Peter Cooper was an early pioneer in glue manufacturing. Cooper used innovative ways to produce glue that was high in quality.

Despite the race outcome, the 'Tom Thumb' proved the viability of steam-powered rail transport, influencing the widespread adoption of railroads across the United States.

As the head of the Trenton Iron Company, Peter Cooper created innovative processes to improve the efficiency and quality of iron production, contributing to the rapid industrialization of the United States.

Peter Cooper played a key role in introducing the Bessemer steel process to the United States, which revolutionized steel production by enabling the mass production of inexpensive and high-quality steel. Abram S. Hewitt, Peter Cooper's son-in-law, further developed this process.