What Does Innovation Look Like In 2019 And Beyond?

What does innovation look like in 2019 and beyond? The speakers at the fourth annual fast company innovation festival weigh in.

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At a time when lack of faith in institutions—government, corporations, and, yes, the news media—seems to be at an all-time high, business and thought leaders who took the stage at fast company’s annual innovation festival championed the importance of taking a stand, embracing creativity and inclusivity, and find- ing trusted collaborators. “I really only want to work with partners who share the ambition, understand intuitively what we’re doing, and want to do the same thing,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO of national geographic global networks. Monroe has teamed up with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s imagine entertainment to produce the scripted anthology series genius—extending a brand traditionally associated with documentaries and wildlife shows. Artist and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams echoed the sentiment when talking about movie executive chris meledandri, who persuaded Williams to narrate the 2018 animated version of the grinch. “I trust Chris in everything that we do together,” he told a packed auditorium at new york’s 92nd street Y. “The work is so liberating and inspiring, and it elevates me every time.”