April Hobbs shares the powerful mission of the INNOVATE® book series.
The world is vast yet intimately connected. In the realms of innovation and entrepreneurship, these connections are not just beneficial but crucial for propelling business ecosystems forward. As the Director of AH Media International and the exclusive publishing partner for the INNOVATE® book series in Australia, I have had the privilege to orchestrate narratives that bind global leaders and innovators, spotlighting the relentless pursuit of transformation and success across various industries.
With a passion for spotlighting the dynamic spheres of industry, innovation and entrepreneurship across Australia, I have made it my mission to engage with industry leading founders, startups, scale-ups and CEOs, inviting them to drive success together, harnessing the power of collective ingenuity and shared vision to reshape the world around us.
The INNOVATE® Book Series: Bringing Global Leaders Together
When the INNOVATE® book series first launched six years ago in Tampa Bay, Florida, the city needed to change its narrative. Primarily as a retirement haven, the reality was far different. While Tampa was certainly a great place to live and retire, it was also a burgeoning hotbed of innovation and opportunity – the perfect place to get educated or start a business. Tampa needed to tell a new story and we helped them do it.
INNOVATE® Tampa Bay was the catalyst, helping the city tell its success stories, map its ecosystems, promote its liveability, recruit talent and sell their unique opportunity for investment. The book launch and subsequent events propelled Tampa into the spotlight, redefining perceptions and attracting national and global interest. Their corresponding events attracted investors and captains of industry, resulting in the Florida Investors Fund making significant investments into Tampa’s innovation ecosystem and infrastructure. As a result, the Florida Investment Fund now invests $100 million annually into innovation, helping the city continue to flourish. This pattern repeated as we brought the INNOVATE® series to Adelaide.
A Personal Journey into Innovation
When I decided to make Adelaide my new home, my Aussie friends were horrified. They couldn’t believe I chose Adelaide over Sydney or Melbourne. Recruitment agencies echoed this sentiment, suggesting I move interstate for better marketing opportunities. Everyone seemed to think it was a career wilderness, but I remained undeterred.
I quickly realised that the prevailing narrative about Adelaide was categorically wrong, but I couldn’t understand why. So, I decided to peel back the layers. I paid close attention to Lot Fourteen, Adelaide’s new tech innovation hub and found it buzzing with activity. As I explored other innovation precincts, I was intrigued and excited by the people I met and what I discovered. I could see a city in transformation. The innovation ecosystems inspired me, but it was holding a satellite the size of a Rubik’s cube, made right here in Adelaide, that truly ignited my passion for innovation.
Before coming to Adelaide, I’d had the pleasure of collaborating with Global Village Publishing in Dubai and watched as they rolled out the INNOVATE® series globally to over 130 cities across the world, along with supporting podcasts, social media and events. But there was still no INNOVATE® book for Australia. When I asked why, given the amount of innovation happening in Adelaide, Founder and CEO of Global Village Publishing, Sven Boermeester said, “come on board as a partner and tell those unique stories.” I knew that was going to be my purpose. It wasn’t just about proving the naysayers wrong but about illuminating Australian stories of innovation that deserved a global stage.
Celebrating Innovation: Adelaide and Beyond
INNOVATE™ Adelaide was my first book. Ironically, one of the smallest business ecosystems produced the biggest book to date, with over 400 pages. Our subsequent event at Adelaide Oval served as a unique celebration of its accomplishment and a launchpad for the city’s aspiring legacy. Over 300 attendees, including national and global leaders from major companies, government stakeholders, startup founders, tech unicorns and industry captains across various sectors, gathered to network, share and inspire. The excitement and partnerships that ensued underscored the series’ impact, bridging local achievements with global opportunities.
Immersing myself in these vibrant innovation ecosystems and learning the incredible stories of founders has given me a new found purpose. By engaging with a global community, The INNOVATE series is allowing featured people and businesses to connect, get to know one another and foster meaningful collaborations. Now we have INNOVATE™ Sydney and INNOVATE™ Perth in production, with other Australian cities in our sights.
Looking ahead, the INNOVATE® series is more than just books; it’s a growing platform of podcasts, social media engagement, and events that foster ongoing dialogue and collaboration. Each edition is a chapter in a larger story of global innovation, a collective narrative that connects and inspires leaders, thinkers and creators across the world.
The Future of Global Innovation
As we expand the INNOVATE® series to cities like Sydney and Perth, our goal remains the same: to weave the rich, intricate tales of innovation that these cities harbour. In the Sydney market, I’m delving into a much larger ecosystem of technology and entrepreneurship compared to Adelaide. It’s overwhelming but incredibly exciting. Sydney is a city teeming with incredible talent, fearless founders, groundbreaking startups, pioneering technologies, tech unicorns and boundless opportunity.
Many global companies originated here and I want to share the stories of how it all began and where it’s heading. I want to highlight the visionary founders, cutting-edge companies, and groundbreaking ideas, collaborative spirit that drive this thriving global innovation hub. I want to spotlight the remarkable developments happening in Sydney and inspire others to join in, shaping the future of global tech, sustainability, and business innovation.
The power of storytelling, underpinned with the purpose of innovation, has the profound ability to connect us all, regardless of geographical boundaries. Through the INNOVATE® series, we are building bridges between cities, leaders and ideas that will pave the way to a more interconnected and innovative future.
