Thought Leaders

INNOVATE™ Alberta

SINMI ADEOYE-ESENE

FOUNDER, CEO, DANIOLA & CO-FOUNDER, BIPOC FOUNDATION

As an entrepreneur and innovator, I have embarked on a transformative journey to reshape the mining and tech industry with a bold vision and unwavering determination. It is my firm belief that we have the power to create a future that goes beyond profit margins and embraces the principles of...

Angela Renick

Angela Renick

Owner - A`Vie Events

Angela Renick Owner – A`Vie Events Angela Renick has been planning events in Gainesville for 30 years. She began in 1996 with a part-time wedding coordination business, which has continued to expand over the years. She has planned many events along the way during these years. In 2005, she opened...

INNOVATION Quebec

LAYLA NASR

CEO, MAKILA AI

En Amérique du Nord comme en Europe, la collaboration entre le milieu de la recherche scientifique et le milieu de la pratique professionnelle contribue au développement d’un savoir essentiel et bénéfique pour l’ensemble de la société. En matière de technologies et notamment en ce qui concerne l’intelligence artificielle, la diversité...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Peter Frosch

Peter Frosch

CEO - Greater MSP

Entrepreneurship and innovation aren’t new to Minnesota. They’re the source of our current economic success and the key to even greater future prosperity, equity and growth. We have the potential to be the problem-solving capital of the new economy and the GREATER MSP Partnership is working to make that vision...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

LINDA MACLACHLAN

LINDA MACLACHLAN

FOUNDER, CHAIRPERSON AND PAMELA DIAZ, CEO, PRESIDENT - ENTARA

“Resilience” is a common word heard among the cyber security and IT crowd. Solution providers boast of tools that your business can employ to stay ahead of the pack – because, after all, it’s not the entire herd that’s taken down by a lone predator, but the slowest member. At...

INNOVATE™ Toronto

WELCOME TO INNOVATE TORONTO

MAYOR JOHN TORY

From within these pages you will be introduced to many of the visionaries and innovators who call our city home and are changing the world through work and research being done at some of our world renowned institutions such as MaRS Discovery District, the University of Toronto, and University Health...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

Eduardo Baptista Correia

CEO, Taguspark

Development and innovation are close concepts that are at the basis of the evolution of mankind. If we look at this evolution we see that development is essentially felt in a stable set of elements: the ways in which we communicate, how we obtain information and learn, how we move...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

DR. NIMA ZIRAKNEJAD – FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NZ TECHNOLOGIES

DR. NIMA ZIRAKNEJAD – FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NZ TECHNOLOGIES

Can we convert high-touch surfaces in such public spaces into safer and more hygienic areas? Research has shown that elevator buttons have caused the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 taught us that we need to eliminate high-touch surfaces. Through the pandemic, we developed an awareness to remain as hygienic as possible...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

ANKUR D. MAHAJAN

CO-FOUNDER, PULP SHRED

My wife inscribed this quote on a plaque for me as a gift. The profundity, yet the simplicity, of the message hits home for me. It also puts into perspective my priorities in life. We all have our fears and blinders. Sometimes we may get swayed by things that are...

INNOVATE™ Vancouver Vol.2

Jeanette Jackson

Jeanette Jackson

CEO, Foresight CAC: Canada’s Future Economy is Innovative, Green and Cleantech Dri

The Economy is Transforming As the world shifts into a zero-emission sustainable economy, there will be a transformation of the entire infrastructure of our society.  Canada has a role to play in this shift, and I believe British Columbia should take a profound and pivotable leadership role in this transition....

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

William Britton

AutonoMe-Getting The Right Levels Of Support For People With Learning Disabilities

AutonoMe - Founder

Prior to Founding AutonoMe William was a local lecturer teaching adults with Learning Disabilities and Autism for a number of years. It was here that he established his passion and began to see the world through the eyes of people with Learning Disabilities. This helped William see how his skills...

INNOVATE® Georgia

AMY BARBIERI

FOUNDING PARTNER, PRESIDENT, AND CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER, VITAL4

To all my fellow dreamers and doers, let me take you on a journey—a journey filled with challenges, triumphs, and the relentless pursuit of innovation. My name is Amy, and I am not just a female entrepreneur and tech founder, but a student of life and an example of resilience...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Lance Bachmann

Lance Bachmann: Thought Leader Of 1SEO

Thought Leader Of 1SEO

For a city with a wealth of history behind it, it continues to propel itself forward and arrive at the forefront of innovation. The transformation of both Philadelphia and digital marketing within the 21st century alone is exhilarating, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The ecosystem made up...

INNOVATE® St. Louis

Zarak Khan

Zarak Khan

Behavioral Innovation Director, Maritz

When I started at Maritz as the behavioral innovation director, I was asked to introduce myself on stage to the entire company. I’ll admit, I was brand new, and speaking authentically to this huge group of people was a little intimidating. I decided to talk about my grandfathers, because I...

INNOVATION Quebec

LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT

MOT DE MICHEL LESAGE, PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DU RÉSEAU DES CCTT

Innover, c’est se donner la capacité, en tant qu’organisation, d’être au-devant du peloton. Cette position privilégiée nous permet d’exercer une force de traction positive dans notre milieu. Il s’agit d’une force rassemblant les acteurs d’une industrie vers un but commun. Une force de collaboratio indispensable au déploiement et au rayonnement...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

KATHRYN DAVIS

KATHRYN DAVIS

HEAD OF TOURISM - DESTINATION BRISTOL AND INTERIM CEO - VISIT BATH

Most of my career has been spent working within the visitor economy in some form or other; events, hotels, and venues but for the last 21 years, this has been within Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). There are forms of DMOs across the UK and the world, with all of us...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

IGNACIO ALVAREZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF POPULAR INC.

Technological advances, changing customer expectations and a rapidly evolving competitive landscape have made innovation not a choice, but a requirement to remain competitive at every level. Countries, companies and individuals must constantly question the present and aspire to make the future better. Because innovation is not an end in itself;...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

FRANCIS J. GIANTOMASI

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, CSG LAW

Francis J. Giantomasi (Frank), a member of the Executive Committee of CSG Law, plays a critical role in the firm’s Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group. Over the course of his career, Frank has guided clients through a wide variety of planning, zoning and development projects throughout the Garden...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

BIG LEADERSHIP TEAM

BIG LEADERSHIP TEAM -BRISTOL INNOVATORS GROUP

BRISTOL INNOVATORS GROUP

In Spring 2019, two of our team – Charlie Widdows and Rob Sheffield – discussed how to create a network that would focus on innovation across Bristol. They had an intuitive sense that this was needed, but lacked the time and resource to turn the idea into reality. Then in...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective-Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective

As a newcomer to the Tampa Bay region, I’ve had the opportunity to spend the past year immersing myself in the entrepreneurial community that has been growing here. Locals understand that Tampa Bay is a great place to live and get to experience that life each day. However, beyond the...

Andrew Rae

Andrew Rae

Woodgreen Ventures - Encouraging Trend Line is in Great Opposition to a Historical Strug

Encouraging Trend Line is in Great Opposition to a Historical Struggle this City and Country has Faced at Multiple Levels Andrew is a former biotechnology equities analyst and a serial entrepreneur. Mr. Rae has partnered with many leading biopharmaceutical companies globally, including Ionis, Alexion and AstraZeneca, and has invested in...

INNOVATION Quebec

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL, CQRDA

L’idée de contribuer à l’épanouissement du Québec est la raison pour laquelle je m’implique dans le monde passionnant de l’innovation. Cette implication est, selon moi, la voie pour assurer une approche incontournable et essentielle à nos ambitions collectives, afin de devenir une plaque tournante dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe de...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

MORNE J VENTER

MORNE J VENTER

MANAGING DIRECTOR, RECO.

“Invention is the most important product of man’s creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.”- Nikola Tesla “Our mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with...

INNOVATE® Nashville

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...

SINMI ADEOYE-ESENE

FOUNDER, CEO, DANIOLA & CO-FOUNDER, BIPOC FOUNDATION

As an entrepreneur and innovator, I have embarked on a transformative journey to reshape the mining and tech industry with a bold vision and unwavering determination. It is my firm belief that we have the power to create a future that goes beyond profit margins and embraces the principles of...

Angela Renick

Angela Renick

Owner - A`Vie Events

Angela Renick Owner – A`Vie Events Angela Renick has been planning events in Gainesville for 30 years. She began in 1996 with a part-time wedding coordination business, which has continued to expand over the years. She has planned many events along the way during these years. In 2005, she opened...

LAYLA NASR

CEO, MAKILA AI

En Amérique du Nord comme en Europe, la collaboration entre le milieu de la recherche scientifique et le milieu de la pratique professionnelle contribue au développement d’un savoir essentiel et bénéfique pour l’ensemble de la société. En matière de technologies et notamment en ce qui concerne l’intelligence artificielle, la diversité...

Peter Frosch

Peter Frosch

CEO - Greater MSP

Entrepreneurship and innovation aren’t new to Minnesota. They’re the source of our current economic success and the key to even greater future prosperity, equity and growth. We have the potential to be the problem-solving capital of the new economy and the GREATER MSP Partnership is working to make that vision...

LINDA MACLACHLAN

LINDA MACLACHLAN

FOUNDER, CHAIRPERSON AND PAMELA DIAZ, CEO, PRESIDENT - ENTARA

“Resilience” is a common word heard among the cyber security and IT crowd. Solution providers boast of tools that your business can employ to stay ahead of the pack – because, after all, it’s not the entire herd that’s taken down by a lone predator, but the slowest member. At...

WELCOME TO INNOVATE TORONTO

MAYOR JOHN TORY

From within these pages you will be introduced to many of the visionaries and innovators who call our city home and are changing the world through work and research being done at some of our world renowned institutions such as MaRS Discovery District, the University of Toronto, and University Health...

Eduardo Baptista Correia

CEO, Taguspark

Development and innovation are close concepts that are at the basis of the evolution of mankind. If we look at this evolution we see that development is essentially felt in a stable set of elements: the ways in which we communicate, how we obtain information and learn, how we move...

DR. NIMA ZIRAKNEJAD – FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NZ TECHNOLOGIES

DR. NIMA ZIRAKNEJAD – FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NZ TECHNOLOGIES

Can we convert high-touch surfaces in such public spaces into safer and more hygienic areas? Research has shown that elevator buttons have caused the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 taught us that we need to eliminate high-touch surfaces. Through the pandemic, we developed an awareness to remain as hygienic as possible...

ANKUR D. MAHAJAN

CO-FOUNDER, PULP SHRED

My wife inscribed this quote on a plaque for me as a gift. The profundity, yet the simplicity, of the message hits home for me. It also puts into perspective my priorities in life. We all have our fears and blinders. Sometimes we may get swayed by things that are...

Jeanette Jackson

Jeanette Jackson

CEO, Foresight CAC: Canada’s Future Economy is Innovative, Green and Cleantech Dri

The Economy is Transforming As the world shifts into a zero-emission sustainable economy, there will be a transformation of the entire infrastructure of our society.  Canada has a role to play in this shift, and I believe British Columbia should take a profound and pivotable leadership role in this transition....

William Britton

AutonoMe-Getting The Right Levels Of Support For People With Learning Disabilities

AutonoMe - Founder

Prior to Founding AutonoMe William was a local lecturer teaching adults with Learning Disabilities and Autism for a number of years. It was here that he established his passion and began to see the world through the eyes of people with Learning Disabilities. This helped William see how his skills...

AMY BARBIERI

FOUNDING PARTNER, PRESIDENT, AND CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER, VITAL4

To all my fellow dreamers and doers, let me take you on a journey—a journey filled with challenges, triumphs, and the relentless pursuit of innovation. My name is Amy, and I am not just a female entrepreneur and tech founder, but a student of life and an example of resilience...

Lance Bachmann

Lance Bachmann: Thought Leader Of 1SEO

Thought Leader Of 1SEO

For a city with a wealth of history behind it, it continues to propel itself forward and arrive at the forefront of innovation. The transformation of both Philadelphia and digital marketing within the 21st century alone is exhilarating, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The ecosystem made up...

Zarak Khan

Zarak Khan

Behavioral Innovation Director, Maritz

When I started at Maritz as the behavioral innovation director, I was asked to introduce myself on stage to the entire company. I’ll admit, I was brand new, and speaking authentically to this huge group of people was a little intimidating. I decided to talk about my grandfathers, because I...

LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT

MOT DE MICHEL LESAGE, PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL DU RÉSEAU DES CCTT

Innover, c’est se donner la capacité, en tant qu’organisation, d’être au-devant du peloton. Cette position privilégiée nous permet d’exercer une force de traction positive dans notre milieu. Il s’agit d’une force rassemblant les acteurs d’une industrie vers un but commun. Une force de collaboratio indispensable au déploiement et au rayonnement...

KATHRYN DAVIS

KATHRYN DAVIS

HEAD OF TOURISM - DESTINATION BRISTOL AND INTERIM CEO - VISIT BATH

Most of my career has been spent working within the visitor economy in some form or other; events, hotels, and venues but for the last 21 years, this has been within Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). There are forms of DMOs across the UK and the world, with all of us...

IGNACIO ALVAREZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF POPULAR INC.

Technological advances, changing customer expectations and a rapidly evolving competitive landscape have made innovation not a choice, but a requirement to remain competitive at every level. Countries, companies and individuals must constantly question the present and aspire to make the future better. Because innovation is not an end in itself;...

FRANCIS J. GIANTOMASI

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, CSG LAW

Francis J. Giantomasi (Frank), a member of the Executive Committee of CSG Law, plays a critical role in the firm’s Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group. Over the course of his career, Frank has guided clients through a wide variety of planning, zoning and development projects throughout the Garden...

BIG LEADERSHIP TEAM

BIG LEADERSHIP TEAM -BRISTOL INNOVATORS GROUP

BRISTOL INNOVATORS GROUP

In Spring 2019, two of our team – Charlie Widdows and Rob Sheffield – discussed how to create a network that would focus on innovation across Bristol. They had an intuitive sense that this was needed, but lacked the time and resource to turn the idea into reality. Then in...

Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective-Lakshmi Shenoy

Embarc Collective

As a newcomer to the Tampa Bay region, I’ve had the opportunity to spend the past year immersing myself in the entrepreneurial community that has been growing here. Locals understand that Tampa Bay is a great place to live and get to experience that life each day. However, beyond the...

Andrew Rae

Andrew Rae

Woodgreen Ventures - Encouraging Trend Line is in Great Opposition to a Historical Strug

Encouraging Trend Line is in Great Opposition to a Historical Struggle this City and Country has Faced at Multiple Levels Andrew is a former biotechnology equities analyst and a serial entrepreneur. Mr. Rae has partnered with many leading biopharmaceutical companies globally, including Ionis, Alexion and AstraZeneca, and has invested in...

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL, CQRDA

L’idée de contribuer à l’épanouissement du Québec est la raison pour laquelle je m’implique dans le monde passionnant de l’innovation. Cette implication est, selon moi, la voie pour assurer une approche incontournable et essentielle à nos ambitions collectives, afin de devenir une plaque tournante dans plusieurs secteurs de pointe de...

MORNE J VENTER

MORNE J VENTER

MANAGING DIRECTOR, RECO.

“Invention is the most important product of man’s creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.”- Nikola Tesla “Our mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with...

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® Ecosystems