At the beginning of 2026, to kick off this year’s celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States, we published a list of America’s Most Iconic Companies. Based on a national survey, conducted with our research partner Statista, we ranked companies—including Ford, Apple, the Walt Disney Co., and 247 more—not solely by their commercial success but by the vital role they’ve played in shaping culture and society. TIME belongs in that group.