March 19, 2024
Brightline Ranked No. 1 for Social Good by Fast Company and Among the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2024
MIAMI (March 19, 2024) — Brightline has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024 and the No.1 Company for Social Good. Fast Company defines social good as companies that have baked a larger purpose into their businesses, and the better they do, the more people they help.
The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of the year's most anticipated editorial lists. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that shape industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions. Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024 is available online, as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26.
“Building Brightline has been a decade-long mission to reinvent train travel in America, making it faster, greener and safer,” said Brightline Founder and Chairman Wes Edens. “With the success of our Florida system and the development of Brightline West, we are establishing a blueprint for how to build high-speed rail around the country and setting the foundation for a new industry that will generate jobs right here in America. We appreciate Fast Company taking notice.”
One of the boldest private infrastructure projects in the nation, Brightline is reinventing U.S. train travel and offering a blueprint to connect city pairs too close to fly and too far to drive. Brightline launched service between Miami and Orlando in September 2023. Last year, Brightline welcomed passengers from 139 countries and six continents, connecting guests from around the world to two of the top destinations in the U.S., Miami and Orlando. With stops in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, and future stops in Stuart and Cocoa, more than fifty percent of Florida will have access to Brightline stations.
Brightline West will be the nation’s first true high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas and Southern California with trains capable of traveling 200 miles per hour. The project has been declared a “game-changer” for passenger rail and will proudly be built with American union labor. The project is projected to generate more than 10,000 union jobs during construction. The fully electric, zero-emission system will become one of the greenest forms of transportation in the world and is estimated to eliminate three million cars from the roadways and 400,000 tons of harmful emissions annually.
In December 2023, President Joe Biden joined elected officials from Nevada and California to announce that the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) will receive $3 billion in funding from the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program for Brightline West. The remainder of the $12 billion project will be privately funded.
In celebration of this award, Brightline is offering a special promotion valid from March 19th to March 24th. Utilizing the code "FAST" while booking, travelers can now enjoy savings on SMART rides with buy-one-get-one deals. This offer applies to future travel bookings made between April 1st and May 31st.
Fast Company's editors and writers identified the 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 both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future.”
ABOUT BRIGHTLINE
Brightline seamlessly connects travelers to top destinations and major events between Central and South Florida. The company serves Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando with future stops in Stuart and Cocoa. Brightline is recognized by Inc. 5000 Regionals as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the Southeast for 2023 and is one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative by Fast Company in 2024. Brightline offers a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road. The company plans to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs and congested corridors across the country that are too close to fly and too long to drive, with immediate plans to connect Las Vegas to Southern California. For more information, visit www.gobrightline.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
ABOUT FAST COMPANY
Fast 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 our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.