Microsoft Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation and Impact
This month marks a significant milestone for Microsoft as it celebrates 50 years since its founding by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. The company’s journey has been nothing short of monumental, impacting not just Redmond, the Eastside, Puget Sound, Washington, the nation, but the world at large. Microsoft’s vision, as Gates once stated, was to have “a computer on every desk and in every home.” The ubiquity of smartphones has taken this vision further, with computing power now in every pocket.
Numbers tell a part of Microsoft’s story, demonstrating its success on a grand scale. From first-year sales of $16,005 to total revenues of $245.1 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, the growth has been staggering. As of June 30, Microsoft had 228,000 employees worldwide, with 55% (126,000) in the United States, including about 55,000 in Puget Sound.
The company’s journey from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where it was founded, to Bellevue in 1979, and finally making Redmond its headquarters in 1986, is a story of expansion and growth. Microsoft went public on March 13, 1986, with an offering price of $21 that rose to $35.50 by the end of the day. The company’s stock performance over the years is a testament to its success, with its market capitalization reaching $2.82 trillion 39 years after its IPO.
Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, reflected on Microsoft’s enduring relevance in the tech industry, attributing it to the company’s ability to reinvent itself with each technological paradigm shift. Kevin Scott, Microsoft’s chief technology officer, highlighted the company’s impact on technological advancement over the past five decades and expressed his belief that the AI platform Microsoft is building today may have an even greater impact on the world.
As Microsoft continues to innovate and play increasingly significant roles in people’s work and personal lives, its legacy and future prospects remain a subject of great interest and anticipation.
