Microsoft registered in New Mexico

On 26/11/1976, the trade name “Microsoft” was officially registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico. The registration formalized the company name that had evolved from the earlier “Micro-Soft” branding used by founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen. The updated name reflected the company’s focus on software for microprocessor-based computers. Prior to the registration, Microsoft operated as a partnership developing programming languages and tools for early microcomputers, including its BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800. The removal of the hyphen and formal registration established Microsoft as the official business name for contracts, licensing agreements, and product distribution. At the time, the company was based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, near MITS, the manufacturer of the Altair computer. The November 1976 registration marked an early administrative milestone in Microsoft’s development, coming roughly one year after the company’s founding in April 1975 and preceding its later incorporation and relocation to Washington state.