Most innovative companies 2018

Review of the Fast Company Top 50 Most Innovative Companies 2018 including the golden nuggets I picked

The Fast Company, a modern type of media brand, with a focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design. So worth to subscribe to their newsletter. Has just released their top 50 most innovative companies 2018.

I am by nature skeptical towards this types of list as often subjective in how they are created. In the list I am missing both a number of innovative european companies and especially several Asian companies. Still I think their subjective vetting process is acceptable and at least transparent.

I do not know all the companies in the list but the majority I am familiar with for sure belongs to be there even if I find it less important what rating they are given.

It is more interesting to read their rational on why each company is on the list and for myself several new companies picked my interest such as:

• • Square, a payments company dedicated to serving micro-entrepreneurs and growing small businesses
  • Tencent’s WeChat messaging app with 980 million active monthly users that is not only a social media platform but also can hail a taxi, look up a restaurant review, make a reservation, and pay for dinner. One of the few Asian companies on the list as well
  • Reliance Jio, first Indian 4G LTE driving mobile data connection, as another Asian example
  • AliveCor that developed the first smartphone-connected electrocardiogram where the CEO Vic Gundotra claims “we are an AI company disguised as a medical device company.”

A few listed  old companies and organisations gave me a reason to check out what new things they are doing:

• • The Ford Foundation funds, independent trust founded by the Ford family that has reinvented how to deliver on their mission with such as a team that work with Technology and social justice
  • Gucci, has gone through a transformation with a focus on social media by collaborating with popular artists and influencers who have styled Gucci products in fresh new ways. On a personal level I realize while reading about them that I recently brought a pair of Gucci jeans for the first time. So much for my perceived independence and integrity of not letting myself be influenced by simple marketing tricks

As a Sweden I am of course proud that Spotify is in the top-tier (#9) and I had a very good timing of my week-end reflection about their AI.

One reflection on this companies if they would qualify for also being labeled Smart Companies? Instinctively I would say probably but there might be a few more criteria than just innovative and growing. That leads us to the question: what is the definition of a Smart Company? To be honest I only have a wage answer now and sounds like a good topic for a future post.

https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2018