Most Innovative Companies

Hosted by Fast Company

Business Technology

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Episodes

236

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Which companies are on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence? What’s the next major breakthrough in healthcare? How do iconic brands reinvent themselves to appeal to the next generation? Most Innovative Companies is where tech, business, and innovation convene. Join hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen as they bring you the latest innovations transforming business and society—and highlights the companies that are reshaping industries and culture.

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60 recent

August 14, 20261 hr 0 min

Water Is the Next Luxury Product

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk with Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris about the water brand Loonen and the rise of consumer safety as a status symbol. Then, Fast Company senior staff writer Jeff Beer interviews Dhar Mann about building an audience and how he ended up as the NFL’s honorary chief kindness officer.  To read Ainsley’s reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91565959/loonen-and-the-rise-of-consumer-safety-as-status-symbol  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

August 7, 202639 min

Felicia Day doesn’t need Hollywood’s help making ‘The Guild’ Movie

YouTubers are taking over Hollywood. The critical and commercial success of Curry Barker’s Obsession, Kane Parsons’ A24-backed movie Backrooms, and Markiplier’s Iron Lung—especially in contrast to relative flops like Supergirl and Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu—has challenged the industry’s conventional wisdom. It’s not a huge surprise, given that so many creators on the platform have cultivated deeply engaged fandoms.  One of the first creators to really take advantage of that dynamic on YouTube was Felicia Day, when she created her seminal web series The Guild in 2007.  For the 20th anniversary next year, Day is tapping into that fandom to fund a reunion movie of The Guild. She sat down with MIC cohost Josh Christensen to discuss her decision to crowdfund The Guild movie, the importance of maintaining creative independence, and the recent mainstream success of YouTubers.

July 31, 20261 hr 0 min

What makes the fintech company Stripe an idea factory?

On today’s episode, cohost Yasmin Gagne talks with Fast Company and Inc. head of editorial strategy David Lidsky on what makes the fintech company Stripe an idea factory. Then NASCAR chief operating officer Ben Kennedy has a conversation with Yaz about bringing new audiences to car racing. To read David’s reporting, go to: fastcompany.com/91538341/stripe-most-underrated-influential-159-billion-company-power-map  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news /news

July 17, 20261 hr 12 min

Inside Amazon’s brutal app-ification of HR

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to Fast Company contributor John Pavlus about how the godmother of AI, Fei-Fei Li, is building world models — AI that many hope will replace LLMs. Then, Yaz talks to Fast Company staff writer Pavithra Mohan about her deep dive into how actual humans in the human resources department are disappearing and being replaced by apps and AI. To read John’s reporting, go to: fastcompany.com/91549046/fei-fei-li-world-labs-ai-gets-physical-models-spatial-intelligence  To read Pavithra’s deep dive, go to: fastcompany.com/91565321/amazon-is-taking-human-out-of-hr-ai-chatbot-app-aza  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

July 10, 20261 hr 5 min

Inside one of the most remarkable urban transformations in America

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to Fast Company’s  Nate Berg about how a Walmart heir helped transform a small town in Arkansas. Then, Fast Company staff writer David Salazar sits down with the CEO of American Association of Independent Music Ian Harrisson and COO of an independent record label Partisan Records Zena White to talk about the challenges, opportunities, and future of the independent music business.  To check out Nate’s reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91550093/alice-walton-crystal-bridges-expansion-bentonville  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

June 26, 20261 hr 9 min

Bustle Digital Group is building publications for the influencer era

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to Fast Company staff editor David Salazar on the most innovative ideas that are changing the world we live in. Next, Bustle Digital Group founder and CEO Bryan Goldberg speaks with Yaz about how he is building brands, including Nylon magazine, for the influencer era. To read more about world changing ideas, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/world-changing-ideas For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

June 19, 20261 hr 16 min

How can the world prepare for biological warfare with Dr. Seth Berkley

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk about some of the biggest stories in the Fast Company world. Then Yaz and Josh speak with Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris about AG1, Grüns, and the gummy-ification of wellness. And finally, Yaz speaks to a physician, epidemiologist, and former CEO of the Vaccine Alliance Gavi Dr. Seth Berkley about hantavirus, Ebola, vaccines, and how political agendas are reshaping scientific institutions. To read Ainsley’s reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91538779/ag1s-green-with-envy-over-the-gummy-ification-of-wellness For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

June 12, 20261 hr 9 min

We spoke to over 100 working Moms in senior positions. This is what we found.

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk about some of the biggest stories in the Fast Company world. Then Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company staff editor Shalene Gupta about how women in senior level positions are finding it harder and harder to balance work and motherhood and what their hacks are. And finally, Yaz talks to CEO of TaskRabbit Ania Smith about the role of gig work in the age of AI To read Shalene’s reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91541720/corporate-america-is-crushing-senior-level-mothers For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

June 4, 20261 hr 9 min

Inside Uber’s strategy for autonomous vehicles

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk about some of the biggest stories in the Fast Company world. Then, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris about Uber’s strategy around autonomous vehicles. And finally, Josh sits down with Audible’s chief financial and growth officer, Cynthia Chu, to talk about Audible’s growth, how the company approaches using AI in audiobooks, and what its relationship is like with publishers and authors. To read Ainsley’s reporting, go to: fastcompany.com/91548707/uber-robotaxi-strategy-dara-khosrowshahi For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

May 28, 20261 hr 29 min

Why is Shein buying Everlane?

On today’s episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk about some of the biggest stories in the Fast Company world. Next Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company senior writer Elizabeth Segran about the deal between clothing brands Everlane and Shein. And finally, Fast Company executive editor Amy Farley interviews Sev Ohanian, the cofounder of Proximity Media, the production studio behind the movie Sinners. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news