Revealed: The most innovative companies in the world

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Forbes today released its seventh annual list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies. After two consecutive years in second place, Salesforce finally overtakes Tesla Motors, regaining the top spot as the world’s most innovative company – a title Salesforce held from the list’s inception in 2011 to 2015. Amazon has vaulted eight spots, emerging third this year after 20 years in the public markets. Rounding out the top 5 are Shanghai Raas Blood Products and Netflix. 

The World’s Most Innovative Companies list, co-produced with consulting firm Innovator’s DNA, demonstrates how new players come in to shake up industries, innovate and garner the attention of investors. Notable newcomers this year include Pandora (No. 75), Ulta Beauty (No. 34), Constellation Software (No. 22) and GenMab (No. 39). Former drop-offs Procter and Gamble (No. 89), Anheuser Busch (No. 54), Intuit (No. 66), Yahoo Japan (No. 84) and Pepsico (No. 95) have returned to the top 100.  Six companies from Asia (including China, India, Indonesia, and Korea) entered the top 20, reflecting a deeper distribution of innovation capability across the world.

Forbes’ The World’s Most Innovative Companies list consists of firms that investors feel are most likely to come up with the next big innovation.  Companies are ranked by their innovation premium: the difference between their market capitalisation and the net present value of cash flows from existing businesses (based on a proprietary algorithm from Credit Suisse’s HOLT investment management platform). The difference between them is the bonus given by equity investors on the educated hunch that the company will continue to come up with profitable new growth. To be included on the list, firms need seven years of financial data and $10 billion in market cap.

Forbes’ Top Ten of the World’s Most Innovative Companies: