If you Google the phrase «faith-based businesses,» the results point to companies that pursue a religious agenda. But there’s another kind of faith in business: the belief that a product or service can radically remake an industry, change consumer habits, challenge economic assumptions. Proof for such innovative leaps is thin, payoffs are long in coming (if they come at all), and doubting Thomases abound. Today, pundits fret about an innovation bubble. Some overvalued companies and overhyped inventions will eventually tumble and money will be lost. Yet breakthrough progress often requires wide-eyed hope.
In this special report on the World’s Most Innovative Companies, there are plenty of examples to make you a believer («I’ve never been more excited about the possibilities ahead of us,» Nike CEO Mark Parker recently told me). Our staff has spent more than six months gathering and analyzing data. To generate our list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies–and the accompanying top 10 companies in various sectors–we assessed thousands of enterprises. From all that work, I’ve pulled out 12 rising trends. Risk of failure and collapse are always with us. But the culture of innovation across the globe is more robust than ever. We think that’s worth celebrating.THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES 2014
THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES 2014: OUR ANNUAL GUIDE TO THE BUSINESSES THAT MATTER MOST
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GOOGLE
FOR BECOMING A $350 BILLION GIANT THAT LETS LOOSE ALMOST TOO MANY INNOVATIONS AND MILESTONES TO COUNT.
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BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES
FOR DOING GOOD, METHODICALLY.
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XIAOMI
FOR REINVENTING THE SMARTPHONE BUSINESS MODEL IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST MOBILE MARKET.
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DROPBOX
FOR BECOMING THE EVERYTHING CLOUD.
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NETFLIX
FOR CREATING GREAT TV IN A NEW CONTEXT, USING AN ALREADY-PROVEN MODEL.
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AIRBNB
FOR MAKING THE MOST OF ITS HOSTS.
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NIKE
FOR SETTING A SUSTAINABLE EXAMPLE.
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ZIPDIAL
FOR TURNING A CONSUMER CHEAT INTO AN ASSET.
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DONORSCHOOSE.ORG
FOR SETTING ITS SIGHTS ON EDUCATION REFORM.
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YELP
FOR SEALING THE DEAL WITH ITS USERS.
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DODGE
FOR BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION, NO MATTER WHAT.
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SXSW
FOR TRANSFORMING THE AUSTIN MULTIMEDIA CONFAB INTO A STATE OF MIND.
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TWITTER
FOR AGAIN PROVING THE POWER OF BREVITY, THIS TIME WITH VIDEO.
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APPLE
FOR PUTTING ITS FINGER ON THE PULSE.
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MICHAEL KORS
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MEDIVATION
FOR FINDING THE VALUE OF TREATMENTS THAT OTHERS IGNORED.
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WARBY PARKER
FOR BEING THE WARBY PARKER OF WARBY PARKERS.
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AMAZON
FOR SINGLE-HANDEDLY TRANSFORMING THE RETAIL LANDSCAPE.
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SHAZAM
FOR PLUNGING INTO THE ALWAYS-ON FEATURE FUTURE.
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BOX
FOR SIMPLIFYING THE COMPLEX.
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T-MOBILE
FOR BEING THE UN-CARRIER.
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TESLA MOTORS
FOR CREATING ITS OWN ROAD.
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WME
FOR REIMAGINING WHAT A TALENT AGENCY CAN BE.
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WATER-GEN
FOR CREATING WATER WHERE SOLDIERS NEED IT MOST.
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UNIVERSAL IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY OF INDIA
FOR UPROOTING CORRUPTION WITH A 12-DIGIT CODE.
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FITBIT
FOR OUTRUNNING REAL (AND RUMORED) RIVALS IN WEARABLE TECH.
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ROSE STUDIO
FOR REVIVING THE ART OF CHINESE EMBROIDERY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.
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NISISS
FOR STAKING OUT ASPIRATIONAL BUYERS IN CHINA’S EMERGING HOT SPOTS.
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INSTITUTE SARITA
FOR MINDING THE MANNERS OF CHINESE BUSINESS.
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WILDCHINA
FOR MAKING REMOTE CORNERS OF CHINA ACCESSIBLE.
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MARY CHING
FOR REMIXING CHINESE OPULENCE, BRITISH ECCENTRICITY, AND ITALIAN LEATHER INTO GLOBAL LUXURY.
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SHUTTERSTOCK
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GITHUB
FOR BRINGING OPEN-SOURCE TACTICS TO TRADITIONAL BUSINESS.
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GE
FOR MAKING THE «INTERNET OF THINGS» REAL.
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SQUARE
FOR DESIGNING MOBILE PAYMENTS SO SIMPLE, THEY’RE INVISIBLE.
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STATS
FOR TURNING JOCKS INTO NERDS.
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LEVI STRAUSS
FOR REDUCING, REUSING, AND RECYCLING.
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JOHNNIE WALKER
FOR THINKING GLOBALLY, BUT PULLING HEARTSTRINGS LOCALLY.
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LUVO
FOR BRINGING ACTUAL HEALTH FOOD TO THE TV DINNER.
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SHOP ARCHITECTS
A BAND OF SEVEN IS DRAFTING A DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURE FIRM–ONE THAT VALUES MORE THAN FANCY BLUEPRINTS OR LUCRATIVE SCUT WORK.
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THE LEGASPI COMPANY
FOR REBUILDING MALLS TO MEET CULTURAL NEEDS.
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XL HYBRIDS
FOR SIPHONING GAS-GUZZLERS OFF THE ROAD.
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FLIPBOARD
FOR AGGREGATING CONTENT AND PASSING THE PROFITS BACK.
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BGI
FOR MAKING DNA SEQUENCING MASS-MARKET.
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IHUB
FOR CONNECTING, AMPLIFYING, AND ACCELERATING AFRICA’S TECH COMMUNITY.
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GOPRO
FOR LETTING EVERYONE IN ON THE EXTREME-SPORTS VIDEO ACTION.
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GOLDIEBLOX
FOR KICK-STARTING A MOVEMENT IN GIRLS’ TOYS.
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BRASKEM
FOR TAKING THE OIL OUT OF PLASTIC.
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WHATSAPP
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AGLOCAL
FOR CREATING THE NEXT-GENERATION MEAT MARKET.
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BRIGHTFARMS
FOR PULLING GAS-BELCHING 18-WHEELERS OFF THE ROAD.
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FARMLAND LP
FOR GOBBLING UP LAND FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE CROPS.
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BEYOND MEAT
FOR REROUTING AGRICULTURE’S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
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HARVEST POWER
FOR REALIZING THE AWESOME MIGHT OF FOOD WASTE.
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IROBOT
FOR BUILDING THE BOTS THAT LIVE AMONG US.
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INKLING
FOR REWRITING THE BOOK ON E-BOOKS.
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OTG MANAGEMENT
FOR CREATING AN OASIS IN THE AIRPORT.
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PHILO
FOR BRINGING HASSLE-FREE TV TO THE WEB.
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NICE SYSTEMS
FOR MAKING APPS SMARTER AND MORE SYMPATHETIC.
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ALTA BICYCLE SHARE
FOR PEDAL-POWERING URBAN TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS.
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PHILIPS
FOR LEARNING EIGHT SURPRISING LESSONS IN INNOVATION FROM A 50-YEAR EXPLORATION OF LEDS.