While some may argue the Academy Awards’ nominee pool lacks diversity, there’s no question that Fast Company magazine’s Most Innovative Companies List of 2016, released Tuesday morning, covers an impressive array of firms in a wide spectrum of industries with broad appeal.

Speaking of “universal,” Universal Studios ranked 12th for “breaking the box-office record with canny casting and marketing” of such releases as “Straight Outta Compton” and “Pitch Perfect 2.” Fast Company cited such strengths as “deep pockets and an integrated marketing approach” and a “strong digital team that is quick to respond to changes in social media.”

Other local winners include 18th-ranked Amgen in Thousand Oaks for the way it promoted its first virus-based cancer drug on the market, and 22nd-ranked Riot Games in West Los Angeles for its laser-focus “on enhancing player experience as opposed to monetization” and “creating an incredibly loyal population of gamers who remain with the game long after the burn-out period.”

Venice’s Snapchat ranked 38th for “combining visuals and audio to mimic the experiences of live music.” 40th ranked Midroll Media in Hollywood, meanwhile, got its nod for “producing, distributing, and monetizing” podcasts and diversifying those Squarespace and Nature Box ads familiar with podcast listeners with big-brand advertisers including Chipotle, Heineken, and Prudential.

Los Angeles financial services company Aspiration rounded out local nominees at No. 43 for providing middle-class clients a variety of investor tools. The business model incorporates three products: a mutual fund that invests in companies that employ sustainable practices; a long-term growth strategy mutual fund; and a high-yield checking account with a 1 percent annual percentage yield and free ATM access worldwide. Aspiration also offers a pay-as-you-wish model that lets customers pay the Aspiration team whatever fee they deem fair.