For showing the world that tacos are a state of mind, Taco Bell is one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024. With new CEO Sean Tresvant at the helm, the fast food chain is preparing for global cultural domination, one Taco Tuesday at a time. Read by Mark Deakins.

Fast Company covers the future of business, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design.

Fast Company

Inside Taco Bell’s new strategy for global cultural domination, one Taco Tuesday at a time

How Y Combinator became the biggest machine in Silicon Valley

How did Y Combinator, an organisation that champions "little tech", come to operate the giant machine in Silicon Valley? Ainsley Harris reveals that under CEO Garry Tan, the startup factory is flexing the power of its network like never before. Read by Marni Penning.

How Y Combinator, champion of ‘little tech,’ became the biggest machine in Silicon Valley

Want to be more positive in 2024? Stephanie Vozza reflects on her experience of "negativity fasting" to counter prevalent negative messages, emphasizing its positive impact on mental well-being. Read by Besty Foldes Meiman.

I tried a 2-week negativity fast. Here’s how it went

Biocement could become the next big bumper crop

Colorado-based Prometheus Materials and other emerging companies are developing new biocements that could help meet the world’s growing concrete demands and avert climate catastrophe. Ted C. Fishman explores the startups developing this sustainable material. Read by Michael Satow.

This new cement could become America’s next big bumper crop and help save the world as we know it

As the 2024 U.S. election approaches, concern is growing about AI fuelling political disinformation.

Mark Sullivan outlines Meta and Microsoft's new policies on AI-generated content and why - without legislation from Congress - they might not be enough to stop the vast majority of deepfakes.

Tech giants are trying to stop deepfakes from influencing the 2024 election. Good luck

After suffering from a box-office disappointment with 'The Marvels', Marvel Studios must look elsewhere for growth. Jeff Beer argues that a single picture cannot solve the superhero behemoth’s fundamental brand problem. Read by Sean Crisden.

Why 'The Marvels' can't solve the Marvel Studios' brand problem

According to Bill Gates, planting trees is not a quick fix for climate change. But, surely there are plenty of benefits to reforestation? Adele Peters looks at both sides of the argument - from experts arguing that planting trees could be used as a distraction from the need to reduce fossil fuel use to the science behind their carbon removal. Read by Marni Penning.

Bill Gates says it’s ‘complete nonsense’ that planting trees can solve climate change. Here’s why we should do it anyway

Coaches and leaders at Amazon, Google, and JPMorgan Chase have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to changing your life for the better. Wendy Leshgold and Lisa McCarthy reveal the essential principles for transformation in just one year, emphasizing the significance of a clear and bold vision for the future, overriding limiting beliefs, and enlisting support from others. Read by Betsy Foldes Meiman.

How to radically change your life in just one year

Generative AI needs its pinch and swipe to be as big as the iPhone. Mark Wilson explores how designers in San Francisco are creating a new generation of computers that will be as fluid as mercury and as malleable as snow. Read by Sean Crisden.

A new generation of Silicon Valley designers is racing to build AI’s next big thing

Management is key to employee health and well-being. Dr Jean Accius argues that organizations should develop innovative policies, practices, and programs supporting their workforce's health and well-being. Read by Sean Crisden.

The power of work to influence health and longevity

How Mattel pulled off Barbie's global domination

The 'Barbie' movie is finally here, but Mattel has been building to this moment since 2015. Jeff Beer highlights the successful marketing campaign of the film and reflects on the company's strategic transformation that led to a resurgence in sales. Read by Michael Bott.

Barbie’s global domination: exactly how Mattel pulled it off

Venture Capital firms are hooked on the "young entrepreneur with a big idea" start-up dream. But even though the myth of the visionary college dropout (think Zuckerberg) is pervasive, Tommy Stadlen reports that the facts paint a different picture. Read by Gary Furlong.

The college dropout fallacy and ageism in entrepreneurship

Why & how 'burning bridges' at work can be the right thing to do

The stigma of 'burning bridges' can often hold people back from speaking out. But if we want to build a better work environment, Mita Mallick explains why raising awareness of any problems is sometimes necessary. Read by Betsy Foldes Meiman. 

Sometimes ‘burning bridges’ at work is the right thing to do. Here’s why and when to do so

An experienced screenwriter & on welfare: my view on the strike

The screenwriter profession is looking increasingly like a job for the already rich. Experienced author and writer Ruth Fowler shares her story to highlight the importance of the Writers Guild of America's strike and fair pay for TV writers to increase the diversity of the industry. Read by Emma Powell.

I’m an experienced screenwriter—and I’m also on welfare. My story highlights the importance of the writers’ strike

The wild saga of a fraudster, an EV-company & a perfect battery

Inventor Lawrence Hardge vowed that his new energy system could revolutionise EV batteries, and he only needed $300,000 to do it. So, are investors being punk'd or are they about to become millionaires? Clint Rainey discovers the ongoing drama around the Hardge and Mullen Automotive alliance. Read by Mark Deakins.

The wild saga of a convicted fraudster, a scandal-ridden EV company, and the promise of a perfect battery

Can age be subjective?

How old you are and how old you feel doesn't always have to have the same answer. Stephanie Vozza discusses the ageing paradox, including how it impacts your outlook on life.

What feeling younger (or older) than your actual age says about your outlook on life 

Are Starbucks banning Pride decorations?

Starbucks middle managers are reportedly banning Pride decorations in defiance of their pro-LGBTQ+ policy. Their Seattle HQ insists that policies have not changed amid anti-LGBTQ+ backlash, but messages viewed by Fast Company say otherwise. Clint Rainey reports.

Starbucks middle managers are banning Pride decorations in defiance of pro-LGBTQ policy

A psychologist explains exactly when NOT to trust your gut

Experience is a great asset. But knowledge can also lead us astray. Constance Dierickx explains that in conscious decision-making, we can't always trust our impulses.

A psychologist explains exactly when NOT to trust your gut (and what to do instead)

This is how much exercise you need to benefit your brain

We've all heard that exercise is good for us. But did you know its benefits extend beyond your heart, lungs and muscles? Anisa Purbasari Horton uses science to explain how exercise can stave off cognitive decline and what you need to do to get the benefits.

This is how much exercise you need to get to see a benefit to your brain

Finding happiness and satisfaction in life is important. But it can also be hard to find. From avoiding the zero-sum to de-escalating the downward spiral, Art Markman explains how you can prioritise your mental health.