Yet it is increasingly evident they are not driving the new ideas, excitement and powerhouse technology companies in ascent these days.
It's a delicate question which is perhaps best understood in the context of Israel's powerhouse technology centre – one which almost rivals Silicon Valley in hard-core technology and innovation.
"Japan has been a powerhouse in technology for decades, but bridging to the rest of the world economy is an achievement only a small percentage of companies have accomplished," Patrick Collison, co-founder and CEO of Stripe, said in a statement.
Executives at the two companies said they hoped to create a drug discovery powerhouse combining complementary technologies.
Thus far the Russian powerhouse Digital Sky Technologies has invested in only 3 companies: Facebook, Zynga, Groupon.
"What an honor it is for our vision and technology to be recognized by a video technology powerhouse like Kaltura," said Rapt Media founder and CEO Erika Trautman in the announcement.
Earlier this year, I.B.M. passed Microsoft to become the second most valuable technology company, measured by market capitalization, trailing only Apple, the consumer technology powerhouse.
The launching "cemented our position as a space technology powerhouse by indisputably demonstrating that our nation has climbed the pinnacle of world-class advanced technology," Mr. Kim was quoted as saying, adding that the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite was "built with our technology and wisdom alone".
"Considering the fact that Hillary ultimately lost the Democratic primary because she and her team underestimated the power of the Internet and digital technology in organizing and financing a community, she should focus on building New York as an international technology powerhouse," he said.
ISRAEL is a "powerhouse of agricultural technology", says Abraham Goren of Elbit Imaging (EI), an Israeli multinational.
