Founding of Apple Computer Company

On 01/04/1976, Apple Computer Company was founded in Los Altos, California, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Jobs was 21 years old, Wozniak 26, and Wayne 41 at the time of the partnership. The three agreed to build and sell a single board personal computer designed by Wozniak, later known as the Apple I. Early operations were conducted from the garage of Jobs’ parents’ home on Crist Drive, which served as an assembly and testing space during the company’s initial production efforts. To finance the first batch of circuit boards, Jobs sold his Volkswagen microbus and Wozniak sold his HP 65 programmable calculator, raising approximately $1,300. The Apple I was sold as a fully assembled motherboard rather than a kit, though users still needed to supply their own case, keyboard, and display. Apple began selling the Apple I in July 1976 at a price of $666.66. Early units were supplied to retailers including the Byte Shop in Mountain View, which ordered an initial batch of assembled boards. Ronald Wayne drafted the original partnership agreement and created Apple’s first logo, but he left the company on 12/04/1976, selling his 10 percent stake back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. The partnership continued with the two remaining founders until the business was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on 03/01/1977. The founding of Apple Computer Company in April 1976 marked the beginning of the company’s transition from a small partnership assembling circuit boards to a formal computer manufacturer.