Microsoft
Also known as Microsoft Corporation
American software and cloud company: Windows, Office, Azure, and a major OpenAI shareholder.
Run by Satya Nadella (CEO, succeeding Steve Ballmer).
Led by
Invested in
- AnthropicOrganization
up to $5B · since Nov 2025 source on Anthropic
- Mistral AIOrganization
$16M, February 2024 · since Feb 2024 source on Mistral AI
- OpenAIOrganization
roughly 27% on an as-converted diluted basis at the October 2025 recapitalization, valued at about $135B · since 2019 source on OpenAI
Board
Sandra Peterson (Lead Independent Director), Carmine Di Sibio, Reid Hoffman, Hugh Johnston, Teri List, Catherine Macgregor, Mark Mason, Penny Pritzker, John David Rainey, Charles Scharf, John Stanton, Emma Walmsley 2
Founded by
- Bill Gates
- Paul Allen
Partners
- AnthropicOrganization
$30B of Azure compute capacity · since Nov 2025 source on Anthropic
- Mistral AIOrganization
partnership expanded in a multibillion-dollar deal, July 2026 source on Mistral AI
- OpenAIOrganization
Azure stays the primary cloud; Microsoft's model and product licence runs to 2032 but became non-exclusive in April 2026, and OpenAI may now sell through other clouds · since Apr 2026 source on OpenAI
- Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque in 1975.
- Satya Nadella has been CEO since 2014 and also chair since 2021.
- Its Azure cloud is OpenAI's primary cloud provider.
- It held roughly 27% of OpenAI Group after OpenAI's October 2025 recapitalization.
Why it matters
- One of the largest technology companies, and the biggest outside owner of OpenAI.
- Founded
- 4 April 1975, Albuquerque, New Mexico1
- Founders
- Bill Gates and Paul Allen1
- Headquarters
- Redmond, Washington1
- Public
- Nasdaq, ticker MSFT1
- Employees
- 223,000 (2026)1
- OpenAI stake
- Roughly 27% on an as-converted diluted basis, about $135B, at OpenAI's October 2025 recapitalization3
Who owns and runs it
Run by Satya Nadella (CEO, succeeding Steve Ballmer).
Led by
Invested in
- AnthropicOrganization
up to $5B · since Nov 2025 source on Anthropic
- Mistral AIOrganization
$16M, February 2024 · since Feb 2024 source on Mistral AI
- OpenAIOrganization
roughly 27% on an as-converted diluted basis at the October 2025 recapitalization, valued at about $135B · since 2019 source on OpenAI
Board
Sandra Peterson (Lead Independent Director), Carmine Di Sibio, Reid Hoffman, Hugh Johnston, Teri List, Catherine Macgregor, Mark Mason, Penny Pritzker, John David Rainey, Charles Scharf, John Stanton, Emma Walmsley 2
Connections
Founded by
- Bill Gates
- Paul Allen
Partners
- AnthropicOrganization
$30B of Azure compute capacity · since Nov 2025 source on Anthropic
- Mistral AIOrganization
partnership expanded in a multibillion-dollar deal, July 2026 source on Mistral AI
- OpenAIOrganization
Azure stays the primary cloud; Microsoft's model and product licence runs to 2032 but became non-exclusive in April 2026, and OpenAI may now sell through other clouds · since Apr 2026 source on OpenAI
Links
Sources
- Microsoft (Wikipedia) (opens en.wikipedia.org)
- Leadership (Microsoft Source) (opens news.microsoft.com)
- The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership (Microsoft, 28 October 2025) (opens blogs.microsoft.com)
- Microsoft names CEO Satya Nadella as chairman (Khaleej Times, 17 June 2021) (opens khaleejtimes.com)
Last checked against its sources today
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