Microsoft investor relations material

A personal computer in every home

Microsoft is a multinational technology company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. The company was initially focused on creating and selling programming languages for microcomputers, but it quickly became one of the most prominent software companies in the world. Microsoft is today one of the largest companies in the world alongside other giants like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet.

The story of Microsoft's founding begins in 1975, when the two friends Gates and Allen decided to start a company that would develop and sell software for microcomputers. They had a vision of putting a personal computer in every home, and they believed that software would be the key to making that vision a reality. Their first product was a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800, a microcomputer that was popular at the time. The success of this product led to the founding of Microsoft and the development of other programming languages and software.

One of Microsoft's most significant contributions to the tech industry was the development of the Windows operating system. Windows was first released in 1985 and quickly became the dominant operating system for personal computers. This success was due in part to the user-friendly graphical user interface that Windows offered, which made it easier for people to use computers.

From Windows to Azure and AI

Other than Windows, Microsoft has several other flagship products such as Microsoft Office and Azure. Microsoft Office includes popular productivity tools such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Office has been a staple of the business world for decades, and its continued popularity has helped to fuel Microsoft's success.

In recent years, Microsoft has expanded beyond its traditional focus on software and has become a major player in the cloud computing and artificial intelligence industries. In 2010, the company launched Azure, its cloud computing platform, which has grown to become one of the leading cloud providers in the world.

Microsoft also invests heavily in AI, developing tools and platforms that make it easier for developers to build AI-powered applications. For instance, Microsoft has made a significant investment in OpenAI, a leading AI research institute, as part of its ongoing efforts to advance the field of AI and bring innovative AI-powered solutions to market. The partnership involves Microsoft investing $10 billion in OpenAI.

The LinkedIn acquisition

Microsoft has made several large acquisitions since its founding, one of them who stands out is LinkedIn. The $26 billion acquisition in 2016 was at the time the largest acquisition in Microsoft’s history. By accessing the 433 million users on the professional networking platform, Microsoft significantly expanded its reach in the enterprise market. Other Microsoft products such as the Office suite, were integrated into LinkedIn shortly after the acquisition, contributing with synergies across the whole company.