Colonel Eli Lilly founded Eli Lilly and Company in 1876, establishing the Indianapolis pharmaceutical business that still bears his name.
Lilly was a former Union Army colonel and pharmaceutical manufacturer. He created the company after concluding that medicines should be produced with consistent quality and reliable dosages. The business began in Indianapolis, Indiana, and grew through products including insulin, antibiotics, and later medicines for diabetes, cancer, and other conditions.
The founder’s name is sometimes confused with the company’s later family leaders, including his son Josiah K. Lilly Sr. and grandson Eli Lilly, who helped guide the company in the twentieth century. The company’s market value is not a permanent ranking because stock prices change, but its founding date and founder are historical facts.
Eli Lilly and Company is distinct from the unrelated flower name “lily,” despite the similar spelling. Its corporate headquarters remain in Indianapolis, where the company was founded.