Six aerospace companies have been listed on the annual Clarivate TOP 100 Global Innovators list which highlights global companies that are leading the world in technology research and innovation.
Highest ranked is RTX, which is made up of Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon. RTX manufactures aircraft engines, avionics, aerostructures, cybersecurity solutions, guided missiles, air defense systems, satellites, and drones and employs around 185,000 people globally. They ranked 10th on the list overall.
Next on the list is European OEM Airbus which, while best known for its airliners, also produces equipment for space, military and defence. Airbus employs around 150,000 people with a strong presence in the UK. Airbus ranked 32nd overall.
At number 34 on the list is engine giant GE Aerospace. Globally recognised as one of the ky innovators in jet engine propulsion, GE makes many of the engines powering modern airlines such as the massive GE90 that revolutionised long range twin engine flight. GE Aerospace employs around 52,000 people globally.
Sitting 42nd overall is Safran. Safran is a global high-technology group operating in aviation (propulsion, equipment, and interiors), defense, and space markets, aiming to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world with a focus on environmentally friendly, comfortable, and accessible air transport. It employs around 100,000 people across its global operation.
The only other airliner OEM listed is Boeing, which comes in at 64 overall. Like Airbus, Boeing is a leading global aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems, operating through three main business units: Commercial Airplanes, Defense, Space & Security, and Global Services. 170,000 people are employed by the Seattle-based company.
The final aerospace company to make the list is Thales, which is at number 89 overall. Thales is a global technology company, headquartered in France, specialising in aerospace, defense, cybersecurity, and digital identity, providing solutions and services to governments, organizations, and companies to carry out critical missions.
Gordon Samson, President, Intellectual Property, Clarivate, said, “Being recognized as a Top 100 Global Innovator is a remarkable achievement given the pace of change – since 2000, we’ve seen an 80-fold increase in the volume of inventions. Competition is more global than ever before, and developments in one region can have a significant global impact. Hyperconnectivity and technological convergence play a pivotal role in driving innovation. The Top 100 organizations target innovation at the deployment and diffusion of technology and knowledge.”
