Time Magazine has launched its new collection of what it deems to be the most influential companies of 2026. Colossal known entities like Google and Alibaba, naturally, feature atop the list, but the most interesting section comes under the Innovators heading.
Here, you’ll see some known names like Mastercard for their AI shopping security additions, as well as the beauty tech breakthroughs made by SharkNinja.
The innovator that we’re looking at here is Whatnot, a live shopping platform app that finally looks to have cracked the code of making live-streamed shopping appealing in the West.
A Tech that People Want to Use
Live streaming technology isn’t anything new, but the quality of the product and access to such high-quality tech have become much, much better over the last decade or so.
Just about anyone with a modern-ish smartphone has the potential to run a high-definition live stream with minimal latency thanks to the devices and 5G internet.
At the turn of the decade, people turned en masse to live streaming platforms to engage with entertainment and communities in real time.
The likes of Twitch thrived then and continue to do well now. It’s why the global live streaming market is estimated to have eclipsed $87 billion in 2023 and to reach $345 billion in 2030.
The figures show live streaming picking up steam in its more mainstream applications, such as with live sports, events, and on dedicated live video platforms.
The tech is also taking root in other corners of the online world. Creating real-time engagement, the live casino online leverages the tech and has expanded greatly as a result.
With a few extra bits of tech applied, the live casino streams real physical tables manned by professional croupiers to players around the world.
The popularity of playing live has encouraged studios to grow from live-streamed classic table games to zany game shows and variants, like Age of the Gods Mega Fire Blaze Roulette Live and Super Card. It’s a showcase of how live streams can be interactive, and this is what live shopping has sought to leverage.
Whatnot Finds the Right Formula
Several platforms and apps have arisen to try to meet the presumed underlying demand for live shopping. It’s been a huge, multi-billion-dollar arena in the Far East since Taobao Live emerged in 2016.
Cracking the formula to make it appealing and a better option than standard online shopping to Western customers, though, has been tough.
Many have failed even after millions have been raised in significant funding rounds. Social media sites have even committed to live shopping in some areas before pulling to options later.
In October 2025, a clear frontrunner emerged in the form of Whatnot with their $11.5 billion valuation after raising $225 million.
Now impressively featured among the most influential companies, Whatnot CEO and co-founder says that their app separates itself from more prominent names – like TikTok and Amazon – by “helping small businesses grow.”
This way, customers can find a more personal shopping experience and one that offers a connection to real sellers.
Whatnot and live shopping are growing tremendously, even if in the grand scheme of things, both are still rather niche.
Featuring on this list shows the promise of the tech and platform, which may reach mainstream status in the coming years.