How can one rank a company as the smartest? Market growth and bulging cash reserves are not yardsticks here. The criteria MIT used to choose these smart companies is having a core of technological innovation with effective and efficient business plans. All that means is that these companies are creating technology that will drive economy and progress in the future.
Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook, the tech giants of the day, are on the list but not as prominent being ranked at 16, 27 and 23 respectively. Alphabet, the parent company of Google and other companies, is, however, in the top 10.
| Rank | Company | Industry | Highlight | Base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVidia | Tech | Artificial Intelligence (AI) and video game software | USA |
| 2 | SpaceX | Aerospace | Reusable Rockets | USA |
| 3 | Amazon | E-commerce | AI (Alex) and virtual reality | USA |
| 4 | 23andMe | Biotechnology | Genetic testing for disorders | USA |
| 5 | Alphabet | Conglomerate | AI, augmented reality, virtual reality | USA |
| 6 | iFlytek | Information Tech | Voice recognition and voice-activated commands | China |
| 7 | Kite Pharma | Biotechnology | Engineering human T cells to directly attack cancer cells | USA |
| 8 | Tencent | Tech | Largest video-gaming company and owns WeChat | China |
| 9 | Regeneron | Biotechnology | Research of connection between DNA and disease | USA |
| 10 | Spark Therapeutics | Biotechnology | Successful treatment of progressive blindness | USA |
Source: MIT Technology Review
As seen in the list and in the overall ranking, intelligence companies are leading the race (30 per cent of ranked firms) while bio-medicine and biotechnology is following close behind (22 per cent).
The United States of America is leading in this table, with 8 in the top 10; its overall share is 62 per cent in the top 50. China and Taiwan have 18 per cent share, followed by Europe (12 per cent). Argentina, India, Kenya and Nigeria together hold 8 per cent share in the ranking. E-commerce firm Flipkart is the sole Indian firm on the list at Rank 36.
