115 Years of Ideas That Changed Everything.

1911

Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) founded on June 16 — the birth of what would become IBM.

1924

Renamed International Business Machines Corporation, reflecting a global vision for business machines.

1930s

IBM expanded its tabulating machine business through the Great Depression, proving resilience through innovation.

1944

Harvard Mark I — the first large-scale automatic digital computer in the United States, built in partnership with Harvard University.

1956

IBM 305 RAMAC introduced the first commercial hard disk drive — 5 megabytes on fifty 24-inch platters.

1961

IBM Selectric typewriter revolutionized office communication worldwide with its interchangeable typeball and distinctive design.

1964

System/360 mainframe — a family of compatible computers that transformed enterprise computing forever.

1969

IBM technology supported the Apollo Guidance Computer, helping humanity reach the moon.

1981

IBM Personal Computer 5150 launched the PC era — an open architecture that changed how the world worked.

1997

Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov — a landmark moment for artificial intelligence.

1990s

IBM pivoted toward services and consulting, helping enterprises navigate the internet revolution.

2000s

Global services expansion and middleware leadership positioned IBM as the backbone of enterprise IT.

2011

Watson won Jeopardy! — demonstrating that AI could understand natural language at a human level.

2019

IBM unveiled the first commercial quantum computer — IBM Q System One.

2023

watsonx AI platform launched — enterprise-grade AI for the next generation of business.

2026

115 years of innovation. From punch cards to quantum computing — and the stories keep coming.