On today’s episode, host Josh Christensen is joined by ‘Fast Company’ associate editor David Salazar to help break down the latest news in the world of business and innovation, including the fallout from DeepSeek’s LLM launch, the backtracked federal funding freeze, and the rising price of eggs. (01:02)

Next, Yasmin Gagne interviews Lionel Barber, former editor of the ‘Financial Times,’ about his new book, a biography of Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son: ‘Gambling Man: The Wild Ride of Japan’s Masayoshi Son.’ They discuss Son’s biggest wins, even bigger losses, and the recently announced $500 billion AI infrastructure project alongside OpenAI and Oracle called Stargate. (06:54)

Then, ‘Fast Company’ editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan discusses the reaction at Davos to President Trump’s inauguration. (37:40)

For more of the latest business and innovation news go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

Gambling Man: The Wild Ride of Japan’s Masayoshi Son: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451627/gambling-man-by-barber-lionel/9780241582725

Be sure to subscribe, rate and review Most Innovative Companies on your podcast app of choice. You can also find more Most Innovative Companies podcast content on Fast Company’s YouTube channel along with more videos on business news, tech, design and work life. 

 On today’s episode, Donald Trump has been sworn in as president once again and almost immediately began enacting his agenda. Hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen break down the president's executive orders and policy promises relating to the economy, the tech industry, labor and climate (01:13)

Then, the fires in Los Angeles are still burning. ‘Los Angeles Times’ climate columnist Sammy Roth unpacks the fallout from this disaster and the role climate change has played. (08:01)

Finally, The TikTok ban went into effect over the weekend for a grand total of 12 hours. For now, the app remains operational in the U.S. after former President Biden declared he wouldn’t enforce the ban and President Trump signed an executive order on Monday pausing the ban for 75 days. But, what comes next for TikTok and the creators who lobbied for it to be saved? ‘Fast Company’ executive editor Maia McCann and senior staff editor Max Ufberg help explain the state of TikTok. But, what comes next for TikTok and the creators who lobbied for it to be saved? ‘Fast Company’ executive digital director Maia McCann and senior staff editor Max Ufberg try to explain the state of TikTok. (30:53)

For more of the latest news coming out of the Trump administration, and in the world of business, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news

For more on the Los Angeles Fires and Sammy Roth’s writing on climate change, you can find his newsletter, Boiling Point, here and subscribe to his podcast of the same name here 

Be sure to subscribe, rate and review Most Innovative Companies on your podcast app of choice. You can also find more Most Innovative Companies podcast content on Fast Company’s YouTube channel along with more videos on business news, tech, design and work life.

Fast Company contributing writer Clint Rainey discusses his recent series on Trader Joe’s. He explains how the grocer remains a beloved brand despite a record number of product recalls, safety violations, worker misconduct complaints, and an environmental record that belies its reputation. Then, Tae Kim, a senior technology writer at Barron's and author of The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant ,explains the secret behind NVIDIA's success.

In this custom episode, we hear from Susannah Shattuck, head of product at Credo AI. She discusses why staying closely connected is critical for a distributed workforce and how AI tools are making that easier. Also, learn how Credo AI uses Atlassian tools to manage collaboration, unlock areas for more creative thinking, and drive business growth.

Police departments across the country are embracing AI-enhanced surveillance technology in the name of stopping crime. One prominent security firm called Flock Safety is leading the effort and profiting off our fears. Fast Company Senior Writer Ainsley Harris joined Yaz and Josh to explain how the Atlanta-based startup signed a deal with San Francisco in March 2024 to install and operate 400 LPRs (license plate recognition systems).

Then, Yaz chats with President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming and Games JB Perrette about how (HBO) Max's globalization efforts are the biggest aspect of its growth.

In this custom episode from FastCo Works and Solidigm, Abigail Bassett chats with Avi Shetty, senior director of AI ecosystem and partnerships at Solidigm, and Sachin Gupta, vice president and general manager of the Infrastructure and Solutions Group at Google Cloud. Artificial intelligence’s transformative power is set to reshape the business world, revolutionizing industries as diverse as medicine to manufacturing. But amid the buzz, one critical feature is often overlooked: the importance of data storage in implementing smart AI strategies.

In this episode, we’ll discuss data storage’s integral role in long-term AI success and how solid-state drive (SSD) innovations eliminate storage bottlenecks to make AI pipelines faster and more efficient. We’ll also highlight the impact of high-capacity storage solutions on AI scaling and why future-proof storage investments are essential.

In this episode, writer, designer, educator and host of the 'Design Matters' podcast Debbie Millman, chats with Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Officer at Mansueto Ventures, parent of Inc. and Fast Company. They explore the future of design, from the role of generative AI in creativity to the evolving relationship between design and business. 

This episode features Krishna Bhagavathula, Chief Technology Officer and NBA Executive Vice President with Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Officer at Mansueto Ventures, parent of 'Inc.' and 'Fast Company.' They explore the role technology-including generative AI-is playing in enhancing experiences for teams, players, and fans. One Madison is the site of IBM's new headquarters in New York City.

On today’s episode, it’s our year-end spectacular! Yaz and Josh are joined by ‘Fast Company’ editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughn and executive editor Amy Farley to help bring 2024 to a close. From design jobs to tech bros to everything AI, we look back on the biggest and most interesting stories of the year.

Plus, a game Josh invented and our New Year’s resolutions.

With a history exceeding 50 years, Hot Wheels has proven it has staying power. Rooted in authentic car design and performance, the brand continues to innovate. In this episode, part of the Atlassian-sponsored 'Behind The Teams' series, Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president of Hot Wheels & the global head of vehicles; Ted Wu, head of design; and Subri Kovilmadam, Mattel’s vice president of technology, reveal how Mattel’s culture of collaboration works.

On today’s episode, Yaz and Josh are joined by ‘Fast Company’ senior staff editor Jeff Beer and ‘Fast Company’ associate editor David Salazar to discuss the annual Brands That Matter list. This year, the list includes not just such companies as Athletic Brewing, Quinn Erotic Audio, and DoorDash, but, for the first time, it includes CMOs who have taken some really interesting creative risks.

Plus, Josh talks with Second City Works creative director Tyler Dean Kempf about improv classes for corporate teams, the recent influx of AI tools, and Josh’s former life as an improviser.