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These humble breakthroughs didn’t just change history. They built fortunes from the ground up and still shape how successful investors grow wealth today.

American wealth didn’t come from comfort — it came from creative ideas, bold moves, and hard-earned breakthroughs. Some of the most profitable innovations in U.S. history didn’t come from big corporations, but from hungry inventors and persistent tinkerers. Here are five scrappy innovations that reshaped the economy. Learn how you can still profit from their ripple effects today.