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

Boeing

Boeing’s ongoing ‘ecoDemonstrator’ programme, to test and improve the environmental performance of its operations, made progress at the end of 2014 when Boeing conducted the world’s first flight with ‘green diesel’ as an aviation biofuel. The 787 test plane flew with 15 percent green diesel blended with 85 percent petroleum jet fuel

The world’s largest aerospace company, and a leading manufacturer of jetliners and aircraft, employs over 165,000 employees across 65 countries. Boeing is at the forefront of the industry, with research and development departments second to none. Continually rewriting the rulebook when it comes to engineering excellence, the company keeps competitors on their toes by throwing a great deal of weight behind forward planning and investing in the latest technologies. With an impressive history and an enviable dedication to R&D, Boeing is a favourite among commercial airlines and within the defence sphere.

Supplements

Innovation 40 - 2014

Netflix

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Airbnb

Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevate