The barren and scattered planets were unable to provide sufficiently large markets unless a stable and vast nation was established, but corporations would not engage in such an endeavor.
As profit-driven entities, or rather, as the embodiment of capital, they instinctively chased after profit and gains because that was the only way to perpetuate their organizational structure.
Building a nation meant taking responsibility for a variety of complex matters, such as establishing order, pacifying the populace, providing education, and constructing infrastructure—all of which required significant investment and carried high risks.
There's a world of difference between managing a company and managing a nation, far beyond just an increase in population. Countless issues awaited, but what was the return? The company only wanted to sell candy for one dollar, and now you're asking it to invest a thousand dollars in comprehensive preliminary construction.
