Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce co-founded Intel in 1968 after leaving Fairchild Semiconductor.
The company was originally incorporated as NM Electronics, but soon adopted the name Intel, formed from “integrated electronics.” Noyce had co-invented the integrated circuit, while Moore was already known for his work in semiconductor technology and later for Moore’s law.
Intel first focused on semiconductor memory before becoming a major producer of microprocessors. Its 4004, introduced in 1971, is widely described as the first commercially available microprocessor. A common mix-up is confusing Intel’s founders with Andy Grove, who joined later and became one of the company’s most important executives, rather than a co-founder.