Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
Ben Shorrock
TechSPARK – Managing Director
TechSPARK Ben Shorrock – Managing Director , At TechSPARK I spend a lot of time speaking to people from across Bristol’s tech cluster. I hear lots of great news stories from people creating companies or products which solve problems and, often, make the world a better place. However, whether speaking...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
MARK MCCLAIN
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, SAILPOINT TECHNOLOGIES
A Perspective on InnovationInnovation can take many forms. For the tech industry, innovation is abusiness tool. This entails engineering new solutions to old problems,designing different approaches and different processes, and creating newstrategies and products to keep the company competitive. Austin hasnurtured a culture of innovation and groomed its tech industry...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
STEVEN COLLENS
CEO, MATTER
I’ve been the chief executive officer at MATTER — the global healthcare innovation hub headquartered in Chicago — since it was founded in 2015. Over the last five years, one of the most interesting dynamics we’ve observed — coming both from entrepreneurs developing novel technologies, as well as from large...
INNOVATE® South Carolina
DartPoints
Brad Alexander, CTO
Unlocking South Carolina’s Tech Potential Growing up surrounded by South Carolina’s rolling hills and vibrant communities, I always believed this state had untapped potential—a potential that extends beyond our scenic beauty and rich history into the dynamic, opportunity-filled world of technology. As someone who has dedicated their career to fostering...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Sue Daugherty
CEO Of Manna
But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...
INNOVATE® Gainesville
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
LAYLA NASR
CEO, MAKILA AI
In both North America and Europe, collaboration between the communities of scientific research and professional practice plays a pivotal role in the advancement of knowledge that benefits society at large. When it comes to technologies, especially artificial intelligence, the diversity of skills and the wealth of knowledge from research communities...
INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1
FRANCISCO PEDRO PRESAS PINTO DE BALSEMÃO
CEO OF IMPRESA
I was born in 1980, I’m married and a proud father of three young children. I joined Impresa in 2009 and became CEO in 2016. My background is in Law (Lisbon and Oxford) and I undertook several international post-grad management courses. I also had a brief spell at the Portuguese...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
KALE NEEDHAM
CEO, SPIRAL DATA
From a research scientist to an analyst, my career journey instilled in me a deep-rooted passion for solving complex problems through data driven insights. It became clear to me that academia wasn’t the path for me to make a tangible difference – I wanted to add significant ‘business changing’ value....
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® Washington DMV Edition
DANTE DISPARTE
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER AND HEAD OF GLOBAL POLICY AT CIRCLE
While many people are preoccupied about the potential risks if digital asset innovations succeed, what are the risks if we fail? Billions of people are relegated to the financial shadows because analog financial services have reached a point of diminishing returns, which would be a terrible societal outcome. I advocate...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
The Hon Peter Malinauskas
Premier of South Australia
They’re all inventions which changed the face of the world. They’re all examples of original and innovative thinking. And they all began as sparks of brilliance in the minds of South Australians. From Sir Howard Florey’s insights into the properties of penicillin and Lancelot de Mole’s development of caterpillar tracks,...
INNOVATE® Miami
Mayor Francis X. Suarez
Mayor of Miami
Innovation and a knowledge-based economy have to be at the forefront of industry in every city in the world. In Miami, we’re doing as much as possible to foster innovation, starting with the government itself. In the U.S., we’re number one for job creation, for startups, and for small-business growth....
INNOVATE™ Flanders
ANNELEEN VANDER ELSTRAETEN
MANAGING PARTNER, FOUR & FIVE
WHY INNOVATORS NEED A NEW BREED OF LAW FIRM When I first started my legal career, founding my own law firm wasn’t even a consideration. I was content working at a top-tier firm, focusing on drafting contracts and managing legal transactions. But everything changed during a business trip to Silicon...
INNOVATE™ Bengaluru
Mohandas Pai
Founder and Chairman of Aarin Capital
There is no question that Mohandas Pai holds strong opinions on an impressive variety of subjects. He walks the talk too, playing key roles in financial governance, democratic processes, civic issues, education, philanthropy and important in the context of this article, as an angel investor and a mentor. “What guides...
INNOVATE® Nashville
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO OF S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My goal as a leader is to create a company culture that is focused on people first. While it has been an incredible honor to be nationally recognized as an executive (for instance, winning the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Southeast Award), I find that I have true fulfillment when...
INNOVATE™ Botswana Vol.1
MESHACK TSHEKEDI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BOTSWANA OIL
Botswana Oil, the state-owned oil utility responsible for the country’s fuel security, is leveraging on research, innovation and partnerships to contribute more towards Botswana’s drive to reduce its carbon emissions. Botswana is a minimal contributor to carbon emissions at global scale, with the last update showing that Africa as a...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
MALCOLM HOWARD
CO-FOUNDER & CTO, METARENA
By day, I build distributed systems as a backend engineer, but in my spare time, I learn and teach about game development using open-source technology. Generally speaking, open-source software is computer software released with a license that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute it. My career in software...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
HEATHER CROALL
DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ADELAIDE FRINGE
Innovation is a core value at Adelaide Fringe. It’s something I’ve focused on since I took on the role as Director and Chief Executive in 2015, implementing an agile and inclusive model to help artists, producers and presenters thrive in South Australia’s arts industry. Adelaide is the ultimate city for...
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...
INNOVATION Quebec
VINCENT ROUSSON
RECTEUR, UQAT
Cependant, pour une université en région comme l’AbitibiTémiscamingue, l’innovation peut jouer un rôle encore plus important dans son développement et dans celui de ses territoires d’attaches. Tout d’abord, l’innovation peut aider à attirer et à retenir les étudiants et les professeurs. En développant des programmes innovants et en offrant des...
INNOVATE® Maryland
RICH BENDIS
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO, BIOHEALTH INNOVATION, INC. (BHI)
Conversations about innovation happen constantly, yet execution rarely receives the same attention. Breakthrough research can capture headlines, attract investment, and signal scientific progress, yet discovery alone rarely builds industries or creates lasting economic growth. The hard work continues after the breakthrough, when ideas must leave the laboratory and prove themselves...
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3
COL (RET) STU BRADIN
GLOBAL SOF FOUNDATION
As I approached my retirement from U.S. Special Operations Command in 2014, I decided to keep serving my nation and the wider Special Operations community through the formation of a new professional SOF association – the Global SOF Foundation (GSF). Since 9/11 U.S. special operations forces (SOF) had over doubled...
INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada
ANNE SPENCE
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ATLANTIC CANADA, MITACS
We have 16 world-class universities and outstanding community colleges here in Atlantic Canada. Our quality of life is second to none. This region is home to hundreds of welcoming communities, abundant natural resources, an exceptionally strong entrepreneurial spirit –and governments that recognize these innate strengths and invest strategically to support...
Ben Shorrock
TechSPARK – Managing Director
TechSPARK Ben Shorrock – Managing Director , At TechSPARK I spend a lot of time speaking to people from across Bristol’s tech cluster. I hear lots of great news stories from people creating companies or products which solve problems and, often, make the world a better place. However, whether speaking...
MARK MCCLAIN
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, SAILPOINT TECHNOLOGIES
A Perspective on InnovationInnovation can take many forms. For the tech industry, innovation is abusiness tool. This entails engineering new solutions to old problems,designing different approaches and different processes, and creating newstrategies and products to keep the company competitive. Austin hasnurtured a culture of innovation and groomed its tech industry...
STEVEN COLLENS
CEO, MATTER
I’ve been the chief executive officer at MATTER — the global healthcare innovation hub headquartered in Chicago — since it was founded in 2015. Over the last five years, one of the most interesting dynamics we’ve observed — coming both from entrepreneurs developing novel technologies, as well as from large...
DartPoints
Brad Alexander, CTO
Unlocking South Carolina’s Tech Potential Growing up surrounded by South Carolina’s rolling hills and vibrant communities, I always believed this state had untapped potential—a potential that extends beyond our scenic beauty and rich history into the dynamic, opportunity-filled world of technology. As someone who has dedicated their career to fostering...
Sue Daugherty
CEO Of Manna
But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...
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...
LAYLA NASR
CEO, MAKILA AI
In both North America and Europe, collaboration between the communities of scientific research and professional practice plays a pivotal role in the advancement of knowledge that benefits society at large. When it comes to technologies, especially artificial intelligence, the diversity of skills and the wealth of knowledge from research communities...
FRANCISCO PEDRO PRESAS PINTO DE BALSEMÃO
CEO OF IMPRESA
I was born in 1980, I’m married and a proud father of three young children. I joined Impresa in 2009 and became CEO in 2016. My background is in Law (Lisbon and Oxford) and I undertook several international post-grad management courses. I also had a brief spell at the Portuguese...
KALE NEEDHAM
CEO, SPIRAL DATA
From a research scientist to an analyst, my career journey instilled in me a deep-rooted passion for solving complex problems through data driven insights. It became clear to me that academia wasn’t the path for me to make a tangible difference – I wanted to add significant ‘business changing’ value....
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 &...
DANTE DISPARTE
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER AND HEAD OF GLOBAL POLICY AT CIRCLE
While many people are preoccupied about the potential risks if digital asset innovations succeed, what are the risks if we fail? Billions of people are relegated to the financial shadows because analog financial services have reached a point of diminishing returns, which would be a terrible societal outcome. I advocate...
The Hon Peter Malinauskas
Premier of South Australia
They’re all inventions which changed the face of the world. They’re all examples of original and innovative thinking. And they all began as sparks of brilliance in the minds of South Australians. From Sir Howard Florey’s insights into the properties of penicillin and Lancelot de Mole’s development of caterpillar tracks,...
Mayor Francis X. Suarez
Mayor of Miami
Innovation and a knowledge-based economy have to be at the forefront of industry in every city in the world. In Miami, we’re doing as much as possible to foster innovation, starting with the government itself. In the U.S., we’re number one for job creation, for startups, and for small-business growth....
ANNELEEN VANDER ELSTRAETEN
MANAGING PARTNER, FOUR & FIVE
WHY INNOVATORS NEED A NEW BREED OF LAW FIRM When I first started my legal career, founding my own law firm wasn’t even a consideration. I was content working at a top-tier firm, focusing on drafting contracts and managing legal transactions. But everything changed during a business trip to Silicon...
Mohandas Pai
Founder and Chairman of Aarin Capital
There is no question that Mohandas Pai holds strong opinions on an impressive variety of subjects. He walks the talk too, playing key roles in financial governance, democratic processes, civic issues, education, philanthropy and important in the context of this article, as an angel investor and a mentor. “What guides...
ROD MCDANIEL
CEO OF S3 RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
My goal as a leader is to create a company culture that is focused on people first. While it has been an incredible honor to be nationally recognized as an executive (for instance, winning the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Southeast Award), I find that I have true fulfillment when...
MESHACK TSHEKEDI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BOTSWANA OIL
Botswana Oil, the state-owned oil utility responsible for the country’s fuel security, is leveraging on research, innovation and partnerships to contribute more towards Botswana’s drive to reduce its carbon emissions. Botswana is a minimal contributor to carbon emissions at global scale, with the last update showing that Africa as a...
MALCOLM HOWARD
CO-FOUNDER & CTO, METARENA
By day, I build distributed systems as a backend engineer, but in my spare time, I learn and teach about game development using open-source technology. Generally speaking, open-source software is computer software released with a license that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute it. My career in software...
HEATHER CROALL
DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ADELAIDE FRINGE
Innovation is a core value at Adelaide Fringe. It’s something I’ve focused on since I took on the role as Director and Chief Executive in 2015, implementing an agile and inclusive model to help artists, producers and presenters thrive in South Australia’s arts industry. Adelaide is the ultimate city for...
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...
VINCENT ROUSSON
RECTEUR, UQAT
Cependant, pour une université en région comme l’AbitibiTémiscamingue, l’innovation peut jouer un rôle encore plus important dans son développement et dans celui de ses territoires d’attaches. Tout d’abord, l’innovation peut aider à attirer et à retenir les étudiants et les professeurs. En développant des programmes innovants et en offrant des...
RICH BENDIS
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO, BIOHEALTH INNOVATION, INC. (BHI)
Conversations about innovation happen constantly, yet execution rarely receives the same attention. Breakthrough research can capture headlines, attract investment, and signal scientific progress, yet discovery alone rarely builds industries or creates lasting economic growth. The hard work continues after the breakthrough, when ideas must leave the laboratory and prove themselves...
COL (RET) STU BRADIN
GLOBAL SOF FOUNDATION
As I approached my retirement from U.S. Special Operations Command in 2014, I decided to keep serving my nation and the wider Special Operations community through the formation of a new professional SOF association – the Global SOF Foundation (GSF). Since 9/11 U.S. special operations forces (SOF) had over doubled...
ANNE SPENCE
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ATLANTIC CANADA, MITACS
We have 16 world-class universities and outstanding community colleges here in Atlantic Canada. Our quality of life is second to none. This region is home to hundreds of welcoming communities, abundant natural resources, an exceptionally strong entrepreneurial spirit –and governments that recognize these innate strengths and invest strategically to support...