Microsoft, founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, is best known for its software products like Windows, Microsoft Office suite, and web browsers. They own brands such as LinkedIn and Skype, with the former being their largest acquisition. Mary Gates, Bill Gates' mother, played a vital role in helping her son's company succeed by connecting him to IBM executives. Jerry Seinfeld was paid $10 million to appear in a Microsoft commercial, which was ultimately pulled due to criticism. In 2020, Microsoft celebrated the 25th anniversary of its influential operating system, Windows 95. Bill Gates stepped down as CEO but still owns about 1.3% of the company, worth around $20 billion.
