If you’ve ever wondered where some of the world’s biggest, most successful companies started out, then look no further. Our new blog series entitled “First Offices” will take a look at the humble beginnings of businesses that are now household names. Today’s post will be focusing specifically on five well-known technology and internet companies.
Apple
In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, ages 21 and 26 respectively, started Apple Computers by selling 50 units of Wozniak’s Apple I Computer at $500 apiece to a local retailer. “The Steves” and their small team of neighbourhood kids (including Steve’s sister Patti) hand-built 50 computers in 30 days from Steve Jobs’ parents garage in Cupertino, CA. According to Time magazine, Jobs’ father had to move his car-restoration equipment out of the garage to make space for the fledgling computer company, and helped the boys carry home a huge wooden bench that served as their first manufacturing base.
Today, Apple Inc. Is a multinational consumer electronics brand, generating worldwide revenue of $156 billion in 2012, with 408 retail stores in 14 countries as of May 2013. Headquartered in the massive Apple campus at 1–6 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, located in the midst of California’s Silicon Valley, the company’s quirky campus, equipped with recreational facilities and beautiful outdoor areas, is a far cry from their beginnings in a dusty suburban garage.
Apple’s current HQ at 1-6 Infinite Loop, Cupertino
Facebook’s first office was located in downtown Palo Alto on Emerson Street. Situated on the second floor above a Chinese restaurant, the company’s headquarters contained around five offices, one conference room and a large common area. Apparently, most of the employees worked in the kitchen as it was convenient for snacking, and graffiti-inspired murals covered entire walls throughout the office.
Facebook, who will celebrate their tenth anniversary in February next year, is now headquartered in a beautiful urban-style campus in Menlo Park, California. Architect Frank Gehry, meanwhile, is currently designing new offices for Facebook’s London and Dublin locations.
Google was initially conceptualised in January 1996 as part of a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two Stanford PhD students. The Google domain name was registered in 1997, and the company was officially founded in September 1998. Page and Brin set up their first office in the garage of Susan Wojcicki at 232 Santa Margarita Ave, Menlo Park, California. (Incidentally, Susan is now the company’s Vice President of Product Management.)
The original Google garage at 232 Santa Margarita Avenue
In February 1999, the young company outgrew their garage office, and moved to a new space at 165 University Avenue in Palo Alto, with a total of 8 employees. Later that year they moved again, this time to their first Mountain View location, located just a few miles south of Stanford University.
Today, Google is headquartered in their massive Googleplex, a sprawling campus located at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, California. As of September 2013, the company operates 70 offices in over 40 countries.
The current Googleplex in California.
Hewlett-Packard
In 1939, Stanford graduates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in Packard’s garage at 367 Addison Ave, Palo Alto, California, with an initial investment of $538. Their first product was an audio oscillator and one of their first customers was Walt Disney, who purchased eight oscillators to develop the sound system for the movie Fantasia. The company was incorporated in 1947, and went public ten years later.
The original HP garage at 367 Addison Avenue
HP is widely regarded as a symbolic founder of Silicon Valley, and the historic HP garage has been actively preserved by the company, who launched a project in 2004 to mimic what the house, garden and shed would have looked like in 1939, the year the company was founded.
HP’s Japan head office.
Amazon
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon.com in 1994, and the site went online as Amazon.com in 1995. Originally conceptualised as an online bookstore, the site soon diversified into consumer electronics and other goods. At the time, the business was run out of Bezos’ garage at 10704 NE 28th, Bellevue, Washington.
The company now has warehouses, offices and customer service centres all over the world. Their main headquarters can be found in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighbourhood, although new offices are currently under construction. The new headquarters, when completed, will consist of three towers that will be able to accommodate 12,000 workers.
Whether you’re looking for your first office or your next HQ, Instant’s expert consultants can help your business find the perfect office space. Don’t hesitate to contact us!
