Which entrepreneur founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore?

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore.

Bezos incorporated the company in Washington state in July 1994, originally operating under the name Cadabra, Inc. He later chose the name Amazon, inspired by the vast scale suggested by the Amazon River. The website opened in July 1995, initially selling books because a large catalogue suited online search and mail-order distribution.

Amazon expanded beyond books into music, video, electronics, household goods, cloud computing, and digital services. Its growth helped establish online retail as a major part of global commerce. Bezos served as Amazon’s chief executive until 2021, when Andy Jassy became CEO.

A common mix-up is the company’s launch date: Amazon was founded in 1994, but its public website began selling books in 1995. Bezos also founded the aerospace company Blue Origin in 2000.