Fast Company, a magazine dedicated to reporting on “fast companies” and entrepreneurs, has released its annual “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” list to highlight organizations “whose innovations are having an impact across their industries and our culture.”
Two startups with Silicon Prairie ties received a nod as a part of the ranking. Dwolla, based in Des Moines, was named No. 8 in the finance industry’s top 10, joining notable startups Square and Kickstarter. Zaarly, based in San Francisco with an office in Kansas City, Mo., was named No. 7 in the web/internet industry’s top 10, alongside hot startups Airbnb and Dropbox.
Also receiving recognition were Big Omaha and Thinc Iowa alums Warby Parker (co-founder Neil Blumenthal spoke at Big Omaha 2011) and Pinterest (co-founder Ben Silbermann spoke at Thinc Iowa 2011). Warby Parker was named No. 10 in the retail industry’s top 10 and Pinterest was named No. 9 in the web/internet industry’s top 10.
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Dwolla and Zaarly are among hot startups and established companies as they receive recognition from Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative companies.
In the main list’s top 10 are some of the biggest tech companies, like Apple, Facebook, Google and Amazon, but also among them are Square and Twitter, whose co-founder Jack Dorsey graces the issue’s front cover (above). Dorsey, a St. Louis, Mo. native, received a spotlight in the issue, “For making magic out of the mercantile.”
To see the complete “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” feature, visit fastcompany.com.
Update Feb. 18 – Gogo, named No. 5 on web/internet industry’s top 10 list, also has a strong tie to the Silicon Prairie as one of its investors, Open Air Equity Partners, and board members, Ron LeMay, are based in Kansas City.
Image credits: Fast Company magazine cover from fastcompany.com. Screenshots from fastcompany.com.