The fifth annual TIME100 Most Influential Companies issue for 2025 spotlights organizations that are profoundly shaping global progress through their innovation, leadership, and tangible real-world impact. The rigorous selection process, led by TIME editors, encompasses suggestions, applications, insights from global contributors and correspondents, and advice from external experts. Companies are assessed based on a mosaic of qualities including influence, originality, ambition, and success, reflecting how impact takes various forms today, rather than solely on financial metrics. This year’s cohort features 105 enterprises that are charting new directions for business and society, alongside the introduction of the inaugural TIME100 Companies Impact Awards.

A prominent example of artificial intelligence's tangible entry into the physical world is Waymo, the autonomous taxi company. Having completed over 10 million rides in several major metropolises, Waymos have become an integral part of daily life. Waymo's co-CEOs, Dmitri Dolgov and Tekedra Mawakana, underscore their powerful mission to reduce traffic fatalities and their commitment to responsible technology development. Their strategy involves a deliberate, slow rollout—a pace considered glacial by Silicon Valley standards—driven by the understanding that a single fatal accident could jeopardize not just their company, but the entire industry. As Mawakana aptly states, "Trust is hard to build and easy to lose. We’ve learned the amount of humility needed: Ultimately, it’s the riders who are going to decide.” TIME correspondent Andrew R. Chow’s in-depth reporting on Waymo informed the cover story for this year’s issue.

In a different vein, Ryan Reynolds’s marketing and production firm, Maximum Effort, also prioritizes building public trust, but at a breakneck pace. The company coined the term “fastvertising” for its ability to swiftly capitalize on cultural moments, producing relevant advertisements in mere days. Reynolds’s honest, accessible style is key to fostering consumer trust. This approach has yielded significant success: companies Reynolds co-owns or has sold are valued at over $14 billion, his latest Deadpool movie became the highest-grossing R-rated film last year with over $1.3 billion at the box office, and his soccer team, Wrexham AFC, achieved a historic three consecutive promotions up the British football ranks.

Pano AI has earned a place on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies list for its leading AI-powered wildfire detection technology. At a critical juncture for wildfire mitigation, with wildfires escalating in frequency and destructiveness globally, Pano AI equips frontline responders with continuous, AI-powered monitoring and real-time intelligence. Their comprehensive system integrates ultra-high-definition cameras, satellite data, and advanced artificial intelligence, complemented by a 24/7 human intelligence center. Since its inception in 2020, Pano AI has secured $89 million in venture capital funding. Its technology is deployed across 10 U.S. states, five Australian states, and British Columbia, Canada, overseeing more than 30 million acres of high-risk terrain and serving over 250 first responder agencies and nearly 40 diverse customers.

Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, marks its second consecutive inclusion on the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, having first been recognized in 2021. Positioned in the TITANS category alongside other industry giants, Flutterwave is lauded for its transformative role in the fintech sector. Established in 2016, the company has become a powerhouse, facilitating seamless payments across 34 African countries and expanding its reach into new markets such as Bahrain, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, supporting even a leading global ride-hailing company. Its flagship remittance product, SendApp by Flutterwave, has gained considerable traction in the US, UK, and EU, providing faster and more affordable money transfers for the African diaspora, achieving near-complete U.S. coverage with 34 licenses. Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, Flutterwave’s Founder and CEO, expressed immense pride, stating that the recognition is a testament to their team’s commitment to “shaping Africa’s financial future and connecting the continent to the world.”

In addition to the core list, TIME introduced the inaugural TIME100 Companies Impact Awards, acknowledging five distinguished firms for their significant contributions in specific domains. The recipients include Google DeepMind for Impact in AI, Vertex Pharmaceuticals for Impact in Health, Schneider Electric for Impact in Sustainability, Janngo Capital for Impact in Equality, and The Lego Group for Impact in Culture. These awards underscore the importance of bold vision and tangible results in addressing pressing global challenges. Collectively, all these recognized companies exemplify how influence manifests in diverse and impactful forms, driving crucial shifts across various global sectors.