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• Tech startups imperiled by Covid-19 rushed to apply for the forgivable government loans after the Trump administration allocated $350 billion to the program in March.
• Since then, the Senate has approved an additional $320 billion to meet soaring demand from small businesses.
• Now—fearing the same backlash that larger public companies have faced for taking PPP loans or, worse, anticipating future punitive measures—founders are grappling with whether to pull applications or return loans.
• Sweetgreen, which has over $500 million in venture capital backing, returned its $10 million PPP loan on April 23, becoming one of the first venture-backed businesses to do so.
• Media business Axios, which has raised $57 million in VC funding, disclosed last week that it would return a $4.8 million PPP loan because the program had become “much more politically polarized since its inception.

• Most people’s lives have been completely upended by the Corona Virus or COVID-19 sweeping the world. When the pressure is on, and governments are overloaded, it is up to businesses large and small to do things that will better their employees, customers and the community at large, until this difficult time passes.
• From a business and government perspective, what we all have seen in the last few weeks and days, is how fast we can move and make decisions when everybody wants to affect change as a society.
• In the article, you may find 50 examples of companies doing good for the world during coronavirus pandemic.

It’s 2020, and we don’t have flying cars (yet), but think about the cool things that we do have: Augmented reality that brings joy into the daily lives of more than 163 million people.

Drones that deliver vital medicine. An effective treatment for postpartum depression. Creative ways to curb society’s addiction to new clothing and single-use plastic. Platforms that allow fiction writers and video producers to get paid.

Read on to see how these and dozens more inspiring accomplishments are driving this year’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. Plus, the 44 Top 10 most innovative firms, by sector and region.