Merit America joins the ranks of Google, Nvidia, Adidas, Walmart, and more
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 24, 2026) — The national nonprofit Merit America has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2026 — ranking #1 in Education. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. Alongside the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 720 honorees across 59 sectors and regions.
“For tens of millions of Americans stuck in low-wage work, opportunity remains out of reach. Our education system was built for a different era, fixated on degrees while overlooking millions of capable workers. AI is about to make things so much worse.
At Merit America, we provide fast, flexible, and affordable pathways for working adults that deliver proven wage gains and real economic mobility. We’re honored to be named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. As one of the fastest-growing nonprofits in the country, we remain committed to building an education and workforce system that actually works,” said Connor Diemand-Yauman & Rebecca Taber Staehelin, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Merit America.
Merit America prepares Americans stuck in low-wage work for better-paying careers by fusing industry-recognized credentials with personalized coaching and targeted job search support. Its cutting-edge model blends flexible, data-driven online learning with high-touch coaching, built specifically for working adults balancing jobs and family responsibilities. Through accessible financing and innovative partnerships with major companies such as Google, Amazon, and Chime, learners gain in-demand skills with minimal risk.
Merit America stands out not just for growth, but for results. Since 2018, the organization has served more than 20,000 learners nationwide. In a 2024 wage analysis, alumni reported an average annual wage increase of $21,000 three or more months after program completion, generating more than $1.4 billion in cumulative wage gains to date.. In an industry often focused on enrollment and completion metrics, Merit America breaks through by anchoring success in sustained wage gains and long-term economic mobility.
Merit America is expanding its program offerings to meet the demands of an AI-influenced economy, with new career tracks in AI Essentials, Human Resources, Semiconductor and Advanced Manufacturing, and Supply Chain Planning. Beyond individual outcomes, Merit America’s model is influencing how employers, policymakers, and funders think about skills-based hiring and worker-centered approaches to AI adoption.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. To determine honorees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.
“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is about spotlighting organizations that don’t just adapt to change—they drive it,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The companies we honor this year are redefining what leadership looks like in 2026, pairing bold ideas with measurable impact and turning breakthrough innovation into real-world value. They are setting the pace for their industries and offering a blueprint for what sustained innovation can achieve.”
The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honorees can now be found at fastcompany.com. It will also be available on newsstands beginning March 31, 2026.
Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala for honorees on May 19 in New York City. The summit features a day of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation.
ABOUT MERIT AMERICA
Merit America is a national nonprofit preparing workers stuck in low-wage roles for family-sustaining careers at scale. Named by the New York Times as “the hybrid future of training programs for the disadvantaged,” Merit America offers fast and flexible training and job search programs that work for working adults, and are aligned to the most in-demand roles in the fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. economy. Founded in 2018, Merit America has served more than 20,000 learners across the country and has driven more than an estimated $1.4 billion in cumulative wage gains. For more information, visit https://meritamerica.org/about/.
ABOUT FAST COMPANYFast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.