Netflix

Not so much a single innovation as the successful application and extension of an innovative business model, Netflix has impressed by building on what it already had. Taking advantage of the growing digital economy, it’s changed the way television, in particular, is accessed and absorbed

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

2014 was the year Regeneron’s Genetics Centre became fully operational, and new research collaborations, including with Columbia University, were announced. The centre will allow Regeneron to continue its work in biopharmaceuticals

Airbnb

In 2014, Airbnb launched its first global marketing campaign – ‘Views’, by agency Pereira & O’Dell – to showcase its offerings around the world. It worked – the company has continued to grow, and Airbnb is now enshrined in tourists’ thinking

Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevate

Krawcheck’s purchase of women’s networking club 85 Broads, which she rebranded as ‘Ellevate’, has helped open up chances to professional women across the globe. In a world in which equal pay and opportunities have still not been achieved, her efforts are a welcome step

Etsy

In August 2014, Etsy Wholesale officially launched out of its beta testing phase. Retailers pay a $100 one-time joining fee, and from then on Etsy takes a small percentage of their transaction fees. Etsy Wholesale, combined with Etsy’s everyday operations, should see its profit continue to rise

Founded in 2005, Etsy has spent the last decade growing to become the number-one marketplace for creative entrepreneurs across the globe. Shoppers use the site to find individual products from every corner of the globe. With nearly 1.5 million active sellers, the site and organisation – headquartered in New York – has enjoyed skyrocketing sales and a burgeoning reputation. Etsy aims to help small businesses make the most of their products and encourage the growth of community traders everywhere.

Supplements

Innovation 40 - 2014

Netflix

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Airbnb

Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevate