Who Founded Apple in 1976
Apple was founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California, with the goal of selling personal computers. The company was formally incorporated on January 3, 1977, and Wayne sold his 10% stake back to Jobs and Wozniak for 800 USD within weeks, leaving the two Steves as the primary co-founders1. Today Apple Inc. is one of the most valuable public companies in the world by market capitalization, with a broad product portfolio spanning hardware, software, and services2.
The Apple I was designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak and first demonstrated at the Homebrew Computer Club before being sold as a circuit board. Steve Jobs focused on marketing, sales, and business strategy, while Wozniak handled engineering and technical design. Ronald Wayne contributed early documentation, sketches, and a draft partnership agreement, but his involvement lasted only a few days after incorporation3.
Founders, Early Products, and Corporate Structure
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple and later returned as CEO in 1997, leading the company through major product launches including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. He stepped down as CEO in August 2011 and passed away on October 5, 2011, with Tim Cook succeeding him as CEO.
Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple and designed the Apple I and Apple II computers, which helped launch the personal computing revolution. He remained involved with Apple in its early years and later pursued philanthropy and education initiatives, while maintaining a symbolic association with the company.
Current Leadership and Corporate Profile
Tim Cook as CEO
Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in August 2011 and has overseen the expansion of services including Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud, Apple Pay, and the App Store. Under his leadership, Apple has continued to grow revenue and market capitalization while expanding its focus on privacy, accessibility, and environmental initiatives1.
Apple Inc. Today
Apple Inc. is headquartered in Cupertino, California, and trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker AAPL. It is one of the most valuable companies globally by market capitalization, with products sold in dozens of countries and a growing portfolio of services and wearables2.