Innovation is at the core of what makes us human. Since millennia, we've come a long way from discovering fire, the wheel, and our modern world. This zeal and innate quality to innovate and find novel solutions for problems have pushed individuals to create multi-billion dollar enterprises. The same enterprises whose products we see and use all the time.In this article, we'll take you through the ten major disruptors of recent times who have not only become players but changed the same game!

1. Slack: Transforming Communication in the Workplace

Communication is the cornerstone of any successful organization. Effective collaboration and seamless information sharing are vital for teams to work together efficiently. Slack identified this as a gap in the market and created a workspace tool striving to overcome these gaps. It has emerged as a transformative force in this landscape, revolutionizing workplace communication and redefining how teams collaborate.

Founded in August 2013, this online workspace tool has begun to reframe an industry around it. Ideated as an internal tool for Stewart Butterfield's gaming company, Tiny Speck, during the development of one of their games. Acronym for "Searchable Log of All Conversation andKnowledge," Slack disrupted workplace communication by introducing a collaborative, real-time messaging platform. Its USP lies around the intuitive interface, integrations, and their focus on productivity redefined workplace communication, replacing traditional email threads and enhancing teamwork across organizations. On January 1, 2021, Slack and Salesforce announced an agreement for Salesforce to acquire the company for a value of approximately $27.7billion, which was one of the highest tech acquisitions at the time, closing inJuly 2021.

2. Stripe: Revolutionising Online Payments

Stripe, Inc. is an Irish-American financial services and software as a service (SaaS) company dual-headquartered in South San Francisco,California, United States, and Dublin, Ireland. It primarily offered payment-processing software and application programming interfaces fore-commerce websites and mobile applications. In today's digital age, the way we transact and make payments has undergone a significant transformation. With the rise of e-commerce and the increasing demand for seamless online transactions, companies like Stripe have emerged as game-changers, revolutionising the world of online payments.

Stripe revolutionised online payments by providing a seamless and developer-friendly payment processing platform. Its simple integration, powerful APIs, and robust security measures transformed how businesses handle online transactions by eliminating complex payment Infrastructure barriers.Stripe clocked in a revenue of US$12 billion in FY22.

3. Impossible Foods: Redefining Plant-Based Food

Ever thought of a vegetarian chicken burger? Well, ImpossibleFoods did. They disrupted the food industry by introducing plant-based meat alternatives that closely mimic the taste and texture of animal-based products—founded in 2011 as a vegan alternative to beef hamburgers. The key ingredient that setsImpossible Foods apart is heme, an abundant molecule in animal muscle.Impossible Foods has unlocked the secret to creating meat-like flavors and aromas in its products by isolating and fermenting heme from plant sources, such as soy. This breakthrough has been crucial in capturing the essence of meat and providing a satisfying experience for consumers.

The company's innovative food science and technology redefined what is possible in plant-based cuisine, appealing to vegetarians and meatlovers. In today's ethically conscious food consumption era, Impossible Foods has sparked a wider conversation about the future of food and sustainable eating habits with a soaring valuation of $7 billion.

4. Peloton: Transforming Home Fitness

Personal health has never been a more significant topic than no win our society. Like our last startup, this health-conscious era, PelotonInteractive, Inc. is an American exercise equipment and media company based in New York City. Founded in 2012, Peloton has taken the concept of stationary cycling to new heights by combining cutting-edge technology, immersive content, and a vibrant community of users. At its core, Peloton offers an all-in-one home fitness solution that includes a state-of-the-art stationary bike or treadmill, live and on-demand classes, and a social platform that connects users worldwide.

The company has been experiencing steady growth since its inception. Still, its magnum opus was how the worldwide disaster of theCOVID-19 pandemic further propelled Peloton's growth as people sought alternatives to traditional gym settings. With gym closures and social distancing measures in place, Peloton offered a safe and effective solution for staying active and maintaining a sense of community during challenging times.Charging a US$44 monthly membership fee to access courses and additional features on their exercise equipment, Peloton disrupted the fitness industry bybringing immersive, on-demand workouts to people's homes. This disruption in the home workout regimes transformed the sector from DVD and televisionnetworks to a subscription-based model- Just like Netflix! They reached a revenue of around US$3.58 billion in FY22.

5. Coursera: Democratising Education

EdTech startups have been the talk of the town, especially in the Indian context, where competitive examination prep is a mammoth industry. Coursera Inc. is a U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Working in collaboration with the top universities providing industry-relevant courses, certifications, and degrees in various subjects. In2021, they had a repository of more than 4000 courses.

Coursera disrupted the education industry by democratisingaccess to high-quality online courses from leading universities andinstitutions, especially about their financial aid for all those who can't payfor them. The company clocked in a revenue of US$524 million in FY22.

6. Zipline: Revolutionising Medical Supply Delivery

In their journey to finding a more impactful mission, Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, Ryan Oksenhorn, and William Hetzler moved from an iPhone-controlled robotic toy called Romo to delivering high-importance cargo in remote African locations using drones. Zipline International Inc. is anAmerican company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. The company's drones deliver whole blood, platelets, frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate along with medical products, including vaccines, infusions, and common medical commodities currently operating distribution centers in Rwanda,Ghana, Japan, the United States, and Nigeria, with signed agreements to begin service in Cote d'Ivoire, and Kenya. As of May 2023, its drones have made more than 600,000 commercial deliveries and flown more than 40 million autonomous miles. 

Zipline disrupted the healthcare industry by introducing innovative autonomous drone delivery systems for medical supplies, particularly in remote and underserved areas. This breakthrough technology has revolutionised healthcare logistics, improving access to life-saving resources and transforming how medical supplies reach those in need.

7. Patagonia: Pioneering Sustainable Business

This one differs slightly from the traditional revenue-maximising behemoths in this list. Patagonia has become a leader inethical business practices. The outdoor apparel and equipment manufacturer has always shown a dedication to social action and environmental responsibility since its foundation in 1973. Patagonia has established itself as a leader incorporate sustainability, motivating businesses worldwide to prioritise moral and ethical behaviour. In recent surveys, it's been seen that even consumers have started attesting value to environmentally conscious companies helping their cause, and the core of Patagonia's goal is environmental responsibility.The business is committed to reducing its environmental impact and safeguarding the environment for future generations and has implemented several measures.For instance, they invest in renewable energy, use recycled and sustainable materials in their goods, use less water, and adhere to strict environmental standards across their supply chain. 

They've set a standard for ethical and ecologically responsible practices by prioritising sustainability throughout all company activities, becoming a shining example of how businesses can be profitable while safeguarding the environment and having a beneficial influence on society. The company made around $1.5 billion in revenue in FY22.

8. Robinhood: Democratising Investment

In India, investing in stock markets was limited to the very topof the urban class with little to no facilities and knowledge of investing forothers. The exorbitant brokerages and the grey industry of brokers made itimpossible for the normal Indian to become a capital market investor. All this wasabout to change with the advent of what became the core of financial literacypush in India and worldwide-Zero Brokerage Trading. This phenomenon of charinglittle to no brokerage on trades along with actively working on teaching theretail investor about trading was such a novel idea that the number ofinvestors increased from 2 crores in 2010 to more than ten crores in 2020 forIndia and the company which envisioned it and laid the path for other companieslike Zerodha, Upstox was Robinhood. Robinhood, established in 2013, has becomea revolutionary financial sector force. It transformed how consumers engage inthe stock market by providing commission-free trading, an intuitive userinterface, and cutting-edge features that have drawn a new generation ofinvestors.

Robinhood has been essential in truly democratising investing byfacilitating access to and interest among regular investors. The company isvalued at around US$7 billion.

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9. 23andMe: Transforming Personal Genomics

Leading direct-to-consumer genetic testing business, 23andMe haschanged the personal genomics industry forever and how people access andcomprehend their genetic information. Since its launch in 2006, 23andMe hasgiven millions of individuals the tools to discover their genetic heritage,understand their health risks, and support genetic research.

The main USP of 23andMe was making genetic testing accessibleand inexpensive for the general population. Genetic testing was previously onlyavailable in clinical settings and was very expensive. The price and complexityof genetic testing have been significantly decreased because of 23andMe'sdirect-to-consumer strategy, breakthrough research, economies of scale, andstreamlined procedures, making it affordable for those curious about theirgenetic history and health insights.

It has also enabled people to actively participate in theirhealth and connect with their genetic information by providing insights intogenetic origins, health predispositions, and the ability to contribute toscientific research. The future of personalised healthcare, genetic analysis,and our comprehension of the complex interplay between genetics and individualwell-being will be influenced by 23andMe for years to come. A very aggressiveacquisition maker, 23andMe is valued at just above a billion dollars. 

10. OpenAI: Pushing the Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence

Leading artificial intelligence (AI) research company, OpenAI,is at the forefront of expanding the capabilities of AI and pushing its limits(and was not used while ideating this article). OpenAI was established in 2015to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) advances humankind. Withits dedication to transparency, teamwork, and the ethical development of AI,OpenAI has become a leader in the field, fostering innovation and influencingthe direction of intelligent systems. OpenAI is an American artificialintelligence (AI) research laboratory consisting of the non-profit OpenAIIncorporated and, later, around 2019, expanded its for-profit subsidiarycorporation OpenAI Limited Partnership. Interestingly, the move to expand to afor-profit arm was met with criticism by one of its co-founders and a recurringtheme in our article, Elon Musk. He said, "I'm still confused about how anon-profit I donated ~$100M somehow became a $30B market cap for-profit. Ifthis is legal, why doesn't everyone do it?"

Anyhow, OpenAI is redefining the potential of AI and expandingthe field's capabilities, and is currently valued at a whopping $30 billion.

Our list is a mixed bag of profit-making machines, and sociallyconscious companies, all attached by a single string of innovation and thedesire to push the envelope. These ten cutting-edge businesses have alteredindustries, questioned conventional wisdom, and transformed the commercialenvironment. They have redefined their sector through groundbreaking conceptsand technical innovations. At the same time, they serve as reminders of thetransforming potential of the invention and symbolise the spirit ofentrepreneurship. These businesses will continue to reshape sectors, change thegame's rules, and open doors for small-time entrepreneurs and startupenthusiasts like you and me to make it big!

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