The oldest still-operating company on this list was founded before the United States existed.
How to Play: Guess if the company on the right was founded EARLIER or LATER than the one on the left.
Name A
Name B
Top 10 Oldest Companies Still Operating
Year founded refers to the original incorporation. Some companies (like Hudson’s Bay 1670) predate countries and currencies they now operate in.
| # | Name | Year Founded | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OpenAI | 2,015 | year |
| 2 | Meta (Facebook) | 2,004 | year |
| 3 | Tesla | 2,003 | year |
| 4 | 1,998 | year | |
| 5 | Amazon | 1,994 | year |
| 6 | Cisco | 1,984 | year |
| 7 | Adobe | 1,982 | year |
| 8 | Oracle | 1,977 | year |
| 9 | Apple | 1,976 | year |
| 10 | Microsoft | 1,975 | year |
How Old Is Old in Business
The Sumitomo Group claims continuous operation since 1615 — predating most modern nation-states. Hudson’s Bay (1670) controlled vast areas of North America before Canada existed.
Many ‘old’ tech companies are surprisingly young. Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle are all under 50 years old. The ‘tech giants’ transformed the global economy in less than half a century.
OpenAI (2015) is the youngest household name on this list. ChatGPT launched in 2022 — barely two years before reaching cultural saturation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oldest company still operating?
Among large modern firms: Sumitomo Group (1615) or Hudson’s Bay Company (1670). The Kongō Gumi (Japanese construction) was 1,400+ years old before liquidating in 2006.
Why are tech companies so young?
Computing as an industry barely existed before the 1960s. The tech giants emerged as the technology matured.
Did Apple really start in 1976?
Yes — Apple Computer Company was founded April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Jobs’s parents’ garage.
Will OpenAI be on this list in 50 years?
Maybe. AI is the fastest-growing sector but also volatile. Survival of any specific firm is uncertain.
Note: Year founded per official company histories.
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