Microsoft

• Company type: Public
• Industry: Information technology
• Founded:    April 4, 1975
• Founders: Bill Gates, Paul Allen
• Headquarters: One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington, U.S.
• Area served: Worldwide
• Key people: Satya Nadella (Chairman & CEO), Brad Smith (Vice Chairman & President), Bill Gates (technical adviser)
• Products: Software development, Computer hardware...
• Brands: Windows, Microsoft 365, Skype, Visual Studio, Xbox, Dynamics, Surface
• Services: Edge, Azure, Bing, LinkedIn...
• Website: microsoft.com

Microsoft, established in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, has emerged as a titan in the technology industry. Its Windows operating system, introduced in the 1980s, became the foundation for personal computing worldwide. The company's suite of productivity software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, revolutionized the workplace, setting industry standards. Over the years, Microsoft has diversified its portfolio, venturing into cloud computing with Azure, which has become a cornerstone for businesses transitioning to digital infrastructures.

Beyond software, Microsoft has made significant strides in hardware innovation with products like the Surface line of devices, offering users a seamless integration between software and hardware. Furthermore, its acquisition of LinkedIn has expanded its influence into the realm of professional networking and digital recruitment. With ongoing investments in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and mixed reality, Microsoft continues to shape the future of technology, embodying its mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.