Thought Leaders

INNOVATE™ South Africa

CARSTEN REINCKE-COLLON

CARSTEN REINCKE-COLLON

DIRECTOR OF FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES, AGGREKO

Significant efforts are underway across the globe to decarbonise power generation to cut carbon emissions. With roughly 790 million people worldwide without access to electricity and producing dangerous emissions from cooking and heating with open fires, and an expected rise in electricity demand of 57% by 2050 according to Bloomberg...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

Sheryl Hunter

Sheryl Hunter

Esquire ,Founder & President

Curiosity, Authenticity & Abundance: Characteristics for a successful life and a thriving community. Sheryl Hunter is the President of Hunter Business Law – The Entrepreneur’s Law Firm – which serves growth-focused entrepreneurs and their business enterprises, from newbie founders to serial entrepreneurs and angel investors. In addition to managing her...

INNOVATE® Georgia

JAMES WANG

DJJ TECHNOLOGIES NTL, LLC - FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER

In the business world, few principles are more critical than the ones I hold dear: take care of your employees and customers. This ethos, rooted deeply in the Golden Rule, has shaped every aspect of my journey and remains the cornerstone of DJJ Technologies. By treating others how we want...

INNOVATE® Nashville

MATT FORBUSH

FOUNDER OF ZIGY

Zigy was born out of the simple yet often overlooked truth that a business’s success lives or dies at the frontline. While executives may set the strategy, it’s the employees at the counter, on the floor, or behind the wheel who determine whether customers return, sales grow, and brands thrive....

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

ROB NEWPORT

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, WEBURBAN

Over two and half decades ago, I remember first picking up a mouse and keyboard to play Quake on a University lab computer for over eight hours straight. Fast forward to today, and that 3dfx Voodoo graphics card has been replaced with racks of memory laden GPU cards chained to...

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....

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

JR Griggs

JR Griggs - Founder & President Of Red Wall Marketing

Founder & President Of Red Wall Marketing

I’ve had a passion for startups and innovation for a very long time. Actually, ever since I was just a little kid I’ve had that entrepreneurial spirit. I was the kid selling candy at school and mowing lawns on weekends and during summers. I always knew I would own a...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

ALBERTO LUGO

ALBERTO LUGO

PRESIDENT, INVID LLC

  When I first learned to code, I never imagined its profound impact on my life. I was 15 years old when I first learned to discovered software development, and I remember the awe of seeing the computer do what I instructed it to do. I still maintain that same...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

MICHAEL WESTAFER

MICHAEL WESTAFER

FOUNDER & CEO OF ROGER WEST CREATIVE& CODE

I like to think of ourselves as the creative catalysts of innovation. Our own pathway to innovation lies in how we view market disruption through our clients’ eyes. Don’t get me wrong. We do awesome work. Our people are among the best at what they do. We’re regulars on the...

INNOVATE® Detroit

RYAN LANDAU

FOUNDER AND CEO OF PURPOSE JOBS

There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on an irreversible shift in the recruiting industry. Of course the sudden move to remote work (and for some, the eventual transition back to the office) turned the way startups hire on its head. But there was an even greater shift that...

INNOVATE® Phoenix

Justin Gray

Justin Gray

CEO - LeadMD

Introduction Justin Gray is a serial entrepreneur, who has launched four multi-million dollar companies, become a recognized speaker and been published over 350 times throughout his career. Justin is the CEO and founder of LeadMD, a role he’s held for the past ten years. He also co-founded PaidSuite, a SaaS...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

MIKE ABEL

MIKE ABEL

FOUNDING PARTNER: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, M&C SAATCHI GROUP SOUTH AFRICA

Innovation for innovation sake has absolutely no purpose. It requires direction. It needs to convey a message, inspire curiosity, drive real change, shape the future, and influence action. It must have meaning. Combine this with entrepreneurship, and suddenly the world moves forward. Innovation thrives when curious and imaginative people ask...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

HON NAT COOK MP

MINISTER FOR HUMAN SERVICES

“We have little evidence that we are achieving success in one of the core challenges in Australia and internationally – breaking intergenerational cycles of disadvantage in all its forms.” (BetterStart, 2023) The quote above is from a submission by Dr Rhiannon Pilkington and Professor John Lynch to our Royal Commission...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

CARLOS COBIAN

CARLOS COBIAN

FOUNDER AND CEO, GRAVITAL AGENCY

“OUR PASSION IS TO HELP COMPANIES GROW. OUR HIGHEST INTENT IS TO FOSTER A STRONG SERVICE PHILOSOPHY THAT ENSURES OUR CLIENTS ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS THEY SEEK AND DESERVE. WE WANT THEM TO DO WELL BECAUSE WE WANT OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY TO DO WELL. IT’S A WIN-WIN.”– CARLOS COBIAN, FOUNDER AND...

INNOVATE® San Diego Vol.1

Jenn Foster

Jenn Foster

CEO - Elite Online Publishing

We often hear about the groundbreaking moment that inspires people, but for me, it was a series of moments that guided me. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit; it runs in my blood. My grandfather and father were wonderful examples of leadership and the freedom that owning a company brings....

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

OMID EKHLASI

FOUNDER & CEO, TECHARENA

The Power of Gathering Over ten years ago, Techarena began in a small movie theater in southern Sweden. A group of founders stood on stage to pitch their ideas, full of hope and determination. Only eight people came to watch. It would have been easy to feel discouraged, but something...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

WESLEY MATHEWS

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

I’ve been lucky to call many places around the world my home. As a career diplomat, I gained an understanding of life in other countries by experiencing it firsthand. My experiences with different cultures around the globe have afforded me the perspective that guides my professional career and allows me...

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™ Alberta

DR. TERRY ROCK

PRESIDENT AND CEO - PLATFORM CALGARY

In 1988 Calgary hosted the Olympic Winter Games. For sixteen days in February, the rest of the world was introduced to a small prairie city that would continue punching above its weight for years to come. We still hold the remnants of those Olympic Games, but today we have new...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

Soula Parassidis

CEO, LIVING OPERA

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE“It’s cancer.” That’s not a sentence you want to hear your doctor say when you’re only 23 years old. Seven days earlier having graduated with my degree in opera, and now I was sitting in a hospital. They say thyroid cancer is the “best” kind...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

JEFF CRANE

CEO AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, NFT THE MOVIE, LLC

One HeartCreating an NFT movie masterpiece to document inspiring stories made through NFT technology requires a shared vision, goal, and a dedicated team. Blockchain technology may be new to the world, but proven leadership and purpose-driven teams remain the driving heart of success in this novel industry and space. As...

INNOVATE® Phoenix

Neil G. Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano

Greater Phoenix Leadership

“All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

JOHN STOJKA

JOHN STOJKA

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, SERTIFI INC

As entrepreneurs we are risk takers by nature, we shoot for the moon, and swing for the fences. But this attribute can also become our biggest weakness as it leads many entrepreneurs towards the path of frustration and eventual failure. We are all looking for the 10x technology advancement, but...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Marvin Rees

Mayor Of Bristol

Bristol is rapidly attracting a reputation as a sustainable, innovative city with a dynamic culture of talent and innovation. With our world-class universities, high-tech sector, digital expertise and infrastructure, we are well-positioned to embrace this reputation, while ensuring the benefits are shared by all. We know the pace of digitisation...

CARSTEN REINCKE-COLLON

CARSTEN REINCKE-COLLON

DIRECTOR OF FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES, AGGREKO

Significant efforts are underway across the globe to decarbonise power generation to cut carbon emissions. With roughly 790 million people worldwide without access to electricity and producing dangerous emissions from cooking and heating with open fires, and an expected rise in electricity demand of 57% by 2050 according to Bloomberg...

Sheryl Hunter

Sheryl Hunter

Esquire ,Founder & President

Curiosity, Authenticity & Abundance: Characteristics for a successful life and a thriving community. Sheryl Hunter is the President of Hunter Business Law – The Entrepreneur’s Law Firm – which serves growth-focused entrepreneurs and their business enterprises, from newbie founders to serial entrepreneurs and angel investors. In addition to managing her...

JAMES WANG

DJJ TECHNOLOGIES NTL, LLC - FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER

In the business world, few principles are more critical than the ones I hold dear: take care of your employees and customers. This ethos, rooted deeply in the Golden Rule, has shaped every aspect of my journey and remains the cornerstone of DJJ Technologies. By treating others how we want...

MATT FORBUSH

FOUNDER OF ZIGY

Zigy was born out of the simple yet often overlooked truth that a business’s success lives or dies at the frontline. While executives may set the strategy, it’s the employees at the counter, on the floor, or behind the wheel who determine whether customers return, sales grow, and brands thrive....

ROB NEWPORT

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, WEBURBAN

Over two and half decades ago, I remember first picking up a mouse and keyboard to play Quake on a University lab computer for over eight hours straight. Fast forward to today, and that 3dfx Voodoo graphics card has been replaced with racks of memory laden GPU cards chained to...

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....

JR Griggs

JR Griggs - Founder & President Of Red Wall Marketing

Founder & President Of Red Wall Marketing

I’ve had a passion for startups and innovation for a very long time. Actually, ever since I was just a little kid I’ve had that entrepreneurial spirit. I was the kid selling candy at school and mowing lawns on weekends and during summers. I always knew I would own a...

ALBERTO LUGO

ALBERTO LUGO

PRESIDENT, INVID LLC

  When I first learned to code, I never imagined its profound impact on my life. I was 15 years old when I first learned to discovered software development, and I remember the awe of seeing the computer do what I instructed it to do. I still maintain that same...

MICHAEL WESTAFER

MICHAEL WESTAFER

FOUNDER & CEO OF ROGER WEST CREATIVE& CODE

I like to think of ourselves as the creative catalysts of innovation. Our own pathway to innovation lies in how we view market disruption through our clients’ eyes. Don’t get me wrong. We do awesome work. Our people are among the best at what they do. We’re regulars on the...

RYAN LANDAU

FOUNDER AND CEO OF PURPOSE JOBS

There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on an irreversible shift in the recruiting industry. Of course the sudden move to remote work (and for some, the eventual transition back to the office) turned the way startups hire on its head. But there was an even greater shift that...

Justin Gray

Justin Gray

CEO - LeadMD

Introduction Justin Gray is a serial entrepreneur, who has launched four multi-million dollar companies, become a recognized speaker and been published over 350 times throughout his career. Justin is the CEO and founder of LeadMD, a role he’s held for the past ten years. He also co-founded PaidSuite, a SaaS...

MIKE ABEL

MIKE ABEL

FOUNDING PARTNER: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, M&C SAATCHI GROUP SOUTH AFRICA

Innovation for innovation sake has absolutely no purpose. It requires direction. It needs to convey a message, inspire curiosity, drive real change, shape the future, and influence action. It must have meaning. Combine this with entrepreneurship, and suddenly the world moves forward. Innovation thrives when curious and imaginative people ask...

HON NAT COOK MP

MINISTER FOR HUMAN SERVICES

“We have little evidence that we are achieving success in one of the core challenges in Australia and internationally – breaking intergenerational cycles of disadvantage in all its forms.” (BetterStart, 2023) The quote above is from a submission by Dr Rhiannon Pilkington and Professor John Lynch to our Royal Commission...

CARLOS COBIAN

CARLOS COBIAN

FOUNDER AND CEO, GRAVITAL AGENCY

“OUR PASSION IS TO HELP COMPANIES GROW. OUR HIGHEST INTENT IS TO FOSTER A STRONG SERVICE PHILOSOPHY THAT ENSURES OUR CLIENTS ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS THEY SEEK AND DESERVE. WE WANT THEM TO DO WELL BECAUSE WE WANT OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY TO DO WELL. IT’S A WIN-WIN.”– CARLOS COBIAN, FOUNDER AND...

Jenn Foster

Jenn Foster

CEO - Elite Online Publishing

We often hear about the groundbreaking moment that inspires people, but for me, it was a series of moments that guided me. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit; it runs in my blood. My grandfather and father were wonderful examples of leadership and the freedom that owning a company brings....

OMID EKHLASI

FOUNDER & CEO, TECHARENA

The Power of Gathering Over ten years ago, Techarena began in a small movie theater in southern Sweden. A group of founders stood on stage to pitch their ideas, full of hope and determination. Only eight people came to watch. It would have been easy to feel discouraged, but something...

WESLEY MATHEWS

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - CHOOSE NEW JERSEY

I’ve been lucky to call many places around the world my home. As a career diplomat, I gained an understanding of life in other countries by experiencing it firsthand. My experiences with different cultures around the globe have afforded me the perspective that guides my professional career and allows me...

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. TERRY ROCK

PRESIDENT AND CEO - PLATFORM CALGARY

In 1988 Calgary hosted the Olympic Winter Games. For sixteen days in February, the rest of the world was introduced to a small prairie city that would continue punching above its weight for years to come. We still hold the remnants of those Olympic Games, but today we have new...

Soula Parassidis

CEO, LIVING OPERA

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE“It’s cancer.” That’s not a sentence you want to hear your doctor say when you’re only 23 years old. Seven days earlier having graduated with my degree in opera, and now I was sitting in a hospital. They say thyroid cancer is the “best” kind...

JEFF CRANE

CEO AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, NFT THE MOVIE, LLC

One HeartCreating an NFT movie masterpiece to document inspiring stories made through NFT technology requires a shared vision, goal, and a dedicated team. Blockchain technology may be new to the world, but proven leadership and purpose-driven teams remain the driving heart of success in this novel industry and space. As...

Neil G. Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano

Greater Phoenix Leadership

“All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”...

JOHN STOJKA

JOHN STOJKA

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, SERTIFI INC

As entrepreneurs we are risk takers by nature, we shoot for the moon, and swing for the fences. But this attribute can also become our biggest weakness as it leads many entrepreneurs towards the path of frustration and eventual failure. We are all looking for the 10x technology advancement, but...

Marvin Rees

Mayor Of Bristol

Bristol is rapidly attracting a reputation as a sustainable, innovative city with a dynamic culture of talent and innovation. With our world-class universities, high-tech sector, digital expertise and infrastructure, we are well-positioned to embrace this reputation, while ensuring the benefits are shared by all. We know the pace of digitisation...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems