Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in 1998. Today, Google and Alphabet’s other products and platforms are used by billions of people daily.

Jeff Bezos opened Amazon in the mid-1990s as an online bookstore. Now Amazon delivers just about anything, and Amazon Prime has 200 million+ subscribers.

American Express was founded in 1850 focused on express package delivery but pivoted to “a new era of payment products” in 1958 with its charge card.

Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The company’s iPhone is credited with laying the foundation for the modern smartphone.

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is now AT&T, a global telecommunications conglomerate providing wireless, internet and television services.

Boeing began in 1916 as Pacific Aero Products Company. It’s one of the world’s largest aerospace companies and the leading producer of commercial jets.

Known for its Whopper burgers and its “Have it your way” slogan, the burger chain is a top rival of McDonald’s and Wendy’s in the fast-food industry.

Campbell’s is known for classics like its iconic canned chicken noodle soup, SpaghettiOs, Prego pasta sauce, Goldfish and more.

Coca-Cola holds about 40% of the global non-alcoholic beverage market, and its most popular drink remains Coca-Cola Classic.

The discount warehouse-style store for members only is the third-biggest retailer in the world, known for its private-label Kirkland brand items.

Deere is best known for its signature John Deere green tractors, harvesters and other equipment seen on farms throughout the world.

“John Madden Football,” launched in 1988, laid the groundwork for the company to become a household name with its EA games, including “The Sims.”

ExxonMobil is one of the nation’s leading producers of oil and gas, producing about 3% of the world’s oil and about 2% of the world’s energy.

International delivery giant FedEx controls about 14% of the delivery business. It was the first in its industry to provide online tracking.

When Ford introduced the assembly line in 1913, it revolutionized the auto industry and inspired major shifts in manufacturing around the world.

Founded by Thomas Edison in 1892, the modern-day General Electric is really three standalone companies focused on health care, aviation and energy.

Known for wide offering across its core brands, including Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac, General Motors is among the world’s largest car makers.

Harley built a loyal customer base and established a world-wide presence by leaning into cycling culture – especially with its touring cycles.

Hershey dominates much of the candy aisle today, with KitKats, Reese’s, Twizzlers, Milk Duds, Jolly Ranchers, its famous chocolate bars and more.

Personal computer giant HP introduced its first PC in 1980. In the 1980s, the HP LaserJet became the most popular laser printer on the market.

IBM developed a high-speed electromechanical calculator, a precursor to the computer. IBM now focuses on consulting, software, cloud computing and AI.

Intel’s breakthrough technology yielded chips that were cheaper to make and of higher quality, clearing the way for lower-cost computers.

Johnson & Johnson is one of the world’s largest health care companies, known for its medical devices and pharmaceuticals, including cancer treatments.

In the 1950s, the company owned nearly 70% of the film production market in America, but the evolution of digital photography ultimately ended its reign.

From cowboys and blue-collar workers to rock stars and cultural icons, Levi’s blue jeans have become American fashion staples available worldwide.

Originally founded in 1858 as a dry goods store, Macy’s has provided shoppers a place to buy things for more than 150 years with locations nationwide.

Known for its golden arches, Ronald McDonald mascot and Big Macs, the chain has come to epitomize the fast-food industry with over 40,000 locations worldwide.

What began as a “hot or not” site created by Mark Zuckerberg to rate Harvard students evolved into the social media giant known as Facebook today.

From the first version of Windows in 1985 to Minesweeper, Solitaire, Word and Teams, Microsoft has shaped how humans interact with technology.

Berry Gordy Jr’s Motown Records was instrumental in integrating Black artists into the mainstream of American pop music in the 1960s and beyond.

Today’s Netflix emerged in 2007 with the launch of its streaming service. In 2013, Netflix released original content, changing the TV and film industry.

For decades, Sunday has been synonymous with football in the United States. Americans tailgate, host watch parties and obsess over fantasy football.

Over the years, Nike grew from a tiny running-shoe company to the world’s dominant sneaker company, with 14% of the global sportswear market in 2024.

Paramount Pictures brought many movie and TV classics: “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Star Trek,” “Happy Days,” the “Godfather” movies, “Titanic” and more.

After being launched by a 14-year-old rock climber, Patagonia has expanded from climbing gear into camping, surfing and other outdoorsy endeavors.

Pharmacist Caleb Bradham’s soft drink experiments in 1893 laid the groundwork for what is now among the world’s leading global food and beverage brands.

Initially a candle and soap business, P&G evolved into a routine part of Americans’ mornings, laundry days and the first stages of parenting.

Sears transformed American retail with its massive mail-order catalog and became one of the largest U.S. retailers at its peak with stores nationwide.

Southwest Airlines is North America’s third-largest airline. Its aggressive pricing allowed it to pick off customers from higher-priced competitors.

Known for unique drinks, seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice latte and its co-working environment, Starbucks revolutionized coffee and café culture.

Target has become a favorite among shoppers nationwide with its “cheap chic” strategy of offering exclusive brands and trendy apparel at discount prices.

Tesla is synonymous with Elon Musk, the world’s richest person. Its Model 3, launched in 2017, becoming the best-selling electric car in history.

The Home Depot, with stores in all 50 states, is known for its selection of do-it-yourself and professional building supplies and those orange aprons.

With its Standard Oil roots, Marathon now operates retail gas stations nationwide and the largest refining system in the U.S.

Networks, streaming services, movies and theme parks – Walt Disney Company has shaped them all since evolving from its beginnings as a cartoon studio.

Since the early 1900s, the brown trucks of UPS have been synonymous with deliveries. UPS offers worldwide shipping by air and operates retail stores.

Visa is a leading player in the credit card industry, operating in over 220 countries and territories and accepted at more than 175 million merchants.

Since Sam Walton opened the first Walmart in 1962, the discount retail giant has launched thousands of stores nationwide and across the globe.

Wendy’s is the No. 2 burger chain in the United States, known for its Frosty desserts, square beef patties and logo of a freckled girl with pigtails.

Few brands dominate grocery stores’ cereal aisles like Kellogg’s, with such popular names as Frosted Flakes, Special K, Froot Loops and Raisin Bran.