ve...
SARI KITELYN
DIRECTOR OF ESPORTS AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
Building a successful esports program requires a comprehensive, 360 plan to fully support all aspects of the industry. Most importantly and often overlooked – community. The gaming and esports community is the foundation of this explosive industry. Each game genre has unique community identities, and you’ll find both variations and...
Alan MacIntosh
Partner, Real Ventures Chairman, OSMO Foundation
The Future Starts Here An entrepreneurial endeavor of consequence is provocatively described as the pursuit of an opportunity beyond the resources you currently control combined with challenges you have yet to imagine. Ten years ago when the Notman Project was conceived, it had many such hallmarks from the discouraging skeptics...
Rui Pedro Almeida
Chair Of The British-Portuguese Chamber Of Commerce
We have worked with both the Portuguese and British Government, local municipalities and several institutions to find solutions and seek out opportunities to local, regional and global challenges and to support the private sector. Our primary mission is to promote bilateral trade and business opportunities between Portugal and the UK...
WAYNE KARPOFF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT, WILLOWGLEN SYSTEMS
In 1986, I left my position at the University of Alberta to enter the world of high-technology startups. Back then, there were no business support platforms that we enjoy today, such as Startup Edmonton or Platform Calgary. Canadians were cynical of the high-tech sector and assumed it was all in...
Dr. Fabrice Brunet
Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) – Vers un système de santé innovant et apprenant / Towards an innovative learning health system Dr. Fabrice BrunetPrésident-Directeur Général du CHUM English: The health care system is facing major challenges and needs to change if it wants to provide optimal health care...
DR. ABIR HADDAD
THE FUTURE OF LAW
Challenging the status quo requires a brave voice, one that resounds with a clarity and vision that slices through the din to shape the contours of tomorrow. My conversation with Dr. Abir Haddad, a luminary in the realm of legal transformation, unfurls a narrative rich with rebelliousness, innovation, and a...
SHAMSH HADI
CEO, ZORROSIGN, INC
Data democratization is an approach to information technology (IT) whereby everyone has access to data, and data systems have few—or no—gatekeepers to that data. Such aspiration goes beyond breaking data free from IT departments, organizational silos, and institutional borders, to even across governments and states. The origins of Bitcoin, for...
YESI SEVILLA
DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT & ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WORDS OF WISDOM:Innovation does not belong to just one industry, just one degree, or just one area of expertise – it belongs to everyone. Solving problems requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. All of us can be empowered to ideate, but our strength is in the collective. I have always thought...
GILLIAN ALDRIDGE OAM
MAYOR, CITY OF SALISBURY
Our City is the fourth largest economy in the State with a Gross Regional Product of 8.65 billion and more than 8,700 businesses calling Salisbury home, including a host of international firms and flourishing entrepreneurs. We are an important area for the State’s economic growth for population, small business, innovation...
KUBA KABACINSKI
OWNER AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF CONSUNET.
My parents brought me to Adelaide from Poland at age 12, attracted by the Australian national values of freedom, respect, equality and a fair go. At age 21, while completing my Information Technology studies at Flinders University, a friend and I bought a fledgling web development business for $200. Nearly...
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...
DR. SARAH LUBIK
CHARLES CHANG INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP @ SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Innovation policy around the world puts massive emphasis on the importance of increasing entrepreneurship for economic, and more recently, social impact. In many cases, there is a fairly narrow focus on digital tech-based startups, “tech”- style entrepreneurs, and programming to increase the number of people who act like them. This...
Jose Rui Marcelino
CEO - Almadesign
From an early age, I was fascinated with the possibility of materializing, through images or objects, what is created by our imagination and which, without the proper communication tools, exists only in our heads: whether to satisfy a need, solve a problem or just because its beauty inspires us. It...
MICHAEL MCKERRACHER,
REGIONAL MANAGING PARTNER, KPMG IN CANADA’S CALGARY OFFICE
Having served as KPMG in Canada’s National Energy leader for 12 years and working in the Calgary marketplace for the past 30 years. I see Alberta uniquely positioned to foster and lead innovation at the intersection of sustainability, energy, and technology. Businesses are presented with opportunities for growth as the...
Marc Blumenthal
Co-Founder - Synapse Florida Partner
Marc Blumenthal Co-Founder, Synapse Florida Partner, Florida Funders It is hard to believe that it’s been two years since the launch of Synapse. Every day since then has been a validation of our mission: to connect Florida’s innovation communities in a meaningful, purposeful way. As I’ve traveled the state I’ve...
AMIN YAZDANI
PHD. CSP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND PERFORMANCE (CISWP)
For example, skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet the individuals who build our homes, roads, hospitals, and infrastructure often face preventable risks every day. How can we prolong working lives of our workforce in critical sectors? What if safety solutions were designed for everyone, not just the...
SHAUN M. ROWLES
Author, The Money revolution
GOLD RUSHOn January 24th, 1848, Swiss-born Johann Sutter was dismayed by the news that his chief mechanic delivered: Gold had been discovered on the site of Sutter’s sawmill. Most readers are aware that this discovery kicked off the “California Gold Rush,” but few ever hear of Sutter’s immediate reaction: “From...
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...
CARIN ERIKSON
FOUNDER OF CUREVO HEALTH
In an age where it’s never been easier to build something flashy, the real challenge is building something useful. Purpose is the anchor in that process. It keeps you honest, focused, and resilient. And surprisingly often, it becomes your unfair advantage. I’ve seen this firsthand at Curevo Health, the company...