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

Spotify

As well as revamping its appearance and continuing to grow its user base, in 2014 Spotify partnered up with BandPage, a website designed to allow bands to sell directly to, and interact with, fans. Over 500,000 musicians use BandPage to interact with their followers, and this new partnership should enable both companies to expand

Entering the music streaming market at a rate of knots, Spotify has without doubt offered a huge market a distinct and timely service, guaranteeing a faithful audience. Against the odds, the company has created a viable business model in which adverts and a subscription service come together; a model that should give Spotify longevity in an evolving market. Establishing better relations with artists and suppliers, the company has reinvented itself, allowing a better service and generating a more substantial revenue base.

Supplements

Innovation 40 - 2014

Netflix

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Airbnb

Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevate