Netflix NFLX

Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, Netflix started as a DVD rental service with the revolutionary promise of avoiding late fees—because who needs a late fee when you can just keep your DVDs until they turn into vintage collectibles? Fast forward to 2007, and Netflix reinvented itself as a streaming juggernaut, making the phrase "binge-watching" a permanent fixture in our vocabularies. Its defining moments include pioneering the streaming revolution, launching global original content like “Stranger Things” and “The Crown,” and somehow turning a failed attempt at a DVD-by-mail service into a $200 billion media behemoth. Netflix's current valuation might fluctuate like a badly mixed cocktail, but it remains a leader in original programming and algorithmic matchmaking. However, it's not all awards and acclaim; scandals like the controversial “Cuties” and accusations of content plundering have sparked heated debates. With Ted Sarandos at the helm, Netflix continues to crank out content at a breakneck pace, proving that while they might have started as a quirky rental service, they now control a hefty chunk of the digital entertainment empire.