Oracle
Founded as Software Development Laboratories with about $2,000 in capital.
Founded1977
HeadquartersSanta Clara, CA
IndustrySoftware / Databases
Oracle headquarters, Redwood Shores · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
Inspired by Edgar Codd's relational-database paper, it became the dominant database software company.
Founders
Larry Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates
Founded June 16, 1977
Landmark Achievements
- Released Oracle V2 in 1979 — the first commercially available SQL-based relational database management system.
- Its database became the backbone of enterprise computing; by 1995 Oracle held 44% of the relational database market.
- Grew into the world's second-largest software company and, more recently, a major cloud and AI-infrastructure provider.
Oracle's place in the story
Continue through the chronicle — the builders of American technology, in founding order.