Last week Red Hat was nominated for Fast Company’s prestigious list that highlights the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. This year’s ranking recognizes 609 organizations across 58 sectors that are shaping industry and culture through innovations that set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones across all sectors of the economy. For Brendan Vaughan, the publication’s editor-in-chief, the guide helps consumers understand the current technological landscape.
“Our World’s Most Innovative Companies list provides both a comprehensive view of current innovation and a guide to the future. This year, we recognize companies that are leveraging AI in profound and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by exceeding their expectations, and emerging business models (challengers) that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is changing rapidly, these companies are charting the path forward.”
It all started with promoting Linux, which became the foundation and engine of innovation in data centers, followed by the dominance of open-source technologies in cloud computing, from cloud-native applications and Kubernetes to open-source virtualization alternatives and developer tools. Now, the company’s focus is directed toward the next area of open innovation: AI.
Fast Company recognized Red Hat for its efforts to make AI more accessible to a broader audience of users, primarily through the InstructLab project. The initiative breaks down adoption barriers by allowing contributions of skills and knowledge to AI models, extending this access not only to data scientists but also to developers, IT operations teams, and other domain experts.
The community behind InstructLab is also a major component of the success of Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI) and Red Hat OpenShift AI. The ongoing collaboration of developers and contributors provides a supported, enterprise-ready version within the project, facilitating the path for organizations looking to explore and implement AI strategies in secure and productive hybrid cloud environments while using the Linux and Kubernetes tools they are already familiar with.
Red Hat is honored that this journey has led it to be named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. In the organization’s view, AI cannot succeed without open source and hybrid cloud, and it is committed to delivering innovations that enable its customers not only to succeed with their AI strategies but also to thrive.
The full list of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies can be accessed at fastcompany.com
