Thought Leaders

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TÕNU ESKO & MIHKEL TAMMO

VICE RECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT & HEAD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The development of research-intensive entrepreneurship in Estonia requires much more than researchers’ good ideas. How can we overcome systemic challenges and find opportunities to transfer research-based solutions from universities into business? The worlds of research and entrepreneurship do not always align. Only around 10% of the population is said to...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

DR MARC-ALAIN WIDDOWSON

DR MARC-ALAIN WIDDOWSON

DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE

In August 2019, I was appointed as the director of The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp. I studied Anthropology and Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University before specialising in epidemiology of infectious diseases. I have lived and worked in eight different countries and on projects around the world, with...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

NICK ADDISON

CEO, ADELAIDE OVAL STADIUM MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Whether in technology, the cost of goods and wages, contracts, regulatory variations, social and environmental change – the list is endless. However, in my opinion, changes in expectations is the most important dynamic. A business staying abreast of things on paper but deaf to a shift in mood from its...

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

FERNANDA TORRE

NEXT AGENTS - CEO & FOUNDING PARTNER

In my journey as a sustainability expert and innovation leader, I’ve come to see a powerful synergy between these two fields. Working across both sustainability and innovation allows us to turn today’s challenges into opportunities, creating solutions that benefit people, communities, and ecosystems alike. Above all, innovation and sustainability must...

INNOVATE™ Bengaluru

Dana Kursh

Israel Partners in Innovative Progress - Innovation Hub India

Partners In Innovative Progress

Israel prides itself in being an Innovative Nation, and has long term diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Mumbai. It chose Bengaluru, with its futuristic ethos, as its third destination to reinforce its economic connection with India. “The bigger economic diplomacy is in creating the right ecosystem involving the best...

INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2

ALEX SHAHRESTANI

ALEX SHAHRESTANI

PROMISE LEGAL

Among attorneys, tech enthusiasts are in short supply. Most legal tech headlines don’t sound like news at all – a judge who doesn’t understand Zoom, a law firm that finally accepts credit card payments, a “new” tool that automates invoicing. Y’all, this is 2022. Why is the bar for legal...

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® Blockchain

Mark Blumenthal

Marc Blumenthal

Synapse VIP Thought Leader

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 seen first hand the passion and creativity that...

VOICES of the Future

CAPITAL CLUB DUBAI

BRIDGING THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR

Capital Club Dubai is a hub of innovation and a crucible for visionary minds shaping the future. As I sit across from Hussain Sultan al Junaidy, the Chairman of this illustrious club, his eyes reflect profound optimism and a relentless drive to propel a business club and a global community...

INNOVATE™ Flanders

SARA BALS

FULL PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE (EMAT) RESEARCH GROUP, UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP.

Patent or publish, protect or disseminate… As a scientist in academia, these are questions I am faced with increasing frequency. We often assume that fundamental science and innovation proceed at different speeds, or even in entirely separate environments. After all, is there really space for innovation within the context of...

Virginia Grant

Virginia Grant

Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals

INNOVATE is a verb and it means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. It is often thought of as it relates to technology, inventions, manufacturing, and business development. It is less often thought of as it relates to culture, social development, diversity,...

INNOVATE® Phoenix

Joan Koerber-Walker

Joan Koerber-Walker

President & CEO - Arizona Bioindustry Association, Inc. (AZBio)

Arizona is home to one of the fastest growing life science sectors in the country. The Greater Phoenix Area is at the center of the action and holds the greatest concentration of life science and healthcare innovators in the state. Health innovations are born as discoveries, are shaped, tested, and...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

STUART COOK

CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, VALLEY NATIONAL BANK

LEVERAGING OUR DIFFERENTIATOR IN THE AGE OF AI – PEOPLEWe are entering a new age of innovation where artificial intelligence will revolutionize the way we work, interact with our customers, and drive business outcomes. It’s going to impact all industries, including banking and financial services. Yet, while everyone rushes up...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Chris Sugden

Chris Sugden

Managing Partner - Edison Partners

At Edison Partners, we believe that there’s no stronger relationship than the one an investor has with an entrepreneur and the management team. Trust and empathy are the foundations to a successful partnership. There’s a reason for that. Mutual understanding is the prerequisite for a great outcome. You each must...

INNOVATE® Georgia

LEVI PERKINS

CEO, HANNIBAL AI

When in the shadows of giants, we assume the path to success is to stand on their shoulders. But in the world of technology, I’ve found that it’s not enough to just stand tall; we must also be nimble, ready to jump to the next giant as the ground shifts...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Monika Radclyffe

Monika Radclyffe

Centre Director - SETSquared Bristol

MONIKA RADCLYFFE – LEADING THE CITY’S TECH CLUSTER GROWTH SETsquared Bristol is the Global No.1 University-led Business Incubator working with the University of Bristol. I have been the Centre Director since 2016, working with over 250 companies, including Bristol Pound, Interactive Scientific, Immersive Labs, YellowDog and Zeetta Networks. Bristol is...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Ryne Cooper

Director of Growth at Data Holdings

Innovation is not the work of one person. It happens when people come together, share ideas, and support each other. Milwaukee is full of individuals and organizations pushing boundaries, taking risks, and making an impact. The real strength of this city lies in its people, their resilience, creativity, and willingness...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

STIJN COENEN

STIJN COENEN

CEO, THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

“The sky is not the limit anymore.” Quite a bold statement, likely to provoke more than a few raised eyebrows or some smug laughter. It is, however, the proud motto and goal of the students that enroll annually in Thomas More’s ICE honours programme, tailored for those students who want...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MICHAEL SHANNON

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA - PRESIDENT

REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION: UNG’s Bold Vision for the Future In an era of unprecedented change, higher education stands at a pivotal crossroads. As thought leaders in this space, we at the University of North Georgia (UNG) are not just adapting to this new landscape—we’re actively shaping it. Our vision is...

VOICES of the Future

BEATA MOŃKA

THE POWER OF PASSION

Beata Mońka is a visionary entrepreneur whose experiences and opinions, explores the nuances life’s work has been a beacon of creativity, connectivity, and transformative leadership. Our conversation, set against the backdrop of a series celebrating the most influential minds of our time, unfolds as a symphony of ideas and insights...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

Miguel Almeida

Miguel Almeida

General Manager, Cisco Portugal

I always like to say that I guide my life, both personally and professionally, by some principles that I learned in the years I practiced Rugby: respect, teamwork, resilience, discipline and the ability to enjoy, at the end of each day, the fruits of what I did with it. It...

INNOVATE® Gainesville

Collin Austin

Collin Austin

Founder - New Scooters 4 Less

Collin Austin Founder – New Scooters 4 Less Collin Austin founded New Scooters 4 Less at the age of 21, which has gone on to become one of the top scooter dealerships in the country. In the last two years he’s also founded Repaint The Wall, a digital media “un-agency,”...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

Dr. Susan Cole

Dr. Susan Cole

President - Montclair State University

New Jersey has long been a destination for talented and ambitious people from all over the world. Its highly diverse population is a rich opportunity for employers, and Montclair State University plays a robust role in providing that population with an excellent higher education in a wide range of fields,...

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...

TÕNU ESKO & MIHKEL TAMMO

VICE RECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT & HEAD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The development of research-intensive entrepreneurship in Estonia requires much more than researchers’ good ideas. How can we overcome systemic challenges and find opportunities to transfer research-based solutions from universities into business? The worlds of research and entrepreneurship do not always align. Only around 10% of the population is said to...

DR MARC-ALAIN WIDDOWSON

DR MARC-ALAIN WIDDOWSON

DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE

In August 2019, I was appointed as the director of The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp. I studied Anthropology and Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University before specialising in epidemiology of infectious diseases. I have lived and worked in eight different countries and on projects around the world, with...

NICK ADDISON

CEO, ADELAIDE OVAL STADIUM MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Whether in technology, the cost of goods and wages, contracts, regulatory variations, social and environmental change – the list is endless. However, in my opinion, changes in expectations is the most important dynamic. A business staying abreast of things on paper but deaf to a shift in mood from its...

FERNANDA TORRE

NEXT AGENTS - CEO & FOUNDING PARTNER

In my journey as a sustainability expert and innovation leader, I’ve come to see a powerful synergy between these two fields. Working across both sustainability and innovation allows us to turn today’s challenges into opportunities, creating solutions that benefit people, communities, and ecosystems alike. Above all, innovation and sustainability must...

Dana Kursh

Israel Partners in Innovative Progress - Innovation Hub India

Partners In Innovative Progress

Israel prides itself in being an Innovative Nation, and has long term diplomatic presence in New Delhi and Mumbai. It chose Bengaluru, with its futuristic ethos, as its third destination to reinforce its economic connection with India. “The bigger economic diplomacy is in creating the right ecosystem involving the best...

ALEX SHAHRESTANI

ALEX SHAHRESTANI

PROMISE LEGAL

Among attorneys, tech enthusiasts are in short supply. Most legal tech headlines don’t sound like news at all – a judge who doesn’t understand Zoom, a law firm that finally accepts credit card payments, a “new” tool that automates invoicing. Y’all, this is 2022. Why is the bar for legal...

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...

Mark Blumenthal

Marc Blumenthal

Synapse VIP Thought Leader

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 seen first hand the passion and creativity that...

CAPITAL CLUB DUBAI

BRIDGING THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR

Capital Club Dubai is a hub of innovation and a crucible for visionary minds shaping the future. As I sit across from Hussain Sultan al Junaidy, the Chairman of this illustrious club, his eyes reflect profound optimism and a relentless drive to propel a business club and a global community...

SARA BALS

FULL PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE (EMAT) RESEARCH GROUP, UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP.

Patent or publish, protect or disseminate… As a scientist in academia, these are questions I am faced with increasing frequency. We often assume that fundamental science and innovation proceed at different speeds, or even in entirely separate environments. After all, is there really space for innovation within the context of...

Virginia Grant

Virginia Grant

Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals

INNOVATE is a verb and it means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. It is often thought of as it relates to technology, inventions, manufacturing, and business development. It is less often thought of as it relates to culture, social development, diversity,...

Joan Koerber-Walker

Joan Koerber-Walker

President & CEO - Arizona Bioindustry Association, Inc. (AZBio)

Arizona is home to one of the fastest growing life science sectors in the country. The Greater Phoenix Area is at the center of the action and holds the greatest concentration of life science and healthcare innovators in the state. Health innovations are born as discoveries, are shaped, tested, and...

STUART COOK

CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, VALLEY NATIONAL BANK

LEVERAGING OUR DIFFERENTIATOR IN THE AGE OF AI – PEOPLEWe are entering a new age of innovation where artificial intelligence will revolutionize the way we work, interact with our customers, and drive business outcomes. It’s going to impact all industries, including banking and financial services. Yet, while everyone rushes up...

Chris Sugden

Chris Sugden

Managing Partner - Edison Partners

At Edison Partners, we believe that there’s no stronger relationship than the one an investor has with an entrepreneur and the management team. Trust and empathy are the foundations to a successful partnership. There’s a reason for that. Mutual understanding is the prerequisite for a great outcome. You each must...

LEVI PERKINS

CEO, HANNIBAL AI

When in the shadows of giants, we assume the path to success is to stand on their shoulders. But in the world of technology, I’ve found that it’s not enough to just stand tall; we must also be nimble, ready to jump to the next giant as the ground shifts...

Monika Radclyffe

Monika Radclyffe

Centre Director - SETSquared Bristol

MONIKA RADCLYFFE – LEADING THE CITY’S TECH CLUSTER GROWTH SETsquared Bristol is the Global No.1 University-led Business Incubator working with the University of Bristol. I have been the Centre Director since 2016, working with over 250 companies, including Bristol Pound, Interactive Scientific, Immersive Labs, YellowDog and Zeetta Networks. Bristol is...

Ryne Cooper

Director of Growth at Data Holdings

Innovation is not the work of one person. It happens when people come together, share ideas, and support each other. Milwaukee is full of individuals and organizations pushing boundaries, taking risks, and making an impact. The real strength of this city lies in its people, their resilience, creativity, and willingness...

STIJN COENEN

STIJN COENEN

CEO, THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

“The sky is not the limit anymore.” Quite a bold statement, likely to provoke more than a few raised eyebrows or some smug laughter. It is, however, the proud motto and goal of the students that enroll annually in Thomas More’s ICE honours programme, tailored for those students who want...

MICHAEL SHANNON

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA - PRESIDENT

REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION: UNG’s Bold Vision for the Future In an era of unprecedented change, higher education stands at a pivotal crossroads. As thought leaders in this space, we at the University of North Georgia (UNG) are not just adapting to this new landscape—we’re actively shaping it. Our vision is...

BEATA MOŃKA

THE POWER OF PASSION

Beata Mońka is a visionary entrepreneur whose experiences and opinions, explores the nuances life’s work has been a beacon of creativity, connectivity, and transformative leadership. Our conversation, set against the backdrop of a series celebrating the most influential minds of our time, unfolds as a symphony of ideas and insights...

Miguel Almeida

Miguel Almeida

General Manager, Cisco Portugal

I always like to say that I guide my life, both personally and professionally, by some principles that I learned in the years I practiced Rugby: respect, teamwork, resilience, discipline and the ability to enjoy, at the end of each day, the fruits of what I did with it. It...

Collin Austin

Collin Austin

Founder - New Scooters 4 Less

Collin Austin Founder – New Scooters 4 Less Collin Austin founded New Scooters 4 Less at the age of 21, which has gone on to become one of the top scooter dealerships in the country. In the last two years he’s also founded Repaint The Wall, a digital media “un-agency,”...

Dr. Susan Cole

Dr. Susan Cole

President - Montclair State University

New Jersey has long been a destination for talented and ambitious people from all over the world. Its highly diverse population is a rich opportunity for employers, and Montclair State University plays a robust role in providing that population with an excellent higher education in a wide range of fields,...

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® Ecosystems