Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen and later became one of the world’s leading companies by market capitalization.
Gates and Allen established Microsoft after developing a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 computer. The company’s major early breakthrough came from licensing an operating system to IBM for its personal computer.
Microsoft later built major businesses around Windows, Office, enterprise software, gaming, and cloud computing. Its Azure cloud platform became an increasingly important contributor as corporate technology spending shifted toward cloud services and AI infrastructure.
Market capitalization reflects investor expectations about future profits, so Microsoft’s ranking has changed over time. The company has repeatedly competed with Apple and other technology firms for the top position.