The document compares the Forbes and FastCompany lists of the top 10 most innovative companies in 2011. It notes that the FastCompany list is skewed towards online/tech companies and US-based firms. The Forbes list is said to have a less US-centric perspective due to its 90+ years of experience. Brief profiles of each company on the Forbes list are then provided, highlighting major products and innovations from Salesforce.com, Amazon, Intuitive Surgical, Tencent, Apple, Hindustan Unilever, Google, Natura Cosmeticos, Bharat Heavy Electricals, and Monsanto.

1. Top 10
Innovative
Companies
The Forbes List 2011

2. Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
2011
FORBES LIST FASTCOMPANY LIST
1 Salesforce.com 1 Apple
2 Amazon.com 2 Twitter
3 Intuitive Surgical 3 Facebook
4 Tencent Holdings 4 Nissan
5 Apple 5 Groupon
6 Hindustan UniLever 6 Google
7 Google 7 Dawning Information Ind
8 Natura Cosmeticos 8 NetFlix
9 Bharat Heavy Electricals 9 Zynga
10 Monsanto 10 Epocrates
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

3. Two Lists !!!
That calls for a comparison
Lets Check The Fastcompany List
9 out of 10 are online/computer/IT related companies (skewed!!)
8 out of 10 are US based (skewed again !!)
Guess That’s Enough.
The list is made just to woo the online US users.
Lets listen to the 90+ year’s experience from Forbes
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

4. No 1
Salesforce.com
Industry - On-demand software
Headquartered in San Francisco
Founded in march 1999 by Marc
Benioff and Parker Harris
Business model- Distribution of
business software on subscription
basis
Market leader in Customer
Salesforce foundation is a charitable
Relationship Management Products organization though which salesforce.com
100,000+ customers donates 1% of its income to charity
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

5. No 2
Amazon.com
Industry - Internet & Catalog Retail
Founded by Jeff Becoz in 1994 MAJOR AQUISITIONS
Started as an online bookstore, but soon
diversified, selling DVDs, CDs, MP3
downloads, software, video games,
electronics, apparel, furniture, food, and
toys.
Innovations by Amazon includes:
Customer reviews, Recommendations &
bundles, 1-Click Ordering, Look inside the
book, Free Super Saver Shipping, Search
inside the book
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

6. No 3
Intuitive Surgical
Industry - Medical Equipment & Supplies
They are into manufacturing of robotic
surgical systems
Main contribution is the da Vinci Surgical
System which aids complex surgery using
a minimally invasive method.
The Company's principal products include
three models of da Vinci Surgical System:
da Vinci Si Surgical System, da Vinci Si
Surgical System and standard da Vinci
Surgical System, along with a variety of
EndoWrist instruments and accessories. da Vinci Surgical System
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

7. No 4
Tencent Holdings
Industry Online service provider
China based holding company whose INNOVATION OR COPYING ?
headquarters is at Nanshan District,
Shenzhen. Many of the Tencent services are similar
China's largest and most used Internet to that of the competitors and has called
service portal. for criticism. Even Ma Huateng the
Services include social networks, web founder himself told ‘ To Copy is not evil’
portals, e-commerce, and multiplayer 
online games.
But
Founded in 1998, it is now the third
Tencent have more than 400 patents
largest Internet company in the world
And more than 50% of the staff belongs
behind Google and Amazon.
to R&D
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

8. No 5
Apple
Industry - Computer hardware/software
On-demand software
Steve Jobs !!! REVELUTIONARY PRODUCTS
Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak,
and Ronald Wayne
Largest technology company in terms of
market Cap as on 2011
Main products include Macintosh, iPad,
iPad and iPhone
Another successful launch was AppStore. iPad, iPod and iPhone literally transformed
Around 10 billion downloads has been the corresponding industry
done through AppStore.
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

9. No 6
Hindustan Unilever
Industry - Home & Personal
On-demand software Care, Food & Beverages
Is India's largest fast moving consumer NOTABLE BRANDS
goods company owned by the European
company Unilever.
Presence in over 20 consumer categories
Over 6000 people working in R&D
File between 250 & 350 new patent
applications a year.
Worldwide we have over 20000
registered patents & patent applications.
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

10. No 7
Google
Industry - Search Engine
On-demand softwareand Computer Services
Founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in MAJOR SUBSIDIARIES
1998
Online advertising (Adwords) is the main
source of revenue
Android is an OS for mobile devices such
as smartphones and tablet computers
developed by Google
Main innovative products include search
engine, gmail, Adsense, Adwords, Buzz,
Google+, Picassa, google maps, Google
Docs, iGoogle, Google news
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

11. No 8
Natura Cosmeticos
Industry - Cosmetics
On-demand software
Brazil-based company that is engaged in
the manufacturing, distribution and
commercialization of cosmetic products
under the brand name Natura.
Direct sales is used as the sales model
and has more than 10,000 resellers
Releases about 100 products a year
Innovation is focused on environment
friendly and sustainable product Natura Cosmeticos is known for their
development. 79% of materials used by constant product and packaging
natura is renewable innovation
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

12. No 9
B h a r a t H e av y E l e c t r i c a l s
Industry - Electrical Equipment
On-demand software
Is a state-owned engineering and
manufacturing enterprise in India
BHEL's investment in R&D is amongst the
largest in the corporate sector in India.
74% of the total power generated in India
is produced by equipment manufactured
by BHEL
Main R&D products includes Fuel cells, In 2010-11, BHEL filed 303 patents and
Surface coatings, Automated storage & copyrights, enhancing the company's
intellectual capital to 1,438 patents and
Retrievals, Load sensors, Transparent
copyrights filed, which are in productive use
Conducting Oxide in the company's business.
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

13. No 10
Monsanto
Industry - Agribusiness
On-demand software
US-based multinational agricultural SOME MONSANTO BRANDS
biotechnology corporation
Worlds leading producer of genetically
engineered seeds and herbicide
glyphosate marketed as ‘RoundUp’
EverMild onion and Beneforté broccoli
are recent successful inventions
Focused on sustainable agriculture
Corn, Cotton, Soybeans, and Vegetables
are in pipeline for breeding project
Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan

14. Top 10 List of Innovative Companies
By Nikhil Narayan