Many companies that have dared to look into the future have become Big Players. Others failed to seize the
moment and disappeared into obscurity
Tesla
For 15 years, the California automaker has been roiling the global auto industry with its electric cars. The company recently began selling batteries to households too.
Amazon
Twenty-four years ago, Jeff Bezos traded his job on Wall Street for a Seattle garage. It was there he got the idea for Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. Today he is one of the richest people on the planet.
Netflix
In 2011, the former mail-order DVD service was in a crisis. Today Netflix is a market leader in many areas, including film production for video streaming.
Airbnb
It began as a small online overnight room exchange for individuals. Today the online portal Airbnb is a market leader in private accommodations.
Quelle
A pioneer in catalogue retailing. As far back as 1957, Quelle built the world’s largest package processing center, capable of handling up to 100,000 parcels per day. With the founding of Amazon, the German catalogue retailer’s fate was sealed. Quelle’s end came in 2009.
Commodore
With the C64, Commodore brought out the first, mass market home computer. But that was its high point. IBM and Macintosh overtook Commodore, which responded with its Amiga personal computer line. Too late. The end came in 1994.
Kodak
Founded in 1888, and successful for more than 130 years. Kodak film could once be bought at every supermarket cash register. Then came digital photography, digital storage – and later, the smartphone camera. Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Nokia
In the late 1990s, the Nokia 3310 was a legendary cult cellphone. The Finnish company still dominated the smartphone market as late as 2006, with more than a 50-percent share. Then came the iPhone. Connection lost. In 2013, Nokia sold its smartphone business..
For 15 years, the California automaker has been roiling the global auto industry with its electric cars. The company recently began selling batteries to households too.
Twenty-four years ago, Jeff Bezos traded his job on Wall Street for a Seattle garage. It was there he got the idea for Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. Today he is one of the richest people on the planet.
In 2011, the former mail-order DVD service was in a crisis. Today Netflix is a market leader in many areas, including film production for video streaming.
It began as a small online overnight room exchange for individuals. Today the online portal Airbnb is a market leader in private accommodations.
A pioneer in catalogue retailing. As far back as 1957, Quelle built the world’s largest package processing center, capable of handling up to 100,000 parcels per day. With the founding of Amazon, the German catalogue retailer’s fate was sealed. Quelle’s end came in 2009.
With the C64, Commodore brought out the first, mass market home computer. But that was its high point. IBM and Macintosh overtook Commodore, which responded with its Amiga personal computer line. Too late. The end came in 1994.
Founded in 1888, and successful for more than 130 years. Kodak film could once be bought at every supermarket cash register. Then came digital photography, digital storage – and later, the smartphone camera. Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
In the late 1990s, the Nokia 3310 was a legendary cult cellphone. The Finnish company still dominated the smartphone market as late as 2006, with more than a 50-percent share. Then came the iPhone. Connection lost. In 2013, Nokia sold its smartphone business..