Featured in: Ironman (2008)
Stark Industries is primarily a defense company that develops and manufactures advanced weapons and military technologies. The company manufactures the armor worn by Iron Man and War Machine. It builds the helicarriers used by S.H.I.E.L.D, and it produces the Quinjets used by the Avengers.
Stark Industries was founded by Isaac Stark, Sr. in the 19th century and later taken over by Howard Stark and then by his son Tony, after his death. Over the years, through bankruptcy, Tony's "death", Tony's return and hostile takeovers, the company has gone through many name changes.
The company undergoes a transformation into more altruistic goals when Tony Stark has a conversion en route to becoming Iron Man. Here, for once, is a military-minded corporation with a sense of ethics.