Most Innovative Companies

The AI revolution: Why data storage is the hidden hero - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SOLIDIGM

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this custom episode from FastCo Works and Solidigm, Abigail Bassett chats with Avi Shetty, senior director of AI ecosystem and partnerships at Soli...

Fast Forward at One Madison with IBM and Debbie Millman

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, writer, designer, educator and host of the 'Design Matters' podcast Debbie Millman, chats with Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Cont...

Fast Forward at One Madison with IBM and Krishna Bhagavathula

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features Krishna Bhagavathula, Chief Technology Officer and NBA Executive Vice President with Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Of...

Looking back at the biggest stories of 2024

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, it’s our year-end spectacular! Yaz and Josh are joined by ‘Fast Company’ editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughn and executive edit...

How the most innovative companies work: Mattel - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND ATLASSIAN

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With a history exceeding 50 years, Hot Wheels has proven it has staying power. Rooted in authentic car design and performance, the brand continues to ...

Why the NFL, Universal Pictures, and erotic audio company Quinn made our Brands That Matter list

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, Yaz and Josh are joined by ‘Fast Company’ senior staff editor Jeff Beer and ‘Fast Company’ associate editor David Salaza...

How smarter spending drives sustainable growth - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND BREX

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this custom episode, Brex CEO Pedro Franceschi discusses how the company is committed to helping companies achieve sustainable growth.

Are Amazon robots taking over their fulfillment centers?

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Yaz and Josh take a trip to an Amazon fulfillment center to get a firsthand look at the retailer’s fleet of robots. Meant to h...

Fast Forward at One Madison with IBM and Ken Chenault

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The series, Fast Forward @ One Madison, brings together some of the world’s most compelling innovators for intimate and provocative conversations on...

Why everyone is leaving Twitter for Bluesky

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a new social media giant on the scene. After Donald Trump’s Elon Musk–assisted reelection, Blueksy’s user base ballooned. It now has o...

A New Frontier in Healthcare: How technology is transforming lives - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND MEDTRONIC

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this custom episode from FastCo Works and Medtronic, Kathleen Koch chats with Medtronic chairman and CEO Geoff Martha and chief technology and inn...

Why Gen Z men really voted for Trump

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Since the 2008 election, Democratic candidates for president have won at least 60% of the under-30 vote. After last week’s election, that number is ...

Why Andrew Yaffe left the NBA to run Dude Perfect

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dude Perfect is winning YouTube. The sports-comedy group known for their outrageous trick shots have 60 million subscribers on the platform, more than...

Why David Hogg thinks there's still hope for our political system

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the election draws near, Yaz sits down with David Hogg and Kevin Lata of Leaders We Deserve, a grassroots organization committed to helping young, ...

The Victoria’s Secret fashion show is back. Are the company’s old problems back too?

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After a slew of problems—some of them really dark—Victoria's Secret cancelled its fashion show in 2018. Now, the company has brought back the even...

Why is fast food so expensive now?

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a growing shift in consumer sentiment about the fast-food industry. As inflation pushes menu prices steadily upward, more people are asking ...

Can WeightWatchers survive the Ozempic era?

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks ago, the WeightWatchers board ousted CEO Sima Sistani, who helmed the company for two-and-a-half years, appointing board member Tara Comonte...

In the game of OpenAI, you win or you resign

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past week, it was announced that Mira Murati, CTO of OpenAI, would be the latest to depart the company. This leaves Sam Altman as the last re...

Innovating for impact: how this Alabama-based tech institute fuels biosciences discovery - FROM FASTCO WORKS AND INNOVATE ALABAMA

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alabama’s ecosystem of innovation is built on the strength of its entrepreneurs, workforce, policymakers, and community leaders. Leading economic de...

The Try Guys try a new streaming platform, and more

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you were on YouTube in the Golden Age of BuzzFeed videos, there’s a good chance you remember the Try Guys, a group of four friends, who hosted a ...

NFL ad season begins, and Robinhood still has faith in crypto

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re recording the show at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival using a modular soundproof booth from ROOM. ‘Fast Company’ senior s...

Who are the 10 most innovative people from the last 10 years, and how did we pick them?

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Fast Company Innovation Festival begins next week for the 10th year, and to celebrate the anniversary, we’re highlighting 10 of the most innovat...

What is going on with Telegram?

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris. French authorities detained and charged him in connection to an investigation related to a ...

Solving the AI Energy Challenge FROM FASTCO WORKS AND WILLIAMS

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this custom episode from FastCo Works and Williams, Kathleen Koch chats with Williams executive VP of corporate strategic development Chad Zamarin...

How Will Packer uses arrogance to his advantage

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will Packer is a film, television, and podcast producer who has worked in Hollywood for more than 20 years, making movies like ‘Ride Along,’ ‘Th...

Can Brian Niccol turn Starbucks around?

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week in a major shakeup, Starbucks announced the appointment of Brian Niccol as its new chairman and CEO. Niccol, then CEO of Chipotle, will succ...

Can the Gap make a comeback?

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’re taking a look at what some top brands are doing in the sports and entertainment space. This is part of our ongoing monthly series, ...

How 23andMe went from a $6 billion valuation to trading for pennies

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cofounder and CEO of 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, wants to take the public company private. Founded in 2006, the DNA-testing startup was valued at $6 billi...

Inside the least woke college in America

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A Gallup poll published last July found that just 36% of Americans had “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education. That...

Who does Silicon Valley want to elect in 2024?

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With President Biden out of the presidential race and support gathering behind Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as the Democratic nomine...

AI is changing tech, but where's the energy coming from?

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, Amazon announced it hit a goal of 100% renewable electricity seven years early. But a report from an Amazon employee group argues that this...

It’s too damn hot, tip Grubhub delivery workers more

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Temperatures are hitting all-time highs, with some cities reaching 25 degrees above average. Last week, the Biden Administration announced a proposed ...

Who is MSCHF and why are 10,000 people playing their game on Venmo?

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF has a long history of expertly harnessing pop culture humor to poke fun at big corporations. Their latest project ...

Are LinkedIn influencers the worst kind of influencer?

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent viral LinkedIn post, Cap X Media’s CEO Matthew Baltzell poses in a backwards baseball cap and details his experience firing an employee ...

Frank McCourt wants to buy TikTok

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in April, President Biden signed a law that would ban TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the social media app. The company was gi...

Inside MrBeast's corporate structure

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A nonprofit founded by right-wing billionaire Charles Koch was a "key contributor" to a recent video produced by the popular content creator MrBeast. ...

How Dropout came back from the brink stronger—and funnier—than ever

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last September, CollegeHumor rebranded as Dropout. The 25-year old comedy platform made the move after a surge in subscriptions to the company's strea...

Why tech bro podcasts are obsessed with alpha men

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, an article by ‘Fast Company’ senior writer Ainsley Harris riled up a small but very online part of the tech community. Venture capita...

Perplexity CEO slams Google

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By now, we’re used to talking to AI chatbots, and we’re used to googling something to find an answer. Last week, though, Google launched a new fea...

Why is the WNBA so hot right now?

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The WNBA’s 2024 season comes on the heels of a recent groundswell of interest in women’s basketball. Last year was the WNBA’s most-watched reg...

We're looking at 2024 Summer Trends

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s May! We’re enjoying the spring weather and getting ready for this summer. So, we wanted to chat with some Fast Company folks who have their e...

The unraveling of a unicorn: Why InVision failed

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

InVision was once a prominent player in the design software space. But the company that was once valued at $2 billion announced it will be discontin...

Minimum wage increases for fast food workers and Lyft drivers

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fast food workers in California are seeing an increase in their paychecks. This is because of a recent minimum wage law that went into effect earlier ...

Boeing is having a bad year

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Boeing has been in the news recently . . . Between a door plug blowing off mid-flight and sudden nose dives causing injuries, the company has been in ...

NBC's hiring and firing of Ronna McDaniel

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks ago, the former Republican National Committee boss Ronna McDaniel was hired and then fired as an MSNBC contributor. This came about after pu...

Truth Social and Sephora Tweens

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Truth Social went public last week. The company disclosed its finances in an SEC filing that revealed it had brought in just over $4 million in revenu...

Y Combinator and Oishii

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Y Combinator has become arguably the most powerful force in tech. It touts that five-and-a-half of the startups that have participated in it have bec...

Powering the Future - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The impact of AI on finance departments will be huge.

The Most Innovative Companies list is out!

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list is out! We chatted with Fast Company Executive Editor Amy Farley to hear about the top five winners an...

The Hyper-Connected Consumer

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s CEOs can’t rely on their CMOs to tell them what’s on the minds of consumers. The modern chief executive must be fully plugged in to cons...

Fast Company at SXSW and Netflix's 3 Body Problem

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This past weekend, Fast Company hosted a three-day event as part of SXSW in Austin. Yaz moderated a bunch of panels, Josh was producing podcasts, and ...

Supply Ch(AI)n Strategy Session - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How artificial intelligence is shaping the product journeys from procurement to end customers.

Oscar Campaigns & TheRealReal

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is an Oscar campaign? How do studios run them? When does Oscar campaigning start? We spoke with Allie Carieri to learn all about the work (and th...

Time for Growth - AI Bootcamp FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, leaders in HR and AI reveal what it will take for businesses to get their staff on board.

Inside the chaos at the Bored Ape Yacht Club

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2022, The Bored Ape Yacht Club was kind of inescapable on some parts of the internet. People—including a range of celebrities from Gwyneth Paltro...

What do the Apple Vision Pro, Humane AI, and the AI Tab necklace say about the future of AI hardware?

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

January was a big month for AI hardware, and we wanted to go over some of the biggest devices and tech out there. ‘Fast Company’ global design edi...

Why people are ditching Tinder . . . and falling in love with lab-grown diamonds

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re about to hit the end of peak dating season with Valentine’s Day this week and what better way to commemorate that than to chat about the sta...

Super Bowl ads and Stanley cups

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Super Bowl is set to kick off this Sunday, and we’re taking a look at some of the ads that are already out there. ‘Fast Company’ senior staf...

WWE, Netflix—and the baby-faced rival who wants to body slam them

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yaz wrote a story about an upstart wrestling league called All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and its founder and CEO Tony Khan. ‘Fast Company’ deputy edit...

Daily Harvest rolls out meals designed for people on Ozempic

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Daily Harvest is introducing a new collection of meals tailor-made for people on weight-loss medications like Ozempic. Daily Harvest president Ricky S...

Big Tech might not be able to use Section 230 for protection anymore

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A number of recent court cases are using a new tactic to take on tech platforms, including Snap, Meta, and TikTok. ‘Fast Company’ contributing wri...

How to build a beauty brand during the pandemic

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We spoke with Jeff Lee, cofounder and CEO of DIBS Beauty about his approach to building brand awareness, partnering with celebrities, and starting a...

Fast Company Podcasts look back on 2023

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

And that's a wrap on 2023. Join our podcast hosts, Kathleen Davis, KC Ifeanyi, Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen as they look back on this past year. ...

Ozempic and Wegovy: How 2 diabetes medications became the most popular weight-loss drugs

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the United States, nearly three-quarters of adults qualify as overweight or obese, 42% of whom are considered obese. The World Obesity Federation p...

Lilly Singh on being intentional when creating new projects

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From YouTube to late night to actor to writer, Lilly Singh has always been a storyteller. In that vein, she started a company called Unicorn Island P...

Fast-fashion giant Shein is thinking of going public

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Shein is a giant fast fashion retailer that's looking into filing an IPO. Fast Company Senior Staff Writer Liz Segran helps break down what that migh...

Sam Altman is still CEO of Open AI

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The long-simmering fault lines within OpenAI over questions of safety with regard to the deployment of large language models like GPT, the engine be...

Ideo layoffs and the end of design thinking

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ideo is one of the most famous global design agencies in the world. Founded in 1991, it is celebrated for popularizing the modern corporate mantra of ...

The SAG-AFTRA strike is over!

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After 118 days, the SAG-AFTRA strike finally came to a close. Fast Company deputy digital editor Morgan Clendaniel breaks down what happened this pa...

WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the end of an empire

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

WeWork’s tumultuous ride has come to an end. We chatted with journalist Reeves Wiedeman, author of Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacu...

Elon Musk’s X is no Twitter: Is there still any magic left?

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A year ago, Elon Musk bought Twitter for a whopping $44 billion. Since then the platform has changed dramatically . . . even its name. Senior staff ed...

FROM FASTCO WORKS AND CAPITAL ONE: Empathy and Innovation: Keeping the Customer at the Center

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Companies now have mountains of data to help drive decisions and develop products, but a holistic approach to product development must also prioritize...

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ director Emma Tammi talks about horror innovation

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween season is here! And actor-director-producer Emma Tammi joined us to chat about her upcoming film, Five Nights at Freddy’s, based on the p...

How Issa Rae secured success: Create what you’re passionate about

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Actor, producer, and entrepreneur Issa Rae has several businesses under her belt already, and now she has partnered with Gallo to launch her own prose...

Understanding the girlboss era, the sexist backlash, and what's next

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Only 10% of Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs, even though women make up 47% of the workforce. And female founders only get 2% of venture capital...

FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: The inside story of Sweetgreen’s rapid rise to the top

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mitch Reback, CFO of Sweetgreen, is one of the rising corporate financial stars who is helping to take their companies to the next level. When he star...

FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: How Pink Lily went from a side hustle to a multimillion-dollar company

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The company’s director of finance explains how her job goes well beyond accounting. Tina Hetzer, director of finance at Pink Lily, is one of the ris...

FROM FASTCO WORKS AND SAP - Growth Agents: Duolingo’s CFO on how the company took over the language learning space

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Duolingo’s freemium subscription model, beloved brand and strategic investments have allowed it to execute its educational mission and become a cult...

Why nostalgia is such a powerful force for brand marketing

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do Chanel, Heinz 57, and Coors Light all have in common? They’re all brands that have built a connection with their consumers. On today’s epi...

For Lego, net zero goals are anything but child’s play

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lego has been pushing its ambitious sustainability efforts for years . . . only to recently do an about-face (sort of) by telling us that it will cont...

It’s Fast Company Innovation Festival this week!

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since we’ve got our Innovation Festival going on this week, here’s a quick roundup of business and tech news: United Auto Workers (UAW) deal—th...

Most Innovative Companies series roundup!

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Check out this roundup of interviews from the past year! We're highlighting some of our favorite interviews at this year's Innovation Festival. Tune i...

Who is the ‘most fairly paid’ CEO in America—and what does that even mean?

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So many CEOs make waaaay more than their workers. To use just one famous example, Apple CEO Tim Cook made more than $99 million in 2022. That’s 1,11...

How ChatGPT is launching tech’s next big wave

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI is reportedly nearing $1 billion in annual sales. There’s an AI arms race among big tech companies. AI is everywhere and on everyone’s mind...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: Winning the market — A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and StockX’s Greg Schwartz

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of “Lead Through Disruption,” we step into the shoes of Greg Schwartz, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Stock...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: The Mental Health Key — A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and Andy Dunn (Part Two)

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lead Through Disruption continues with Part Two of Deb Golden’s conversation with author and entrepreneur Andy Dunn, as we go deeper into the challe...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: Resilience in Reality — A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and Andy Dunn (Part One)

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Opening up about his journey through entrepreneurship and mental health, this special two-part conversation with Deb Golden and Andy Dunn reveals why ...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: Racing Past Limits — A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and Professional Race Car Driver Toni Breidinger

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Lead Through Disruption, Deb Golden rides shotgun with professional race car driver Toni Breidinger. From falling in love with go-k...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: Launching the Future of Space: A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and Space Perspective’s Jane Poynter

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Lead Through Disruption, Deb Golden meets with serial space entrepreneur, author, and changemaker Jane Poynter, going behind the ...

FROM DELOITTE AND FASTCO WORKS: From Byline to Bottom Line - A conversation with Deloitte’s Deb Golden and Mansueto Ventures’ Stephanie Mehta

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the premiere episode of Lead Through Disruption, Deloitte US Chief Innovation Officer Deb Golden sits down with Stephanie Mehta to discover her jou...

YouTube’s $14 billion bet on NFL Sunday Ticket

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

YouTube paid $14 billion for the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket. For the next seven years, NFL viewers will be able to watch live football games from...

So, thanks to Bidenomics, we’re not in a recession?

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Late last year, everyone thought we were headed for a recession. But now we’re doing great. What’s going on? James Surowiecki, author of The Wisd...

SKIMS’ CEO on how Kim Kardashian is like Michael Jordan—and Starbucks

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Women’s World Cup is coming to an end this weekend! The international soccer championship is down to its final week in which Spain and England w...

Future executives don't want to go back to the office, and why we still don't know how to manage our finances

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s looking like the future won’t be spent in the office. Based on a recent Deloitte study, 66% of mid- to executive-level financial services pro...

What is Spill and could it (finally) kill Twitter?

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new visual platform, Spill, is not trying to become the next Twitter—it’s aiming to create an entirely new social media platform. Spill’s co...

AI and Ozempic: The two great disruptive technologies of 2023

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

AI is poised to upend the music industry, and Fast Company Associate Editor David Salazar joins us to discuss what AI generative music is and how the ...

Barbie's global domination: Exactly how Mattel pulled it off

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The thing about the Barbie movie is that saying those three words together just seems inherently ridiculous. And one of the best things Mattel has don...

Will Threads disrupt the digital public square?

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We have to talk about the new Twitter on the block: Threads. How does it work? And more importantly, how does it compare to Twitter? Fast Company Sen...

Hacking into the wellness industry with Fast Company's 'Future Me' Docuseries

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you have a chronic illness or debilitating condition, you start turning to alternatives for answers. This is what one of our colleagues did. Fast...

It's time to ban right turns on red lights

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pedestrian and cyclist deaths have hit their highest levels in 40 years. There’s one major way we could bring those numbers down and that’s if we ...