I agree with you that in the end, it comes back to individuals and their decisions. However, many of those individuals were working in an environment afforded them by a government institution, either directly (working for DARPA) or indirectly (working for educational institutions supported by the government).

But, really, I was responding to the parent's 'By contrast, not as many examples of [institutions] creating it.' The environment provided by institutions (whether it's a small company or a large facility) have created a great many things throughout history.

We all want to think individuals are what it's all about, but individuals don't exist outside their surroundings and influences.