Fast Company

In today’s fast-paced world, nearly every sector of the economy is reinventing itself with the latest advancements in technology. As the pace of innovation accelerates, companies both large and small are turning to groundbreaking approaches to create smarter, more sustainable solutions. Yet among the thousands of exciting new developments released each year, a select group of technologies stand out for their ingenuity. These are Fast Company's 2024 Next Big Things in Tech winners. The 138 honorees span 28 categories, including AI and Data, Space and Telecom, and Health. From corporate giants to ambitious startups, each honoree has demonstrated impressive progress—showing both immediate promise and potential to drive lasting change in the years ahead. You might see this dichotomy in some of our winners: Coursera, Electronic Arts (EA), Logitech, Headspace, Houzz, and Discord. It may be the first time you’ve encountered some of these brands, but it certainly won’t be the last. Whether using AI to improve disaster-response efforts, creating a hiking-friendly wearable exoskeleton, or making supply chains more ethical, each of these products, services, and technological breakthroughs reflects fresh thinking that inspires us. Read the full #FCTechAwards list: https://bit.ly/3Cz2HVj

D.C.'s poorest neighborhood has a massive urban forest, and yet it's plagued by a lack of maintenance, illegal dumping, and deforestation. http://f-st.co/b8rrUsZ

The budding social network has lots of neat ways to get up and running. http://f-st.co/p5LTXiO

In a new study, researchers found that ChatGPT creates websites full of deceptive patterns. It shouldn't come as a surprise. http://f-st.co/1BN7Qdl

Peek inside Walmart’s giant 'vending machine' factory where your Black Friday orders get shipped. They hold more than a million square feet of goods that serve 95% of the U.S. population and counting. http://f-st.co/61t3Nl3

Step one: Look critically at your résumé. http://f-st.co/4WIob6n

Meet the USC student rocket club that shattered a world altitude record http://f-st.co/ECn9HUP

While many restaurant chains have reduced their physical footprints this year, the CEO of Jersey Mike's says he expects expansion to continue into 2027. http://f-st.co/OuA6sMe

Nearly 2 million undocumented immigrants are the backbone of some industries, and they pay billions in taxes for services they never receive. http://f-st.co/PTBsfct

A wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, all for nothing. http://f-st.co/uIwV8BW