Hewlett-Packard (HP)

HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a multinational information technology (IT) company that sells hardware, software and related business services.  

HP product lines include PCs and other computing devices, enterprise and industry standard servers, storage devices, networking products, software, printers, scanners, plotters and other imaging products. The company introduced handheld calculators, the first commercially distributed data processing system, LaserJet printers, and (jointly with Intel) the Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) architecture. 

The company's corporate culture is encapsulated in an approach known as the HP Way, a set of values designed to foster innovation, respect for individuals and value for customers.

Founded in 1939 by Stanford University Engineering graduates William R. Hewlett and David Packard, HP could be considered the first garage startup. Bill and Dave (as they were known within the company) first worked in a single-car garage manufacturing audio oscillators. The garage was declared a California State Historical Landmark in 1989 and is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley. The company's headquarters are in Palo Alto, California. 

In October 2014, HP announced that it would split its PC and printers business from the business segment selling enterprise products and services, as HP, Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise.