The polonium-beryllium "golf ball" neutron source internal
initiators were designed in Los Alamos, New Mexico in the United
States as part of the Manhattan Project. Later these were replaced
by external electrically activated tritium particle accelerator
neutron source initiators, also designed in the United States (note
that similar devices are used in the oil industry for well
testing).
Other countries with nuclear weapons arsenals independently
created their own initiators.