As the world shifts and industries transform, the World’s Most Innovative Companies aren't just keeping up—they're setting the pace. ⁠ ⁠ Waymo, this year’s No. 1 company, has taken robotaxis from science fiction to reality. athleticbrewing is popularizing NA beer, while Nuuly is turning a profit on clothing rentals. DeepSeek is engineering new ways to build state-of-the-art AI models—and sharing its approach with others. ⁠ ⁠ And even in an era defined by automation, some of the smartest companies are turning unpredictability into an asset, from Duolingo and its chaotic owl mascot to Kendrick Lamar’s creative agency pgLang, and heavy-metal water brand LiquidDeath. ⁠ ⁠ Other companies have met the moment and redefined it. Watchdutyapp helped Angelenos navigate their city’s devastating fires. Chainalysis brought needed transparency to the crypto industry. And Bluesky freed social media, at last, from corporate control. With the pace of change accelerating, businesses have to prepare for b...