For the first time, MSK has been named one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators, ranking No. 9 out of 100 on its 2025 list of awardees.
Fast Company recognizes companies that excel at fostering creative cultures by encouraging and supporting innovation from employees across the entire organization. This recognition is an affirmation of MSK’s collective commitment to its core value of innovation with lasting impact.
“This remarkable honor is a testament to MSK’s enduring culture of innovation — spanning laboratory breakthroughs, clinical research, digital health, care delivery innovation, and more,” says Anaeze Offodile II, MD, MPH, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer. “It also affirms our unwavering commitment to our MSK 2030 Strategy, where innovation is positioned as a strategic priority to drive transformative cancer care and research accelerating our mission to end cancer for life.”
Teams across MSK foster, support, and execute innovations originating from every corner of our organization, creating an ecosystem of innovation that outperforms many of our peers. Anchoring this work are teams from MSK’s Development Office securing philanthropic funds to support our experts collaborating on laboratory and clinical research, and MSK’s Office of Entrepreneurship & Commercialization, which strategizes and initiates business development, new venture, and partnership opportunities.
The following achievements and activities capture just a snapshot of how MSK continues to drive real-world global impact on cancer care, treatments, diagnostics, research, and clinical trial innovation.
- For 30 years, its licensing revenue has ranked in the top 10% among institutions reporting to the Association of University Technology Managers — many far larger than MSK.
- In 2024, MSK secured a strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate AI-driven innovation through the launch of our aiTDF investment program and other initiatives such as enhanced data-curation efforts, AI-focused entrepreneurship, and AI-focused training and education.
- Also in 2024, MSK launched its Clinical Research Innovation Consortium (CRIC), a pioneering initiative that aims to transform clinical research through global collaborations involving technology and innovation.
- An expert team within MSK’s Nursing Department pioneered the MSK EBP Consulting group, based upon a proprietary methodology for evidence-based practice that uses current and best evidence studies, combined with patient care data, clinician expertise, and patient preferences to guide healthcare practices and decisions.
- Global regulators have approved 15 products that originated in MSK laboratories, including two blockbuster therapeutics for cancer patients, Neupogen (FDA approval: 1991) and Neulasta (2002).
- Since 2019, MSK has played a critical role in more than 40 FDA approvals, accelerated approvals, or Breakthrough Therapy Designations for drugs or drug combinations across a range of cancer types.
Innovation is part of MSK’s genetic framework, guiding our progress in service of our steadfast commitment to our mission. As a leader among academic research institutions in clinical research and technology development that leads to significant innovations in the healthcare space, we are strategically positioned to attract the right industry and licensing partners — an essential component in bringing innovation to the marketplace.
“This recognition comes at a pivotal moment for MSK, as we intensify our commitment to innovation,” adds Yashodhara Dash, MBBS, PhD, MBA, Vice President, Technology Management and Commercialization. “Recent initiatives — including the launch of the Entrepreneurship Initiative (our venture incubator), the Therapeutics Accelerator, the Innovation Hub (iHub), and the expansion of our successful gap funding program — demonstrate our strategic focus and dedication to transforming cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that improve outcomes for cancer patients around the globe.”
Each and every day, teams across MSK uphold our core values demonstrating their dedication, brilliance, creativity, and thought leadership to earn many distinctions, accolades and awards on behalf of MSK. The true beneficiaries of these efforts are those we care for and the greater cancer community we serve.
“We are committed to fostering a culture that celebrates innovation among our more than 20,000 MSK team members,” says John Lasky, Chief People Officer. “This commitment is brought to life by our efforts to hire and retain the right people — those who are passionate pioneers in their space — and to empower these innovators to collaborate across functions while they bravely champion new ideas for the good of cancer patients worldwide. MSK’s top 10 ranking in Fast Company’s Best Workplace for Innovators is a true testament to this institution’s enduring legacy of discovery and excellence, and reinforces our ongoing mission: to end cancer for life.”