The large companies category recognizes best workplaces for innovators with 1,000+ employees that have outpaced their cohort in fostering cultures of innovation.

American Red Cross, Washington, D.C.

The 144-year-old American Red Cross is embracing AI to save time and money generating questions for two of their training exams, babysitting and basic life support.

Ardurra, Miami

The engineering and consulting firm operates an Innovation Hub that functions as an internal incubator where employees can submit ideas that are evaluated by a diverse Shark Tank-style panel of senior experts.

Chipotle, Newport Beach, CA

Last year, Chipotle doubled down on its Cultivate Next venture fund, committing $100 million to the initiative, which is designed to make early-stage investments in companies that align with Chipotle’s mission of fostering sustainability, innovation, and culinary excellence.

Fidelity Information Services, Jacksonville, FL

Giving employees a chance to create and collaborate at an annual 48-hour innovation event, Fidelity Information Services filed more than 300 new patents last year.

Jazwares, Plantation, FL

The toy company behind popular brands like Squishmallows inspires innovation with employee education programs and a twice-yearly initiative that brings new product ideas directly to company leaders.

Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ

Embracing future leaders within their ranks, the pharmaceutical giant has invested in leadership skill development and developed new learning opportunities for employees, such as on-demand content and an app.

Salesforce, San Francisco

Salesforce encourages employees to research and develop AI tools. The latest, Agentforce, allows clients to customize their own AI agents for business tasks.

Symbotic, Wilmington, MA

To streamline fulfillment of small-quantity orders, the robotics company developed an AI-driven system that can slash costs and improve efficiency in warehouses.

TIAA, New York

The centenarian financial services company is embracing new technologies—such as its new generative AI platform, TIAA gAIt—to streamline customer experiences across the expansive business.

T-Mobile, Bellevue, WA

The telecommunications company collaborated across its network—and across employee teams—to develop T-Priority, a new 5G solution that improves first responders’ call connectivity.

Trimble, Westminster, CO

A 24-hour hackathon led a Trimble engineer to develop the global tech company’s first internal AI program.

Wealthsimple Technologies, Toronto

Alternative investment funds with a low barrier to entry—the brainchild of a cross-functional team at Wealthsimple Technologies—have helped thousands of Canadians access wealth management services.

This story is part of Fast Company’s 2025 Best Workplaces for Innovators Awards. Explore the full list of companies that are key hubs for fostering innovative talent. Read more about the methodology behind the selection process.