Fast Company has ranked Haskell among its North America Best Workplaces for Innovators (BWI) 2025, its seventh annual list ranking and recognizing businesses worldwide that foster a culture of innovation across all levels.
Fast Company is a leading business media brand focused on technological innovation, leadership, world-changing ideas, creativity and design. The 2025 BWI list ranks winners across industries such as entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, marketing, education and healthcare.
To be considered, applicants detailed their investment in innovation, internal programs and company culture. Final selections were made by Fast Company’s editors, who evaluated each application and conducted extensive research to generate a score for each company. A distinguished panel of judges then reviewed the top-rated companies.
“It’s impactful to be acknowledged across industries, outside of architecture, engineering and construction, for how we’re innovating with our teams,” said Cutler Knupp, Haskell Vice President of Strategy and Technology Investment. “We’ve been able to construct the engine for innovation here. It’s special having the unique mindsets and right- and left-brain folks who work across design, engineering and construction. When we bring that mixed body of thinkers together to problem-solve, great things happen.”
Innovation is in Haskell’s DNA. Under the leadership of founder Preston Haskell, the company became a pioneer of the design-build delivery method, which integrates architecture, engineering and construction teams to work as a cohesive unit.
The company included the goal of “optimizing intellectual capital, technology and innovation” as a strategic pillar in its most recent strategic planning document. In 2018, it created Dysruptek, its venture arm dedicated to scouting, piloting and investing in emerging technologies, and capitalizing on the innovations born within its diverse employee base.
In the years since, Dysruptek has driven a technological revolution. Now entering its sixth year, the Big Pitch, a companywide Shark Tank-like innovation competition, invites team members to propose solutions to industry challenges. Many winners have found their way through development and into widespread use, and one has produced a U.S. patent.
Meanwhile, it has scouted an untold number of startups on its own and as a member of industry partnerships and led the way as Haskell has invested in more than 10 series A startups in architecture, engineering and construction technologies.
“Each year, we’re inspired by the companies and leaders who prove that innovation doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of intentional choices to empower people at every level,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The organizations on this year’s Best Workplaces for Innovators list show that when you build a culture where creativity and risk-taking are valued, breakthrough ideas inevitably follow.”
The complete list of honorees is available at https://www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/list.
