Intel Corporation (
NASDAQ:
INTC;
SEHK:
4335;
Euronext:
INCO) is an
American global technology company and the world's largest
semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue.
It is the inventor of the
x86 series of
microprocessors, the processors found in most
personal computers. Intel was founded on July 18, 1968, as
Integrated
Electronics Corporation (though a common misconception is that "Intel" is from the word
intelligence) and is based in
Santa Clara,
California, USA. Intel also makes
motherboard chipsets,
network interface controllers and
integrated circuits,
flash memory,
graphic chips,
embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Founded by semiconductor pioneers
Robert Noyce and
Gordon Moore and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of
Andrew Grove, Intel combines advanced chip design capability with a leading-edge manufacturing capability. Originally known primarily to engineers and technologists, Intel's "Intel Inside" advertising campaign of the 1990s made it and its
Pentium processor household names.
Intel was an early developer of
SRAM and
DRAM memory chips, and this represented the majority of its business until 1981. While Intel created the first commercial microprocessor chip in 1971, it was not until the success of the
personal computer (PC) that this became their primary
business. During the
1990s, Intel invested heavily in new microprocessor designs fostering the rapid growth of the
computer industry. During this period Intel became the
dominant supplier of microprocessors for PCs, and was known for aggressive and sometimes controversial tactics in defense of its market position, particularly against
AMD, as well as a struggle with
Microsoft for control over the direction of the PC industry.
The 2010 rankings of the world's 100 most powerful brands published by Millward Brown Optimor showed the company's brand value at number 48.
Intel has also begun research in electrical transmission and generation
