Nokia is the only company on that list that was large and that didn't last very long. I'm not trying to did Nordic companies, I'm just saying its difficult.
The billionaires King.com created probably disagree. Skype is still one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, having been traded around a couple times now for $billions too.
USA had a first-mover advantage on internet access, but 20 years later many wealthy nations now have the necessary infrastructure ... a payment gateway, appstores, marketplaces, web hosting ... to flourish online.
King.com - part of an American company
Skype - part of an American company
Nokia - part of an American company
Rovio - independent but tiny(?)
I'm not sure what we are arguing about. I think its clear that its difficult to build a world beating company in a smaller country. Yes they make great divisions and smaller branches, but I'm still not convinced its a good place to base an HQ.
USA had a first-mover advantage on internet access, but 20 years later many wealthy nations now have the necessary infrastructure ... a payment gateway, appstores, marketplaces, web hosting ... to flourish online.