Gresham Smith is proud to have been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations to set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy.
“At Gresham Smith, innovation isn’t just about adopting technology—it’s about redefining how we design for a better future,” said Mike Sewell, director of innovation at Gresham Smith. “By integrating artificial intelligence, advanced computational methods, and interactive design tools, we are creating new opportunities for clients to engage meaningfully in the design process. Our forward-thinking approach empowers both our employees and clients to push beyond conventional solutions, driving transformative outcomes that align bold ideas with community needs. Being named one of the Most Innovative Companies of 2025 in the world affirms our commitment to shaping more resilient, connected and sustainable environments.”
Over the past 18 months, Gresham Smith has redefined the firm’s design process through AI-driven tools, computational design and innovative client engagement platforms. The firm’s generative and interpretive AI systems empower employees with advanced models tailored to the company’s needs, streamlining tasks like design ideation, data analysis and project planning. AI-powered assistants also automate time-intensive processes such as proposal development and marketing material creation, ensuring more efficient workflows. The integration of AI has also enhanced computational design, allowing teams to make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, sustainability, and resilience—especially in large-scale projects like battery plants for electric vehicle manufacturers and urban planning initiatives that optimize transportation, energy use, and accessibility.
Gresham Smith has also prioritized enhancing client experiences and deepening community engagement through interactive platforms such as TwInsights, which allows clients to explore and provide real-time feedback on floorplans, and MPATH: Empathic Insights, an award-winning tool that quantifies how individuals emotionally experience designed spaces. These platforms have been particularly valuable in healthcare, transit and urban renewal projects, where user experience and emotional response play a key role in shaping communities.
Additionally, the firm has fostered a culture of innovation through investments in Futures Lab, a dedicated space where employees can explore AI, computational design and interactive technology. Internal hackathons and the firm’s innovation portal have encouraged employees at all levels to propose and develop new tools, leading to transformative solutions that improve both internal processes and client engagement.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company’s hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. To determine honorees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.
“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “This year, we recognize companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them, and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.”
The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honorees can now be found at fastcompany.com. It will also be available on newsstands beginning March 25.
Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala for honorees on June 5. The summit features a day of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation.
