Microsoft, a frequent member of the world's highest-market-cap group, was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975.
The company began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after Gates and Allen developed a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. Its original name was “Micro-Soft,” combining “microcomputer” and “software.”
Microsoft became a global technology giant through MS-DOS, Windows, and Microsoft Office. It later expanded into enterprise cloud computing with Azure, professional networking through LinkedIn, gaming through Xbox, and hardware such as Surface devices.
Microsoft is often confused with IBM because both helped shape personal computing, but IBM was founded in 1911 and Microsoft in 1975. Market capitalization changes daily with share prices, while Microsoft's founding date remains fixed.