Author: Ben Debski

A toy favoured by children the world over for more than half a century, Lego has grown spectacularly since its launch in Denmark in 1949. Based in the city of Billund, the toy primarily consists of the colourful interlocking plastic bricks that can be made into structures, buildings, vehicles or robots. It has since moved into an array of other markets – video games, theme parks, retail stores, board games, films, television, books and magazines – all based on the miniature toy bricks. The modern Lego brick was patented in 1958, and many copycats have tried to impersonate its innovative design since.

The San Francisco-based mobile payments company, founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey, develops credit card reader apps for mobile and tablet users. The company’s end goal is to connect sellers with customers wherever they may be, and Square has sought to develop products and services in this vein for half a decade now. The company has released various products and services in the past 12 months, among them Square Stand, Square Cash and Square Market. The company had processed upwards of $21bn in transactions as of September 2013.

Carney worked at Goldman Sachs for 13 years before being made deputy governor of the Bank of Canada in 2003. Deemed the ‘Saviour of Canada’, Carney has enjoyed a positive opening stint as the Bank of England’s Governor since his appointment last July. At the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, Carney made it clear Britain had not yet reached “escape velocity” – the point at which the recovery is self-sustaining – adding that the bank’s interest rates would remain unchanged for as long as this is the case. He is also Chairman of the G20’s Financial Stability Board.

Yang Lan is the co-founder and Chairperson of Sun Media Group and the Sun Culture Foundation, though even before that she was an established media personality in her native China. In 2005, when Yang and her husband founded the foundation, their aim was to form an organisation dedicated to promoting the growth of China’s civil society through education and philanthropy. Its commercial station broadcasts from Hong Kong and is available online. Yang has an MA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

Airbnb began with founders and former roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia accommodating three guests on airbeds in 2007. Now the seminal online marketplace for short-term accommodation, Airbnb has come to epitomise the rise of the sharing economy. Originating in San Francisco, Airbnb has grown into an international enterprise spanning 192 countries and 34,000 cities. The company has surpassed 10 million guest stays since its launch in 2008, clocking six million in 2013 alone – double that of the year before.

Leading US glass manufacturer Corning has a history that stretches back as far as 1851, although today it is known for making some of the most important components in consumer electronics. Corning’s work is split into five main areas: display technologies, environmental technologies, life sciences, telecommunications and speciality materials. It currently designs the glass panels found on many smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone. With revenues of over $8bn and a staff of nearly 30,000, Corning’s operations are truly global. Its Gorilla Glass product is the company’s fastest-selling product in its history.

One of the world’s largest conglomerates, Toyota Group includes, among its stable of companies, Toyota Industries Corporation, carmaker Toyota Motor Corporation, Aichi Steel and Toyota Central R&D Labs. The Japanese firm dominates its home country’s auto industry and has in recent years gained considerable acclaim for its promotion of hybrid vehicles, including its popular Prius car series – the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle – offering drivers a more fuel-efficient method of transportation. Established in 1937, the company is based in the city of Toyota, east of Nagoya.

Established in 2002 by Paypal and Tesla founder Elon Musk, SpaceX aims to improve the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of space travel, and ultimately facilitate the colonisation of Mars. Late last year, the company launched its first successful commercial payload into space via its Falcon 9 launch vehicle (named after the Millennium Falcon spaceship in Star Wars). The occasion marks the first in a string of commercial contracts scheduled for launch in the next few years. Musk himself hopes to be one of the first inhabitants of Mars and even plans to die there.

The California-based semiconductor company, responsible for the design and manufacture of mobile products and services, is working towards a more mobile-connected world. Late last year, Qualcomm appointed company veteran and former COO Steve Mollenkopf as CEO despite many tipping him for the top job at Microsoft. Its next phase will see Qualcomm centre on tablets manufactured by the leading technology players, driving initiatives such as improving internet capability in vehicles.

Optinvent is the creator of ORA, a hands-free, wireless, see-through, wearable display platform. The digital eyewear enables the wearer to experience augmented reality, while supporting a variety of mobile applications. Optinvent has over 20 years of experience in the field and has patents for other creative tech inventions such as interactive cockpit solutions for aeroplanes and a compact projector with zoom for smartphones. The glasses are already available for pre-order after being unveiled at a press tour of Europe in 2013.

Founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, Nike is one of the most successful sporting goods companies in history. Rebranded in 1971, the company is also one of the most recognisable labels in the world. Nike employs over 44,000 people worldwide, and was one of the pioneers of outsourcing manufacturing plants in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the company has also established retail stores alongside its manufacturing division. Recent innovations include the FuelBand, a bracelet that measures physical activity each day, and the Flyknit Racer, featherlight shoes that feel more like socks.

The world-renowned multinational corporation, whose principle focus still lies with the design, manufacture and sale of aircraft, has enjoyed a bumper year despite a few mishaps along the way. Boeing was again included in Forbes’ most valuable brands after responding to sky-high demand for its new 787 Dreamliner, last year delivering 648 planes, representing the most aircraft sold in a single year and a 7.8 percent increase on 2012. The plane is also 20 percent more fuel efficient than competitors’ planes of similar size.