Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorThe hope for any budding entrepreneur is to come up with an idea that isn’t just smart but also original – and hopefully even transformational. Being the first to offer a service or product is the dream of any business owner. While those types of ideas rarely come easily, when they do, they make their mark.
In honour of entrepreneurs thinking big and following their dreams, here are five innovative companies that have made their mark – and how they did it.
Apple
For many people, Apple is the innovation company. It brought something so unique to the table that its peers are still having a hard time competing. Apple has the highest consumer demand in the United States, but it has made its way into just about every country globally, with Apple users always excited about the latest and greatest releases.
The company began as Apple Computer, Inc. in 1976, as a joint venture of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. Most people know the story of Apple, which began in Wozniak and Jobs’ garage where they created their first prototypes and models. It didn’t take long for it to take off, and once it did, it maintained an upward trajectory.
As competition began to enter the picture, Apple was forced to rethink its offerings and reinvent itself in a sense. In 2007, the company launched the iPhone touchscreen smartphone. As the saying goes, the rest was history. Today, Apple employs 164,000 people globally, and it’s worth a staggering $3.69 trillion USD.
Speaking of Apple’s competition, we also need to mention Google. Google is a massive company with numerous branches and offerings, including Google smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets. Each of these mobile devices has a loyal following and is in direct competition with Apple devices.
Google LLC was founded in September 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page in Menlo Park, CA. The founders were both graduates of Stanford University and had a dream to create a way for people to find information faster and easier on the internet than was possible at the time.
Not every idea is an instant hit, but with Google, its meteoric rise happened very quickly. Not long after it was launched, it caught on, and people readily picked Google as their search engine of choice. In 2000, the company launched its AdWords advertising platform, in 2001 the Google Images search was born, and in 2002 Google News was created.
The company was growing at such a rapid rate that in August 2004, Google LLC made a huge step and took the company public.
Hacksaw Gaming Ltd.
Hacksaw Gaming might not be a household name like the other companies on this list, but it’s still a major provider of online entertainment in its own right. In the past few decades, online casinos have allowed people worldwide to enjoy the thrills and excitement of the physical casino from the comfort of their homes.
Known for its innovative approach to gaming, Hacksaw Gaming is one of the leaders in the industry. Founded in 2017, this company has gone on to be a huge supplier of the top online slots, instant win games, and scratch card games. It is regulated in more than 20 markets now and has over 300 partners. The company designs and develops the games, meaning they come up with the ideas and concepts that will work on a remote gaming server platform.
The company was conceptualised in Malta by its founders, whose resumes were already impressive in the online gaming development community. The company began with a few basic slot games and then built on their offerings from there.
McDonald’s
Tech giants, clothing brands, and telecommunications companies often come to mind when discussing innovation, but restaurants have also made a lasting impact. If you’re talking about iconic companies that have changed the landscape, McDonald’s ticks off all the boxes. While it’s got a lot of stiff competition, it still manages to be a highly recognisable brand worldwide.
What’s surprising is how long the restaurant chain has been around. The first McDonald’s opened in the late 1940s as a carhop drive-in restaurant. It was founded by the McDonald brothers, Dick and Mac, in San Bernardino, CA.
The restaurant offerings and the model itself were a huge hit with customers, so the brothers decided to franchise the restaurant. The menu grew, operations became more efficient, and from there the franchises continued to open. In 1967, the restaurant was ready for its biggest step yet: expanding into the global market.
The first international locations were in Puerto Rico and Canada. Success grew upon success, and today there are more than 36,000 franchises in more than 100 countries.
Netflix
Next up, we’ve got the streaming giant Netflix. Just about everyone is familiar with the platform, which is available in more than 190 countries. It has more than 300 million paid memberships, proving just how popular the platform is today. What’s interesting about Netflix is that it didn’t start with online streaming; rather, it evolved with time and changing customer habits.
Netflix was founded in 1997 as a DVD rental service. People would pay per rental, making their selections through the NetFlix.com site. What stood out was the massive library of titles available to customers, allowing them to see some of the most talked-about entertainment out there.
Over time the membership model changed, and eventually, it became a flat rate. In 2000, it offered something innovative, a personalised movie recommendation system using a highly advanced algorithm. This was a huge hit and encouraged people to watch even more content.
As the internet became more prevalent, faster, and reliable, Netflix realized it was time to pivot. When it introduced streaming content in 2007, it revolutionized the entertainment industry.
Innovation Has No Limits
Each of these companies has brought something tremendous to the table, with innovation being the backbone of the business offering or model. It’s exciting to imagine what other groundbreaking companies will emerge in the future.