Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, which began as an online bookstore in 1994.
Bezos incorporated the company in July 1994 under the name Cadabra, and it was later renamed Amazon. The website launched in 1995 as an online bookseller because books offered a large catalog that could not easily fit in a physical store. The company’s early expansion then moved into music, video, electronics, household products, and many other categories.
Amazon’s growth eventually extended beyond retail. Amazon Web Services became a major cloud-computing business, while advertising, logistics, devices, and subscription services added further sources of revenue. Those businesses helped Amazon become one of the world’s most valuable public companies by market capitalization.
Bezos remained chief executive until 2021, when Andy Jassy succeeded him. Amazon’s first warehouse and its original bookstore identity are often remembered, but today its business is far broader than bookselling.