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Applied Materials

The Journey of Applied Materials from a small start-up to a pioneer in the electronics industry

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Applied Materials is one of the leading companies in the electronics industry to shape the future with excellent innovations in technology. Michael A. McNeilly founded the company in 1967 and since then it is striving to make our lives better in the modern era. The company not only aims to bring innovations but also works for making technology affordable for everyone. The contribution of the company forms the foundation of the most trending breakthroughs of this century like  Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Augmented Reality, etc. The company mainly focuses on supplying equipment and software that are required to build semiconductor chips. Applied Materials is currently based in Santa Clara, California, U.S.

The Foundational Story of Applied Materials

Michael A. McKeilly founded the company in 1967 and it went public in 1972. The company started diversifying in the following years and shifted its main focus from semiconductors. But, in 1976 when James C. Morgan became the CEO of the company it again went back to semiconductors only and sales started rising subsequently. In 1984, Applied Materials made a breakthrough as it became the first U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturing company to spread its branches in Japan and China.

Applied Materials
Image Source: barrons.com

In the next decade, the company acquired two big Israeli companies with $285million. The company has made several acquisitions since 2000. It acquired Etec Systems Inc., Oramir Semiconductor Equipment Ltd., Baccini, etc. Another huge achievement for Applied Materials was in 2009 when it opened the world’s largest commercial solar energy research center and development facility. This solar technology center was established in China. Later this year, the company acquired Semitool Inc and in 2011 it acquired Varian Semiconductor.

In 2013, the company merged with Tokyo Electron and planned to change the name of this merged conglomerate to Eteris. But, unfortunately in 2015, the merger was scrapped due to some antitrust issues. In 2018, the company was listed in FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies. Applied Materials has always shown interest in making investments towards better education and improving several communities for the better well-being of people. Currently, the CEO of the company is Gary E. Dickerson who is aligning more than 21,000 employees to work for a better future.

Founder of Applied Materials: Michael A. McNeilly

Michael A. McNeilly has a very rich entrepreneurial experience as he started very young in his journey to reach excellence. Before co-founding Applied Materials, Michael A. McNeilly founded Apogee Chemicals when he was twenty-five. After three years, he co-founded Applied Materials. Michael received a loan of $7,500 from his father-in-law to start Applied Materials. When the company has found the name of the company was Applied Materials Technology but while filing an IPO Michael changed the name to Applied Materials.

In his entrepreneurial journey in the semiconductor industry, Michael became the co-recipient of the first SEMI award in the category of “Outstanding Contributions to the Semiconductor Industry.” He also served as a member of the board of directors in more than 30 companies. His journey just began with Apogee Chemicals and Applied Materials as he founded fourteen more companies after it. While he was in Applied Materials he issued over twenty patents. Michael passed away in 2005 but before he passed away he majorly contributed to semiconductor technology. Michael was also the recipient of the “Outstanding Contributions to NASA Technology Commercialization” from NASA.

Vision and goal of the company

Applied Materials designs highly sophisticated technologies and software for complex chips and displays for many companies. The main goal of the company is to help their customers build large capacity and faster memory chips with the help of Applied Material’s technology. The company also works for making high integrated and more efficient processors. Apart from contributing to creating chips and processors, the company also designs technologies for high-resolution displays. Around 30% of the total number of employees are dedicated to research and development and the company invests around $2billion annually for the same purpose. Currently, the company has more than 12,500 patents.

The company has a strong vision towards solving high-value problems providing equal focus from research purposes to customer support. Applied Materials also believe in establishing high-value collaboration and developing a strong work culture globally.

cisco

Cisco – Journey from developing a simple router to becoming pro in networking and telecommunication sector

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The present world we are living in is complex, and much progress, and more communicative. While advanced networking is responsible to connect us to any corner of the world. However, many firms working in this field made communication easier, and more efficient. Cisco Systems is doing an excellent job since its foundation. It is set up in 1984 by a scientist at Stanford University, who also contribute to connecting computers at the university. That is Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner. Today, the firm has counted in the leading companies that manufacture world-class network infrastructure. As well, the firm explored its business all over the world. Currently, it is having more than 75K employees and networking experts. 

About Cisco System

A USA based multinational company Cisco is headquartered in San Jose in California. Recently in 2020, Cisco ranked fourth as per the Fortune Magazine. Thus, became the part of 100 best companies to work for in 2020. However, the firm is well known for manufacturing both software and hardware for network infrastructure. As well as manufactures high-tech products and telecom equipment that are known as promising in the international market. Apart from being expertise in the networking field, it also specializes in explicit tech markets. Such as domain security, IoT, and energy management. Jabber, Webex, OpenDNS, Jasper, etc are leading subsidiaries that Cisco acquired to compete in the changing market.

The backstory of foundation

As said earlier, Cisco is born out of the unique idea of computer scientists at Stanford University. As per the part of the research and need to connect computers they created the technology on the campus. For this, the founder Leonard and Sandy developed a router called ‘Blue Box’. With this, each computer could communicate with other computers easily. It was no doubt a small size network infrastructure, later on, shaped as Cisco system in 1984. As a matter of fact, the idea of the name “Cisco” has come from the city name San Francisco.

However, the firm had gone through lots of hurdles in the initial days. During the first phase of development, the founders unfortunately were accused of stealing the idea. This matter closed after both of them resigned from the firm. No matter what, but the firm has offered miscellaneous service in the networking field. In fact, it was the first firm to introduced multiple network protocol routers in the market. After 1990, Cisco expanded the business with the acquisition of several leading companies like OpenDNS, Webex, etc.

Glimpse on founders’ lives

Bosack and Learner build the base of the Cisco system with the implementation of research of William Yeager’s. For this, they had to face lots of hustles. Even both of them accused of stealing the idea, software, and hardware design. This dispute ends after leaving the firm that they build with great vision. Though, they played an applausive role in Cisco’s establishment that today known as one of the leading companies all over the world.  

Cisco
Cisco Founders: Leonard Bosack, Sandy Lerner
Image Source: fortune.com

Leonard Bosack 

Despite belonging to a catholic family, Bosack was interested in technology. He attended La Salle College High School. Thereafter, he went to the University of Pennsylvania for graduation. Leonard then joined a digital equipment corporation just after his graduation. During this job, he found interest in network technology. To follow his interest and to work in this field, he registered at Sandford University in computer science. While studying at Stanford, he met Sandy learner, who later became his partner in life as well as in business.

Sandy Lerner 

She is hailed from North California, attended California State University for under graduation. Thereafter, Sandy attended Claremont Graduate School to study econometrics. As well, she also went to Stanford University to study statistics and computer science. In 1984, Lerner’s cooperation resulted in the formation of the Cisco system.

Later Success of Cisco

After lots of up-downs, the firm went public meanwhile. Thereafter, it started the expansion of the business all over the world including India. The firm has never compromised its products and services. As well, it evolved as per changing technology and appropriately noted the requirements of the market from time to time. To advance in and achieved supremacy in modern technology, the firm used an acquisition strategy. ParStream, AppDynamics, Lancope, Accompany these are some of the noticeable acquisitions that Cisco made.

 

Xoom

Xoom – Ultimate electronics payment service provider that helping more than millions of consumers worldwide

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Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people are using e-commerce and digital methods of payment immensely. In fact, it is one of the safest and best ways to stay safe yet, complete the transactions. From electricity bills to grocery bills and in fact, most of the fund transfer is continue using electronics mediums. Thanks to the service providers who enabled such simple fund transfer all over the world. Xoom is one of such remittance provider that enabled service in more than 130 countries. Since 2015, it became one of the subsidiaries of PayPal after the firm acquired Xoom. Thus, exploring its area of service on an international level. Today, Xoom has gained the customers due to it’s secure and easier payment service.

About Xoom

It is a San Francisco based electronics fund transfer provider that enabled many services at one click. Consumers can transfer money, pay all kinds of bills like electricity bills, and can refill the DTH, Mobile phones easily. The firm is set up in 2001 by Kevin Hartz. Presently, it is an integral part of PayPal services. Because PayPal acquired the firm in 2015 for about 1.09 billion dollars.

Services of Xoom

It provides the same services as other UPI based applications like PhonePay, GooglePay, and Paytm do. Whether it is the person to person money transfer or consumer to merchant money transfer, Xoom made it easy. As well, mobile recharge, grocery bills, monthly rent, tv recharge can be done using the Xoom platform. These all services are available in many countries worldwide. For doing these transactions, one can use a mobile app, or desktop site, or even a mobile site. Moreover, Xoom assured complete security to the consumers. For that, it employs several methods like identity verification, limits on transactions, etc. Because the integrity of user accounts is the top priority of Xoom.

PayPal’s subsidiary

In 2015, Xoom merged into PayPal. That time, Xoom had more than 1 million active customers from the USA. As well, the services were used in more than 38 countries. Currently, the firm is under PayPal which is also a well-known payment service provider in the USA.

The person behind Xoom’s establishment- Kevin Hartz

He was born in Berkeley in California. While he spent most of the time of childhood in Orinda, California. Coming to his education, Kevin attended Stanford University to study history, also holds BAS. As well, he did an MA in British history from University College, Oxford.

Image Source: Flickr.com

Early career

Kevin started his career as a product manager at Silicon Graphics. That time, he leads the team of  Virtual reality browser Cosmo Player. During this period, he was one of the founding members of ConnectGroup. It was a startup that started to provide high-speed Internet access to hotel businesses. In 2001, Hartz co-founded Xoom, an international money remittance business. He served as CEO until 2005 and served on the Board of Directors for a long time.

Business ventures

Hartz set up several businesses as well as he is the early investor in many leading firms. In 2001, he helped in the establishment of a remittance service provider called Xoom. The firm worked under his policies till 2005. As he was the CEO of the firm at that time. Xoom acquired many consumers during Hartz’s tenure. Moreover, Kevin helped in the foundation of Eventbrite as well. Eventbrite is a self-service ticketing platform on the international level.

Apart from that, he invested in several firms like PayPal, Uber, Trulia, Pinterest. Kevin also invested in successful startups like Newfront Insurance Gusto Airbnb, Joby Aviation, etc. K. Hartz was also partner with Founders Fund for some duration which he left thereafter.

Recognition and Achievements of Xoom

In 2010, Xoom was one of the remittance service providers that got the highest consumer satisfaction ratings in the transparency of the fee, transparency of the foreign exchange, and value. It was the study of Inter-American Dialogue. Thereafter, it listed in the Next Big Thing List of the 50 most promising venture-backed companies by Wall Street Journal for two consecutive years; 2011 and 2012 respectively.

As well, Inter-American Dialogue included Xoom’s name in the list of 51 remittance service providers for the US to Latin America market. This time, the factors considered were FX, network, Fees, the countries served and financial inclusion achieved.

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments – The Business venture that brought the electronics industry in the limelight

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Research and innovation is a topic or a process that will never stop. In fact, innovation improves our lives in many angles. It is no doubt a vast term, evolve with time. Perhaps, we must credit the persons or firms that fuel these process for simplifying and improving our lives. As well, they successfully transfer those inventions to daily use and became some of the most influencing entrepreneurs. Like Patrick E. Haggerty, J. Erik Jonsson, E. McDermott, and Cecil Howard Green did by setting up Texas instruments in 1951. With this, they actually brought the electronics industry in limelight. In very less time after establishment, the Texas instruments developed many semiconductor devices like a transistor radio, calculator, etc that simplify the user‘s life. However, the firm is now working in defense electronics, telecommunications, and in many related fields.

The beginning of the Texas instruments

It all started back in 1951. The founding members of Geophysical Service, J. Erik Jonsson, Cecil Howard Green, Patrick E. Haggerty, and McDermott set up the Texas instruments in 1951. The prime purpose of the firm was to manufacture semiconductor devices. Before that, the Texas instruments were known as GSI. An interesting fact about Texas instruments, it was working in the field of oil exploration before shifting the focus to manufacturing. Thereafter, the firm developed many semiconductor devices and made it available on large scale. Just after 6 years of foundation, it set the name in the list of one of the largest corporations in the world.

The boom in the electronics industry

After three years of establishment, the firm introduced the world’s first transistor radio using a germanium transistor. Thus, increasing the demand for transistors in the market. As the firm was also manufacturing a transistor, this step helped it to generate revenue in the early days. Thereafter, the Texas instruments invented many devices that later on became popular in daily use. For example, a handheld calculator.

Moreover, the firm has named a patent for a single-chip microprocessor. Later on, it introduced the single-chip linear predictive coding speech synthesizer for the first time in the world. After several inventions and electronics devices, the Texas instruments became a leading name in the electronics industry.

Glimpse to Founders lives

Texas instruments Founders

Patrick Eugene Haggerty

He was a businessman and an American engineer. Most of the credit to turn Geological services into Texas instruments goes to Patrick. His vision turned the small oil exploration firm into one of the dominant semiconductor firms in the world. As well, under Haggerty’s guidance, TI invested in the transistor. That time, the practical use of transistors was somewhat questionable, which he changed by creating the first silicon transistor with the help of other co-founders.

Patrick also shared a great contribution to inventing the world’s first commercial transistor radio as well as, first integrated circuit. Haggerty served as a president and Chairman of TI. Throughout his career, he worked for the development of the semiconductor industry on an international level.

Early life

He was born in  1915 in Harvey, North Dakota. Patrick attended the Marquette University School of Electrical Engineering. In 1951, he co-founded the Texas instruments.

Other work

Apart from being a successful businessman, he was active in the Institute of Radio Engineers. In fact, he served as IRE’s president in 1962. Also, Haggerty was one of the members of the committee responsible for merged the IRE and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) into the IEEE. For his immense efforts to explore IEEE, Haggerty was awarded the IEEE Founders Medal.

Eugene McDermott

He is one of the founding members of the Texas instruments. As well, served as a Chairman of TI in the initial phase of the firm. Eugene was also included in the board of directors until his last days. During his tenure as CEO, TI rose to be one of the largest corporations in the world.

Personal life

He was born on 12 February 1899 in Brooklyn in NY. Eugene attended Stevens Institute of Technology to study mechanical engineering. As well, he was a geophysicist. For exploring the oil, he set up Geophysical services along with other co-founders. Later on, this firm is renamed as Texas instruments.

Cecil Howard Green

He was born on 6 August 1900. Green attended the University of British Columbia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Coming to his work front, he was a founder of Texas Instruments. As well, served as vice president and director of the firm. Moreover, Cecil named the honorary director of the company.

In his later life, he was the fellow of the American Academy of Art and Sciences. C. Green had a British origin, but he worked mostly in America. In 1970, he was honored with the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences. Mr. Green was also a recipient of the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.

John Erik Jonsson

He was born on 6 September 1901 in Brooklyn in New York City. Jhon’s parents were migrated to the United States before his birth. Jonsson is also helped in the establishment of Geological Services that later became Texas Instruments.

Career and other work

He was a co-founder as well as served as president of Texas Instruments. Apart from that, he served as a Mayor of Dallas. During his service, the creation of Dallas-Fort was started. As well, he became a philanthropist in later years.

Realme Logo

Realme – Born out of Sky Li’s vision to deliver new-generation smartphones.

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The mobile industry is one of the most important industries all over the world. In fact, it keeps growing and prospering for a long period. Many Asian companies have gained recognition in this industry. Like a Chinese smartphone, Realme has gain popularity in minimal duration. A Shenzhen based mobile firm Realme is the best example of a new brand that competing well-developed brands like Xiaomi.

How the firm made it possible in a very short duration? Well, there is one simple tactic, provide more features and better value at an affordable price. So that customers can get the desired value for the money they are investing. Apparently, Realme’s founder Sky li has implemented this universal fact to create trust in the smartphone market. As a result, within a year of establishment, the firm has entered an international market as well as captured a large part of China’s market. Presently, Realme is popular in the smartphone markets of South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. As well, it is growing the presence in the market of Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, England, and Russia.

Backstory of Realme

Today it is known as Realme but it entered the market as an OPPO Real in 2010. It was one of the sub-brands of OPPO electronics. However, the former vice president at OPPO Mr. Sky Li resigned from the post and found the independent smartphone company, Realme.

That’s how Realme started in 2018, with a new brand logo and new vision to provide stylish yet new technology-based smartphones. Just in one year, it entered officially in the Chinese market with brand new models Realme X and Realme X lite. By the end of the year 2019, the firm had successfully entered 20 smartphone markets.  Includes China, India, Southeast Asia, and Europe. As well, become the no. 1 emerging brand.

About Realme

A well-known businessman Sky Li set up Realme in 2018. It is based on the vision to provide new generation smartphones having superior experience. Due to the use of cut edge technology, the newly launched Realme has successfully stood out in the market. As well, it brings the smartphone models full of trendsetting technologies, and features that give trendsetting experience at affordable prices.

Realme Founder Sky Li
Image Source: fonearena.com

With the hard work and head to head competition, Realme proved its significance in the global market. In spite of strong competitors like Samsung, Nokia, Xiaomi, and of course Oppo gained the trust of customers. In India, the firm has given a tough competition to Redmi.

The strategy to conquer over other brands

There are dozens of mobile manufacturers in China that focused on channel marketing and offline distribution. While realme focused on online from the beginning. It directly steps in the market in competition with Xiaomi neglecting other numerous small brands. On the online platform, Realme made available the mobile phones with similar features and price segment with Xiaomi. Thus, the consumer got the chance to choose between two brands. Earlier, only Xiaomi’s models were dominating the market which got a new competitor. Knowing that online shopping is preferable by many, brands sold smartphones only on an online platform for one year.

Glimpse to founders life

Sky Li is a founder of Realme who also served as a vice president of Oppo. As well, he was the head of the overseas business of Oppo for a long time. LI shared a great contribution to exploring the business of Oppo in 3 markets covering 31 countries. In 2018, he resigned and established a new brand Realme.

Later succes of Realme

Realme always amazed consumers with cut edge technology that reflects in its smartphone models. At the beginning of this year, the firm has announced a new strategy AIoT plus smartphone. It is known as dual driven strategy. With this, the firm has safe its side in changing the smartphone market. Presently, more than 35 million smartphone users use Realme’s models. As per Counterpoint global smartphone shipment, Realme is no. 7 emerging brands as well as ranks first in the international market.

The firm set an example for emerging brands. Using innovation and a unique marketing strategy, it stands in competition with its many other rivals. In fact, it is developing innovative and variety of cell phones in various ranges of price.