The joke goes that if only you had a garage, you’d be able to start a massive global corporation—kind of like how Paul Allen and Bill Gates did. Together, the two computer programming masters founded Microsoft, a leading software giant that now employs more than 163,000 workers.
But just because it is a global tech leader doesn’t mean we know everything about Microsoft. Its success runs much deeper than what we see. Here are six mind-blowing and interesting facts about the corporation that you may be surprised to read.
1. Microsoft introduced Windows Mobile Smartphones ahead of everyone, including Apple.
Though Apple’s iPhone is hugely popular, it is not the smartphone pioneer. Microsoft introduced the first smartphones in the market way back in 2000. This was seven years before Apple released its first iPhones.
2. Microsoft made two billionaires & 12,000 millionaire businessmen.
In 1987, Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, became the youngest billionaire. He was only 31. By 1995, Bill Gates was the richest man in the world.
Apart from Bill Gates, Microsoft’s runaway success made one other billionaire. Former Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, is worth about $22.7 billion. No doubt riding on Microsoft’s fairy tale success, 12,000 other people also made it into the privileged millionaire club.
3. Microsoft was originally named Micro-Soft.
It’s not the most creative name, but they make a lot of money, so we can’t say it isn’t effective. But way back in the 1970s, Microsoft was originally named Micro-Soft. In 1976, the company removed the hyphen. Not a big change, but again, the company’s revenue makes up for it.
Did you also know that Microsoft derives from two terms, “microcomputer” and “software?”
4. Bill Gates has dished out over $28 billion to charity.
Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates ranks among the world’s leading philanthropists. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated more than $28 billion to poverty eradication causes worldwide. He expects that in the next 15 years, the term “underdeveloped world” will become obsolete since no such country will exist.
5. Microsoft employees consume 23 million beverages every year.
Microsoft recently revealed that its employees consume 23 million beverages, free of charge, annually. Among these drinks are milk and orange juice.
6. Bill Gates doesn’t have a college degree.
Bill Gates never finished college and, therefore, doesn’t have his degree. Take that, meritocracy! He isn’t the only tech innovator to forgo college, however. Others include Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs.
Final Thoughts
Hyphen or not, Microsoft is a huge success story, so some of these facts may come off as a no-brainer. Money isn’t all too surprising these days. Still, it’s pretty cool to see where the company stands in its bigness. $28 million to charity, 12,000 millionaires — 23 million drinks?! That’s a lot of liquid. Safe to say, the tech giant isn’t going anywhere anytime soon — except maybe further up the ladder.
