Innovation in space continues to soar as investment pours into the sector. In the decade leading into 2021, $178 billion in investment flowed into the space economy. Last year, that number hit $14.5 billion for space infrastructure companies. Beyond the flashy space tourism voyages sending billionaires and other rich people into space are advances in rockets and launch systems; Earth observation, which has a wide variety of applications for businesses and society; small satellites for next-gener
Our most innovative security companies of 2022 run the gamut from helping consumers control access to their data to protecting marketers from unintentionally paying to show ads to bots. What most have in common is using software, including artificial intelligence, to help humans make the most informed decisions possible about managing security risks. That’s because while some security breaches do arise from sophisticated hackers harnessing previously unknown flaws in software, many also i
Games have historically been an underrated corner of business and the culture—but no longer. People are flocking into game worlds for immersive entertainment and social connection, and celebrities and brands are following them. A concert in a video game such as Epic Games’ Fortnite or Roblox was a novelty two years ago; now virtual spaces within games are a tour stop for the biggest stars such as Ariana Grande and Lil Nas X. Non-fungible tokens were an obscure aspect of crypto cult
Technology continues to revolutionize sports, whether experienced on the field or viewed from the couch, and innovations from these ten companies are altering playing fields from little leagues to the majors. Fanatics entered the trading card business with a deal that for the first time offers a piece of the action to the leagues and to players’ unions. Surfline released a new wave forecasting engine that uses AI and machine learning to assess data from more than 800 HD cameras around the
Once a sexy buzzword, artificial intelligence is rapidly morphing into something far more valuable: an everyday reality that quietly improves experiences of all sorts. That’s reflected in our roster of the most innovative companies in AI for 2022. Many of them have been at it for a while, and their efforts reflect evolution as much as revolution. Back in 2018, for example, customer service platform LivePerson introduced its first AI-powered bots. Multiple iterations later, its “con
If there’s one characteristic shared by all the companies on this year’s Most Innovative Companies in Manufacturing list, it would be a commitment to working smarter. Whether that means using machine learning to identify ways manufacturing facilities can reduce carbon emissions, creating end products from unlikely sources, or rethinking how abundant but overlooked materials might be repurposed, this year’s contenders are all bringing new ideas to the fore, largely with an ey
The creator economy and social commerce dominated social media in 2021—and companies responded in kind to the rapid expansion. From features aimed at generating and managing creators’s revenue streams to merchants expanding their businesses through social channels, companies found new ways to meet the increasing demands of a growing class of entrepreneurs. And what would 2021 be on social media without diving into NFTs and the metaverse? Though still in its nascency in the mainstre
This story is part of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2022. Explore the full list of companies that are reshaping their businesses, industries, and the broader culture. At first glance, Framework’s laptop hardware looks as slick as any other $1,000 Dell or HP machine, with a crisp, bright display and smooth glass trackpad. The difference lies in how easily you can take the device apart. Framework, which started shipping it last summer and sold out almost immediately, pr
The way content is both created and consumed continues to shift rapidly, thanks to digital innovations (hello NFTs!) and media industries turned upside down by the pandemic. These companies led the way in pioneering new ways of delivering news and entertainment to people in fresh, curated ways at a time when traditional models were greatly strained. For instance, Hodinkee connected watch lovers with small, independent sellers that didn’t have the capacity to sell online; and Hybe partnere
This story is part of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2022. Explore the full list of companies that are reshaping their businesses, industries, and the broader culture. Walgreens administered 56 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine over the past year. It’s now preparing to make primary care an even bigger part of its overall healthcare strategy. In October, CEO Roz Brewer—who took the helm of parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) in March 2021 after serv