Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational technology company with a market capitalization of approximately $3.7 trillion as of August 2026, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world. Best known for its Windows operating system and Office productivity suite, Microsoft has grown into a diversified technology giant spanning cloud computing, gaming, and enterprise software.

Founding & Early History

Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. The company later relocated to the Seattle area and is now headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Rise to Prominence

Microsoft’s rise came through its MS-DOS and later Windows operating systems, which became the dominant platform for personal computers throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Its 1986 initial public offering made Gates and many early employees enormously wealthy and established Microsoft as a dominant force in the technology industry.

Corporate History

Under founder Bill Gates and later CEOs Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella, Microsoft expanded well beyond operating systems into the Microsoft Office suite, the Xbox gaming division, the Azure cloud computing platform, and acquisitions including LinkedIn and GitHub. Under Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, the company shifted its focus heavily toward cloud computing and artificial intelligence, including a major investment in and partnership with OpenAI.

How It Built Its Wealth

Microsoft’s revenue is driven by several major businesses: software licensing (Windows, Microsoft 365/Office), the Azure cloud computing platform, hardware including Surface devices and Xbox consoles, and digital services such as LinkedIn and GitHub. Cloud computing through Azure has become one of the company’s largest growth drivers, competing directly with Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.

Corporate Leadership

Microsoft is led by CEO Satya Nadella, who succeeded Steve Ballmer in 2014, with Bill Gates continuing to serve in an advisory capacity on technology and philanthropy matters. The company has also made significant commitments around sustainability, including a pledge to become carbon negative by 2030.

With a market capitalization of approximately $3.7 trillion as of August 2026, Microsoft remains one of the most valuable and influential technology companies in the world, continuing to grow through its cloud, software, and AI businesses.