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The Global Insight

When did Hewlett Packard become a company?

Author

Christopher Ramos

Updated on March 05, 2026

July 2, 1939
July 2, 1939 Launched in a Palo Alto garage in 1939, Hewlett Packard was the original Silicon Valley startup. Today Hewlett Packard Enterprise is one of the world’s leading enterprise technology companies. See key milestones and moments from our history.

How did HP start?

HP was founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in 1939. Their first product was an audio oscillator and one of their first customers Walt Disney. HP entered the computer market with the HP 2116A in 1966. It was designed to control HP’s large product line of test and measurement equipment.

What is Hewlett Packard known for?

Hewlett-Packard (HP) was founded in 1939 by William Hewlett and David Packard and was known for its hardware advancements, such as personal computers, and their printers. HP is known for its laptops and popular LaserJet and InkJet printers.

Who are the founders of Hewlett Packard Company?

Hewlett-Packard was founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and David Packard, who both graduated with degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1935. The company started off in the HP Garage in Palo Alto, California. On November 1, 2015, Hewlett-Packard was renamed to HP Inc.

What was the first computer made by Hewlett Packard?

Their initial premises was a garage in Palo Alto, California, as was the case with so many Silicon Valley computer companies of the time. Their first product was not in fact a computer at all, but the HP 200A Precision Audio Oscillator, which became a very popular piece of test equipment for engineers mainly due to its unique design and low cost.

When did Hewlett Packard fly around the world?

In 1964 Hewlett-Packard instrumentation gained international recognition in a technological publicity stunt. Company engineers flew around the world with its cesium beam HP 5060A instrument to synchronize the globe’s atomic clocks to within one-millionth of a second.

When did Hewlett Packard move to Palo Alto?

The word was out. Within a year, their garage was bursting at the seams, and in 1940, Hewlett Packard moved into its first official space in Palo Alto, California. Hewlett Packard, ranked 40th of Fortune 500 companies in 2013, still calls Palo Alto home.