Lantern joins the ranks of Google, Nvidia, Adidas, Walmart, and more
Dallas, TX (March 24, 2026) — Lantern is proud to have been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2026. 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. Lantern was ranked #3 in the Healthcare category of the Most Innovative Companies list.
“We’re honored to be listed alongside healthcare companies that are taking a fresh approach to some of the most persistent challenges and inequities in our system,” said Dickon Waterfield, President of Lantern. “Lantern was built on the belief that people deserve access to the highest-quality specialty care without having to travel far from home or navigate it alone. By evolving the traditional center of excellence into a localized, continuously improving Network of Excellence—and by expanding into infusion therapy and comprehensive specialty care management for cancer—we make that vision a reality for our 12 million members. This recognition reflects both the progress we’ve made and the momentum ahead.”
Lantern’s recognition reflects its innovative specialty care platform and Network of Excellence model. Instead of limiting care to a small number of distant facilities, Lantern directly contracts with high-performing specialists and facilities across the country—bringing high-quality surgical and infusion care closer to where members live and work. Lantern’s platform also delivers a comprehensive cancer navigation solution, combining expert review, ongoing member engagement, clinical trial matching and more to ensure people receive the right cancer care in the right place for them. This approach improves access, increases utilization of high-quality care, and delivers better outcomes across some of the most complex and costly areas of healthcare.
Over the past year, Lantern has continued to expand and strengthen its specialty care platform. The company welcomed Specialist Management Solutions, adding advanced outreach capabilities to help identify and engage members earlier in their care journeys. Lantern also broadened its cancer offering through an expanded partnership with AccessHope, providing members access to expert clinical review from National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive cancer centers while keeping care local whenever possible. In 2024, Lantern expanded into infusion therapy, further extending its ability to support complex care across settings.
These innovations are supported by strong momentum across the business, including a $30 million strategic investment from Morgan Health and Echo Health Venturesto help scale Lantern’s platform across employers and health plans nationwide. Together, Lantern’s Network of Excellence and comprehensive cancer navigation capabilities share a simple goal: helping people get back to good health, back to their families, and back to their lives.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies list 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 Lantern
Lantern is the leading Specialty Care Platform built to simplify and elevate the most complex care journeys through a unified, value-driven approach. Lantern supports 12 million members and over 1,000 employers nationwide to deliver high-quality surgical, infusion and cancer care. Lantern’s Network of Excellence is the nation’s leading specialty care network built on direct contracts and bundled payments with top-tier specialists and facilities. Lantern’s distributed network is the most locally accessible in the industry, leading to higher utilization and a 4% overall annual reduction in healthcare costs. Lantern supports our members throughout their care journeys, helping them get back to good health, back to their families and back to work. For more information, visit lanterncare.com.
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 fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.
