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

BMW

Google tends to be associated with driverless cars, but BMW has been developing and testing them since 2005, and made waves at CES in 2014 with its demonstration of a modified version of the M235i Coupe, which can brake, steer and accelerate without a driver. The car has been extensively tested on the Nürburgring in Germany, and, though the technology is still some way off being widely used, this felt like progress

Approaching its centenary year, BMW continues to pioneer the automotive and engine markets. The firm is a stalwart of the German economy, is widely considered one of the most reputable companies in the world, and thrills a devout following of returning customers year after year with new and adventurous products. BMW has made great inroads to green ventures, hoping to offer a more sustainable and environmentally friendly product across Europe and other markets.

Supplements

Innovation 40 - 2014

Netflix

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Airbnb

Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevate