ASML Holding takes the top spot
Ericsson, Endress+Hauser, Rolls-Royce and Infineon Technologies complete the Top 5
List spans 300 companies across 18 countries and 21 sectors
LONDON, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fortune announced today the 2026 Fortune Europe's Most Innovative Companieslist, recognizing 300 companies setting the pace for progress across the region.
Now in its second year, the ranking assesses European companies with more than 250 employees across three dimensions including product innovation, process innovation and innovation culture.
Germany leads the 2026 list by volume, with 56 companies, followed by Switzerland with 47, France with 41, the U.K. with 35 and Italy with 34. Together, the top five countries account for 71% of the full ranking. France makes a particularly strong showing in the Top 10, with four companies represented. The Netherlands also punches well above its weight, with two companies in the Top 10, including the overall No. 1 spot.
Financials and technology are the two largest sectors represented, with 48 and 32 companies, respectively. Large companies continue to dominate the ranking, with more than three quarters of listed businesses employing over 10,000 people.
The Top 10 Europe's Most Innovative Companies are:
- ASML Holding (Netherlands)
- Ericsson (Sweden)
- Endress+Hauser (Switzerland)
- Rolls-Royce Holding (U.K.)
- Infineon Technologies (Germany)
- L'Oréal (France)
- Michelin (France)
- Sanofi (France)
- EssilorLuxottica (France)
- Royal Philips (Netherlands)
The 2026 list is led by ASML Holding, the Dutch semiconductor equipment company whose advances in lithography are helping power the next generation of chips. ASML's innovation in extreme ultraviolet technology, computational lithography and high numerical aperture systems continues to push the limits of chip density, performance and energy efficiency.
"Europe's most exciting companies are solving problems that matter," said Grethe Schepers, Lists Director, Europe at Fortune. "These companies are turning fresh ideas into real growth across industry and services, from manufacturing and energy to healthcare, technology, and consumer markets."
"At ASML, innovation is at the heart of everything we do - it's the engine that drives our business and enables our customers to push technology to new limits," commented Christophe Fouquet, CEO, ASML. "We don't innovate alone; our breakthroughs are built through deep collaboration across a global ecosystem of suppliers and customers. This recognition reflects the creativity, perseverance, and engineering excellence of our people and our partners, who work every day to solve some of the world's toughest technological challenges."
The list is unveiled today at VivaTech in Paris during an exclusive Fortune session presented with Schneider Electric and EY. Fortune's Executive Editorial Director, Kamal Ahmed, leads the conversation alongside Frédéric Godemel, Executive Vice President, Energy Management Business and Executive Committee Member at Schneider Electric, Joe Depa, Global Chief Innovation Officer at EY and Elena Breda, SVP Product Strategy, Innovation, Sustainability at Electrolux Group.
For the full ranking and methodology, visit fortune.com.
About Fortune:
Fortune is the premier global media company for global business leaders, built on a 96-year-old legacy of trusted, award-winning journalism. Independently owned, Fortune tells the story of business, spanning legacy companies to the world's new generation of innovators. Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable, in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World's Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences, including the Fortune Global Forum, Fortune Brainstorm Tech, and Fortune Most Powerful Women. For more information, visit fortune.com.
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