Most Innovative Companies

Fast Company
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Sep 23, 2025 • 20min

How to empower developers to focus on the creative aspects of engineering -  FROM CAPITAL ONE AND FC CUSTOM STUDIO

In this custom episode from Fast Company Custom Studio and Capital One, you will learn best practices for how companies can help developers move up the stack, including how to reduce infrastructure management, embrace automation and AI-enhanced development, and equip developers with the right tooling. We’ll discuss these best practices through the lens of how Capital One does it scale, and ultimately show how this focus powers modern, fully-managed software solutions in banking.
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Sep 18, 2025 • 48min

Navigating the future of agentic AI

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen are at Fast Company's 2025 Innovation Festival to discuss the latest business news and the event's festivities. Topics include the TikTok deal “framework” with new investors, California lawmakers passing an AI safety bill, Apollo Global Management considering the sale of AOL, and the top takeaways from the Emmys.   Next, senior editor Max Ufberg talks with Glean's founder and CEO, Arvind Jain, about the future of agentic AI. They discuss his thoughts on improving workplace knowledge for enterprise clients and staying ahead of major competitors as this market continues to evolve competitively. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/newsTo follow the latest on Innovation Festival:https://events.fastcompany.com/innovationfestival25
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Sep 16, 2025 • 33min

WNBA Star Jewell Loyd Is on the Road to a New Black Wall Street

Jewell Loyd, a two-time WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist for the Las Vegas Aces, co-founded Loyd & Co., a financial firm aimed at uplifting underserved communities. She shares her vision of creating a 'bank with a soul,' focusing on authenticity over celebrity. The conversation dives into her journey from sports to entrepreneurship, the importance of land ownership for empowerment, and innovative strategies for financial literacy. Loyd’s mission blends personal experiences with impactful solutions for economic revitalization.
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Sep 11, 2025 • 1h 21min

Google gets to keep Chrome. What does this mean for the future of tech?

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation. Topics include the latest jobs report, a busy week for IPOs, and Apple’s new slate of products.   Next, Yaz and Josh speak with Fast Company contributing editor Alex Pasternack about Google’s ongoing antitrust case. They cover a federal judge's recent ruling, the company's stock jumping 8% after the court’s decision, and what this means for Google, the tech industry, and consumers overall.   Finally, Josh talks with Laura Bates about her new book, The New Age of Sexism: How AI and Emerging Technologies Are Reinventing Misogyny. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news
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Sep 9, 2025 • 1h 4min

Why the next great sports movie might be created by a brand

You know Dick’s Sporting Goods as one of America’s largest and most successful sports retailers. It has used that status to help create an impressive catalog of five feature-length films and 10 short-form or episodic documentaries over the past decade, including the Emmy-winning docs We Could Be King (2014) and The Turnaround (2024). But in August, Dick's took things to a new level, officially launching an in-house studio division called Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios. In this episode, I talk to Dick’s chief marketing officer Emily Silver about why now is the perfect time for an in-house studio, the evolution of the brand’s entertainment strategy, how the company measures success for these projects, and where it all goes from here.    Before that, I wanted to put what Dick’s is doing into some context. So I called up Zac Ryder, co-founder and chief creative officer at Modern Arts—the agency that helped WhatsApp produce the Netflix doc The Seat, which we talked about back in Episode 1 of this season. Zac and I nerd out on the evolution of brand entertainment, then break down our picks for the "Best Brand Entertainment of the Past Decade."
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Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 21min

Who is the Spotify super app for?

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation. Topics include Google being allowed to keep Chrome, Kraft and Heinz splitting back into two companies, and another government funding deadline for Congress.   Next, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company contributing writer Chris Stokel Walker about Spotify's bet on bringing messaging back to the platform. They discuss why Spotify is making a move toward creating a super app and whether anyone actually wants that.     Finally, Yaz chats with senior staff writer Liz Segran about former Target CEO Brian Cornell stepping down and the plans of new executive Michael Fiddelke to revamp the company. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To read Chris Stokel-Walker’s reporting on Spotify:https://www.fastcompany.com/91393161/spotify-and-the-problem-with-our-everything-app-era To read more of Liz Segran’s reporting on Target:https://www.fastcompany.com/91389333/targets-new-ceo-has-to-fix-design-experience-dei
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Aug 28, 2025 • 58min

Mark Zuckerberg and the soaring cost to protect billionaires

On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation. Topics include Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook affirming she won't step down despite President Trump threatening to fire her; Elon Musk’s X and xAI suing Apple and OpenAI for anticompetitive collusion; Germany and Italy suspending shipments to the U.S. over tariffs; Spotify launching a messaging feature on their platform; and Cracker Barrel shares rising after reverting to its original logo. Next, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company senior editor Max Ufberg about Mark Zuckerberg increasing his spending on his private security to $27 million this past year. And he isn’t the only one; they discuss why many CEOs are investing more in personal protection. Finally, Yaz interviews Tubi CEO Anjali Sud about the company's massive library, its revenue model, its product strategy to help users navigate its massive content catalog, and creating fan-driven original content. Currently, the streaming platform has 100million monthly active users and 300,000 movies and TV episodes to date. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To read Max Ufberg’s article on Mark Zuckerberg:https://www.fastcompany.com/91387503/meta-spent-27-million-protecting-mark-zuckerberg-last-year
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Aug 26, 2025 • 1h 2min

Why Trump just hired Airbnb’s cofounder, Figma’s big moment, and the Cracker Barrel logo that everyone hates

President Trump just created the National Design Studio and tapped Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to lead the charge. Cracker Barrel has offended or enraged just about everyone with its new logo. Figma hit Wall Street with a bang.  It’s been a big month for design. And on this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson give the rundown of the latest news before talking with Figma chief design officer Yuhki Yamashita just after the company’s super successful IPO.  Yuhki shares where Figma goes from here and how he’s thinking about design products in the age of AI and vibe coding.  Then, we’ll round things out the best and worst designs of the month as Teenage Engineering, Apple, A24, and AOL battle for the crown (or not). 
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Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 8min

Why David's Bridal tied the knot with AI

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in the world of business and innovation. Topics include Mark Zuckerberg's plans to continue shaking up Meta’s AI efforts, MSNBC changing its name to MS Now, Sam Altman acknowledging the horrible launch of ChatGPT-5, and the Trump Administration’s plan to take a 10% stake in Intel.   Next, David’s Bridal has gone through two bankruptcies in recent years. However, in 2023, they were acquired by a private equity group, CION Investment Corporation. Yaz spoke to Senior Staff Writer Liz Segran about the company's past hardships and new AI pivot as a digital-first marketplace business. Finally, Yaz interviews showrunner and creator of FX’s Alien: Earth, Noah Hawley, about his vision for the show, why the themes of AI draw inspiration from current events, and his approach to creating material based on this iconic franchise. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To read Liz Segran’s article on David’s Bridal: https://www.fastcompany.com/91377981/davids-bridal-ai-turnaround
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Aug 19, 2025 • 27min

Pixar’s Pete Docter talks about boosting creativity at work

Pixar's chief creative officer discusses risk-taking and AI on the job.

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