The Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the U.K.
British innovation is going strong
as ever.
For
advancing everyday tools to the point of perfection. Engineer James Dyson's
bagless vacuums and bladeless fans have made innovation a household word in the
U.K. Today, 85% of Dyson machines are sold to global markets, up from 30% in
2007. The company invests more than $2 million weekly in research and
development, yielding such products as the recent Airblade Tap: a 10-second
digital, motor-powered water faucet that both washes and dries (using 450-mph
wind).
For
plunging into the always-on feature future. Shazam is like Pop Up Video for everyday
life: Press a button and the app IDs any song, TV show, movie, or ad you hear.
Its CEO, Rich Riley, believes we've reached a new smartphone era: "The
world is going to an always-on state for apps," he says. In December,
Shazam showed what that looks like with Auto Shazam, an opt-in feature that
quietly keeps a diary of your day's playlist for you. In its first month, Auto
Shazam logged 1 million daily recognitions. With 350 million users
worldwide--and with the company adding 10 million more per month--there's
plenty of room to grow.
For
creating entertainment for a new generation. Winning the hearts of 80 million children,
Mind Candy's online phenomenon Moshi Monsters allows kids to adopt their own
virtual pet. The franchise now includes books, magazines, TV shows, and toys,
all of which fuel its $45 million in revenue. Founder Michael Acton Smith, who
recently launched an innovation center called Candy Labs, uses the online space
as a testing ground to build strong, character-based games and apps before
taking the products offline. The company's first animated film, Moshi Monsters:
The Movie, hit U.K. and Ireland theaters in December with the help of
production partner Universal Studios.
For
putting the smarts in 95% of the world's smart devices. The Cambridge-based ARM
designs low-energy, high-performance microprocessors that are embedded in most
of our smartphones and tablets. Its 64-bit chips power the hit iPhone 5s, and ARM is now ramping
up semiconductor production for the surging market for the Internet of Things.
That means the company--which will now have thermostats, fridges, and washing
machines to toy with--will expand its reach further into our daily (digital)
lives.
For
validating the streaming-music business by putting artists first. Headquartered in London
and Stockholm, Spotify's quest to stabilize the still-shaky music industry is
paying off, both for artists and for the company. Thanks in part to new
features that make it easier for listeners to discover music (and concerts), Spotify
has grown to nearly 26 million active users--6 million of whom pay $10 for
ad-free access. The company claims to pay out nearly 70% of its revenue in
royalties (nearly $500 million in 2013), which has drawn skepticism to its
business model. Spotify, however, has been partly credited with lifting music
revenues in Sweden by 5%, and earlier this year, it was able to drop its time
limit for free web listening--proof that its formula is working. Even the
mighty Apple is chasing Spotify's success with the monochrome iTunes Radio.
For
fashioning a tech revolution in traditional British retailing. With annual sales of more
than $3 billion, the 1856 luxury brand is an object lesson in leveraging
digital media, with live-streamed runway shows and whimsical online marketing
initiatives like Burberry Kisses, plus a high-tech Regent Street Burberry
flagship that brings its online trench coat customization site to life. The
company credits digital investment and online sales for a 14% uptick in revenue
at the end of last year.
For
achieving groundbreaking design in one of the world's oldest cities. Thomas Heatherwick has
been likened to a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci: His London-based design
practice, Heatherwick Studio, employs 110 architects, industrial designers, and
model makers. The studio's recent projects include the 2012 Olympic cauldron, a
revamped double-decker bus, a Bombay Sapphire gin distillery, and plans for a
pedestrian Garden Bridge across the River Thames, replete with wildflowers,
grass, and trees.
For
hacking together a $25 credit card–size programmable computer. The Raspberry Pi computer
came out of the University of Cambridge to help teach the world's kids to
program with a tiny, accessible machine that plugs into a TV and keyboard. Now
a registered charity, Raspberry Pi allows anyone to build and prototype new
products quickly and cheaply. Scrappy Raspberry Pi–enabled programmers have
already used the technology to build everything from baby monitors to weather
stations and robots.
For
inventing quirky, cloud-powered products. London-based design
consultancy Berg is responsible for whimsical gadgets like the Little Printer,
which prints out a custom newspaper from web-sourced content, and a recent
prototype of a tweet-powered cuckoo clock (in collaboration with Twitter UK, of
course). The company recently partnered with Treviso, Italy–based Fabrica to
launch Sandbox, a collaborative research and development program. Based on the
company's Cloud platform, the initiative aims to
help academics and businesses create products and services for the Internet of
Things.
For pruning its sprawling stores
into greener, leaner machines.
Marks & Spencer has taken a systemic approach to sustainability, resulting
in a 23% decrease in CO2 emissions since 2007, zero waste to landfill, and
carbon-neutral stores, warehouses, offices, and delivery fleets in the UK. With
web and mobile sales up nearly 17%, the $15 billion traditional British
retailer is refocusing its resources on building an international multichannel
brand with a popular new mobile app and a London-based digital lab.
http://www.fastcompany.com/3026325/most-innovative-companies-2014/the-worlds-top-10-most-innovative-companies-in-the-uk?partner=newsletter
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