Microsoft was founded in the inflationary environment of the mid-1970s. Adobe started in the depths of the 1982 recession. The financial crisis of 2008 led to a wave of successful companies from Airbnb to Square.
That year, 2008, was also the first year that Fast Company chronicled the World’s Most Innovative Companies. It was a fortuitous time to spotlight companies growing their businesses, remaking their industries, and changing society at large. In an uncertain economy, the best companies buck the trends with better products, smarter strategies, and more creative ways of engaging customers.
The Fast Company editorial team now spends all year identifying the companies that we think might merit recognition. As we scour the world for the best of the best, we also look to the companies that participate in our submission program and apply for consideration.
We have had the privilege to meet with the leaders of scores of organizations that have been named a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company, both before and after their recognition. These are the things they’ve told us about why they participated—and the value they’ve seen from being part of the program. Our application period is open, and here’s why you should consider participating in the Most Innovative Companies of 2024.
UNLOCK YOUR TALENT POTENTIAL
We once received an email from a representative of one of the companies we’d just put on the Most Innovative Companies list. Embedded in the note was a photo of every employee of the company, standing on the floor of its manufacturing facility, wearing a Fast Company MIC T-shirt—a sign of the pride they felt at having Fast Company validate their work.
CEOs frequently tell us that talent is their biggest issue: recruiting the best people, retaining them, motivating them. Being selected as a Most Innovative Company, they believe, can assist in all these efforts. A Most Innovative Company designation helps employees and potential ones see that this a business with a mission and purpose that’s larger than merely making money. It communicates to people within and outside the company that this is a business with the ability to get things—and one that is setting the bar for the rest of the industry.
SIGNAL YOUR INNOVATION
Building a business of the future requires funding. CEOs need to hire the best talent and to deal with whatever expenditures are necessary to achieve their vision. Being recognized as a Most Innovative Company is precisely the kind of signal that communicates to investors that your products and services are resonating with consumers and the public.
SUPERCHARGE YOUR STORYTELLING
We’ve heard from many honorees that Fast Company was able to explain their company’s mission and articulate its innovation with the kind of clarity and concision they needed to supercharge their own storytelling. A Most Innovative Company designation can have a catalyzing effect, helping explain to employees, potential talent, investors, and others what makes this business so special.
JOIN A COMMUNITY
Most Innovative Company honorees are now part of Fast Company’s larger community. We turn to these companies to identify speakers for events such as the MIC Summit and Fast Company Innovation Festival, and as guests on our Most Innovative Companies podcast. We also look to these companies for other story opportunities throughout the year. In addition, the leaders of these companies often connect with one other, amplifying their individual efforts to create even more innovation and positive change in the world.
